UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Is it just me, or does anyone else have problems with 'down' escalators ?

If my life depended on it I could go 'up' but under no circumstances could I travel down on one - I didn't have a problem with them pre-contact lenses - is this a coincidence I wonder ?

It can be very embarassing, squeezing into a lift with people with prams, the elderly etc, who look at me as if i'm lazy !

I'm ok with stairs, but grab on to the handrail for dear life.

Here endeth my Sunday morning therapy session !

Chris x

I have, expecially the ones in MandS.

Most places,where they paint a line on the step, it is at the edge of the tread to show you where the riser falls away. In M and S they put the line at the inside of the treat, just where the riser goes up to the next step.

Andrew

Blimey Andrew, I'm dizzy just thinking about your M&S/escalator dilemma.

I know exactly what you mean though.

Chris x

Mosts steps I ut my foot as far forward so I feel the riser when going up or heel right back when going down so I know I am on a step and have my have forward of me so I know when steps are coming to an end or to a corner. Need this techneque at work as we wear safety shoes at all times so you can not feel the stpe with your toes to know if you are on the edge of a step or not.

Escalators are only when I am out and about.

Getting on is not too mcuh of a problem as I can feel through the soles of my shoes if I am on a crack or not. Never have my feet side by side when first get on, that way chances of having feet starddling two steps is much reduced. Then it is just a case of sliding a foot forward or pulling one foot back on the the required step. Hand again infront of me on the rail. If I feel my arm being pulled forward I slide it back a bit, but you get early warning, plu with feet being on seperate steps you ca tell when you are near the top as your feet come to the same level then you can walk straight forward.

In my university days I managed to easily negotiate the London underground. No useful vision at that time, I had my white stick. It took me longer to learn where the tubes pull up on the platform so I would always be level with a door. Londoners never help visually impaired people get to a door, they would rather watch them hit the side of the train with their white stick!

Glasgow is a different matter, went there once and a stranger helped me to the exact platform and train. On the way I discoverd they were leaving the station, but went out of their way to turn round and help me get ona train before they comenced their journey again.

Being a pinsy southerner, pI had always been lead to beleive any Gasweigen offering such help was going to mug you!

No the scots went up in my estimation and the Londoners stayed down as being on the whole unhelpful and impolite arrogant people.

No idea what it is like now as I have some useful vision (not much) when I am lens free in London. Not been to Scotland for many years now.

Christine

You arent alone here!

You know the bit I hate.....when you go up or down and they start to flatten out....its ok if there small ones...but the larger ones!! SHEESSHH! Canary Wharf and Piccadily Circus have some of the largest Escalators in Europe and i hate using them for this reason......as you need to gauge the distance when they start flattening out!

Gareth

Your experience in Glasgow was fairly typical. People here do go out of their way to be helpful. There is a small minority who would seek to do you harm, but I think that Glasgow is no different in that regard to any other place.

Glasgow is a friendly city! I think that this is due, in part, to the fact that it is really just a lot of villages that have all run into each other!

Andrew

Londoners are unhelpful and downward escalators/stairs are definately harder to see.

I always remember a Glasweigen man carrying my suitcase up a whole flight of stairs, he just came up to me and did it, saying, 'ah you need a good strong scotsman to do that!'. Put a smile on my face!

We're not all the same you know! Some of us are actually very kind and helpful!
I may not live in London now but I was born and bred there!

Pat

I lived in London for three years and as soon as I could I moved out. Hitchin was near enough to London so I could continue Uni and there was a vast difference between the two places.

Like I said earlier, this was the early 90's!

So perhaps worth considering that an awful lot of people in London aren't actually Londoners..............!

By the way, I don't like the place particularly either!

Pat