Well it’s almost here, soon we will be driving in a winter wonderland, time to get yourself ready for freezing cold days, snow covered road ways, slippery walkways and winter fun. Some look forward to winter and having a great time, sure there are many things to do this time of year, for some it means taking advantage of ski hills, winter festivals and for some lucky kids playing hockey in the backyard ice rink. Then there’s those things most don’t look forward to and that’s scraping off the car, shovelling the driving way, then having a snow plow drive by only to create a snow bank at the end of your driveway, resulting in more shovelling. You see for some winter means nothing but hard work for nearly 6 months. Sure winter has its moments but for some of us winter can be the most challenging time of our lives.
Sometimes the better choice is to just stay inside
When it comes to winter conditions many of us with disabilities would much rather just stay inside instead of going out and risking a fall or injury. The one thing that bugs me the most about winter is how fast the weather changes, it’s crazy one minute it's clear skies, then the next thing you know here comes the snow and freezing rain. It has happened to me so many times, I go into the mall, the next thing I know I come out and walk to my car is now a slippery one, thanks to the freezing rain that fell while I was shopping. Some of you might understand what I feel like when I hear we going to get freezing rain. You see where I live my parking spot is so far away from the buildings entrance, that at certain times my walk to the car can be a very challenging one. To be honest I am somewhat envious of those people who are lucky enough to have close parking spots. I really wish I lived somewhere with underground parking, maybe it is time to start looking. You see in the city I live in apartment buildings are not required to have parking for people with disabilities, so it is a common sight to see no accessible parking, let’s hope that changes soon.
Be Nice and clear the Snow & Ice
When it comes down to it I believe that the issue those with disabilities face during the winter time could be eliminated if people just did what they were supposed to do during the winter. Most would agree snow and ice removal is very important, but sadly many businesses and even homeowners don’t take it very seriously. It is frustrating to know that simple things such as people not clearing walkways and parking lots of snow and ice is what is holds some of us back from being able to make it through the season. I truly believe that some people just don’t care and that worries me, it seems like people in society are just more concerned with their own needs, than to take the time and think about others. So I would like to ask all home and business owners to please take care of your property during the winter as this would go a long way in helping those living with disabilities.
Lastly there are a few things I have learned over the years that have helped me make it through the winter, so please consider some of these tips:
1- Purchase a bag of salt or environmentally friendly product that you can use to help reduce snow & ice build up on walkways or around your vehicle.
2- Look into purchasing slip on ice cleats as these do a great job of increasing traction on slippery surfaces.
3- If you live in an apartment building let the owners or the superintendent of the building know they have to stay on top of the removal of snow & ice.
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