“You Just Didn’t See Us: Just Doesn't Cut it” A Real Story from a St. Catharine's Crosswalk.

Last week after an evening concert in St. Catharine's, I was guiding a blind friend across a crosswalk. We had the pedestrian light. We were visible. We were cautious. We were, I suppose a little too slow for this person. Because, my friend needs a moment to find my elbow, and to steady herself to step down, off the curb.

And we were nearly hit. He saw us. He got impatient.

If I hadn't been there to stop us from advancing any further, we both would have been hit. Hard. Let that sink in.

This isn’t a scare tactic. Although in that moment, hearing the expletives escaping from my mouth, you would think so. But it is an opportunity. Because it is unfortunate that this is real life in Niagara. And it's getting even more dangerous for people with disabilities who simply want to cross the street safely.

What many don't know, is that blind people don't always have a seeing eye dog. They don't always use their cane when they are with other people who can guide them.

We’re surrounded by noise—notifications, playlists, missed calls, group chats and a barrage of other things going on in our lives—and it’s costing us our awareness of what’s right in front of us. It's costing us our consideration and patience for others. It also takes my blind friend longer to cross the road. That’s not a flaw—it’s just a fact. But we live in a culture that treats every red light as wasted time and every pedestrian as an obstacle to hastily swerve around.

Here’s the truth: whatever you're rushing or not paying attention for, is never more urgent than making sure you and others stay safe.

At C&C Driver Training, we’re working hard to teach students how to drive with empathy. Not just rules of the road, but real-world scenarios: someone in a wheelchair navigating a snowbank, a blind person using a cane, a parent with a stroller who’s two steps behind their child who may have just dropped their binky. As a driver, you must take caution. The pedestrian does have the right of way.

We teach them to slow down, to scan for pedestrians before hitting the gas at a green light, to be fully present—not half on their phone and half on the road.

Because presence saves lives.

If you’re reading this in Niagara, you probably know someone who’s vulnerable on our streets. Maybe a grandparent with mobility issues, maybe a teen who zones out with earbuds, maybe someone like my friend—navigating the world without any sight whatsoever, but with immense courage and faith in others.

Let’s be better for them.

Put your phone away when you’re behind the wheel. Give people time to cross. Honour the crosswalk as more than paint on pavement—it’s a promise we make to one another.

Because “I didn’t see them” should never be the last thing anyone has to live with, after their actions hurt or kill another.

Hand it over to us. That is our sole reason for existing.

Driving Niagara Forward.

Let's make our roads in Niagara a safer place for everyone.

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