Chapter 20:Street Crossings and Traffic Safety
Understanding your street crossing is a very important component of a successful crossing:
Parallel traffic is traffic that flows parallel to your left or right shoulder. Perpendicular traffic is traffic that flows on your facing street; the street you are about to cross.
A “Plus” intersection is an intersection shaped like a cross or a plus sign. Traffic on both intersecting streets can flow through the intersection. A “T” intersection is an intersection shaped like a “T”. Traffic at the top of the “T” can flow through. Traffic coming from the bottom of the “T” must choose to turn right or left. It cannot flow through.
When your dog takes you to a curb and stops, you will find the curb with your left foot and then remain in position with your left foot slightly forward. Then you will listen to the traffic, to get a sense of the way it flows. It is especially important to listen to your traffic when you are at one of the many rounded corners in White Plains, so you can determine your position relative to the street you want to cross. You do not want to move around while standing at the corner; if you do that, you risk losing your direction.
Once you have judged your position, you will then wait for a lull in traffic for a stop sign controlled intersection or for a new cycle if it is a light- controlled intersection. To do this for a light-controlled intersection, you will wait for the perpendicular traffic to cross in front of you, which will be followed by a stream of parallel traffic to your left or right. When the parallel starts, it is usually safe to cross. If you arrive at the down curb and the parallel traffic is already flowing, it is best to wait for a fresh cycle, rather than risk getting caught in the middle of the crossing when the light changes. It is your job to read the traffic accurately.
When a fresh cycle starts, you will tell the dog "Juno, forward," and step into the street with your dog. Turn your shoulders just slightly away from the parallel traffic, to lessen the risk of veering into the intersection.
When you step off the down curb you want to step off with your right foot. Your first step is usually the heaviest and if you step off with your left you could push your dog to the left in the crossing and possibly even step on the dog. After you step into the street, praise your dog then tell them “to the curb”. To the curb is the only command given in the street, and it is used in every crossing.
When crossing a street, you do not want to push the handle forward, rush the dog, or get ahead of it because you are anxious to get out of the street. Getting ahead of the dog in the street will prevent the dog from safely getting you to an up curb or safely protect you from trafic. The dog will get you across the street at a safe speed.
When a guide dog is approached by a moving vehicle so closely that he must take evasive action, it is referred to as a traffic check. The dog may react in a number of ways.
He may:
Come to a complete stop and wait for the vehicle to pass
Come to a complete stop and back up quickly
Turn slightly in front of the handler
Speed up in pace if the vehicle comes from behind
In review traffic checks can occur while waiting at the down curb and while stopped at the up curb, as well as during a crossing.
When a traffic check occurs, be prepared to stop with the dog and back up quickly if necessary. You must stay behind your dog at all times to keep within the buffer zone. If you step out of the buffer zone the likely hood of making contact with the vehicle is greater.
Guide dog handlers must be mindful not to put the dog in dangerous situations. For example: the handler consistently misreads the cycle and thus forces the dog out into heavy traffic. The dog will soon become traffic shy and refuse to cross the street all together. When traffic checks do occur the handler should allow the dog to exit the street as quickly as possible. This means don’t be overly concerned if your dog runs the up curb. Avoid rushing when entering the street as well since the dog may be assessing the close moving vehicles. Know and understand the intersections thatyou use frequently; traffic controlled or not, length of light cycle, number of lanes and so on.
Should a traffic check occur, you must try to remain calm, be supportive to the dog, and give a quick word of praise followed by the “to the curb” command.
A traffic check is as unsettling to the dog as to the handler, and the dog should be forgiven minor guide work errors immediately after the traffic check, such as hurrying over an upcurb. Once out of the street, give the dog praise.