How blind pedestrians navigate traffic using sound — and why cyclists and drivers matter for accessibility and safety.

I live in Montréal, a city that so many people fall in love with.

They come for the food, the festivals, the culture, the bike paths, and the feeling that the streets themselves are alive. And I get it. I love this city too.

But as a blind pedestrian, the way I experience busy streets and bike paths is very different from what most people see. Street crossing for blind and low-vision people is not just about walking — it’s about sound-based navigation and trust in others.

I am not writing this to attack cyclists or drivers. Many of you are doing your best. I am writing to invite you to see the city the way I do for a moment.

Picture yourself standing at a busy corner, unable to see the bikes or cars coming. All you have are the sounds, your training, and your trust that other people will follow the rules.

Would you not want them to slow down a little for you?

So, from me and on behalf of the low vision and blind communities:

Thank you for thinking of us when you ride or drive.

How Blind People Cross the Street Without Sight

Most people cross the street without thinking about it. They look at the light, glance left and right, make eye contact with a driver, and then walk.

For me, and many other blind travellers, crossing is a learned safety skill.
Thanks to incredible orientation and mobility training, I have learned to navigate traffic as a blind pedestrian using only two main tools: my white cane and my hearing.

When I stand at a corner, I:

• Use my white cane to align with the curb
• Listen to the direction and flow of cars
• Pay attention to the rhythm of engines starting and stopping
• Wait for a sound pattern that signals it’s my turn

When it is just cars and traffic lights, this sound-based street crossing works surprisingly well. It’s not effortless, but predictable enough that I can feel confident.

Then, we add bikes.

The Challenge of Quiet Bikes and Busy Bike Paths

Bike culture is growing in many cities, and environmentally, it’s a great thing.
But from the perspective of blind pedestrians who rely on sound, quiet bikes are complicated.

Many bicycles — especially electric bikes and scooters — make very little noise. Yet they move quickly and don’t always follow predictable patterns like cars do.

Some cyclists:

• ride on sidewalks
• roll through stop signs
• ignore red lights
• cut across pedestrian crossings on bike paths

Crossing streets with bike paths is one of the hardest parts of navigating traffic as a blind traveller. It feels like trying to listen to two conversations at the same time and hoping you don’t step into the wrong one.

I often find myself thinking, “How do I know if a bike is coming?”

If I could always trust cyclists to slow down and stop fully at crossings, street safety for blind people would improve instantly. But real life doesn’t always work like that.

Phones, Earbuds, and Divided Attention

My wife, who is sighted, tells me things I never visually see:

• cyclists riding one-handed while holding a phone
• earbuds in both ears
• eyes down at a screen
• drivers doing the same thing

What I experience instead is different. I feel the whoosh of a fast bike passing close just as I step off the curb. I sense a rush of air and a sudden shock in my body.

Was it inches away, or farther? I cannot always know. But when you are blind, how it feels matters, because every close call affects your confidence the next time you cross.

How Close Calls Change Confidence

There are moments when I do exactly what I’ve been trained to do:

• I align with the curb
• I listen
• I wait for the pattern
• I step out when it’s my turn

And then I hear it — a bike cutting through too fast. I wonder:

• Did they see me?
• Did they slow down?
• What if I was one step further?

These moments build hesitation. They chip away at the confidence we work so hard to build through mobility training for blind travellers.

Accessibility Is More Than Ramps and Elevators

People often think accessibility means ramps, elevators, braille, or screen readers.
And yes, those matter.

But accessibility on streets is about behaviour.

For blind and low-vision pedestrians, an accessible corner looks like this:

• cyclists stopping fully at lights and signage
• drivers respecting turning arrows and crosswalks
• people slowing down at intersections
• bike paths designed with predictable pedestrian crossings
• awareness that someone might be using sound-based navigation

These behaviours cost nothing but provide safety, dignity, and independence.

What Cyclists and Drivers Can Do to Help

If you bike or drive, here are simple ways to make streets safer for blind and low-vision pedestrians:

✔ Follow the rules — red lights and stop signs are not suggestions.
✔ Put your phone away — attention saves lives.
✔ Keep at least one ear open if you use earbuds.
✔ Slow down at crossings — someone vulnerable might be stepping out.
✔ Give space to white canes and guide dogs — we rely on you to protect our turn.

These small actions make a massive difference in bike path safety for blind people.

A Personal Request from the Blind and Low Vision Community

Thank you for choosing to slow down.
Thank you for stopping fully.
Thank you for thinking of those navigating the city without sight.

We may not see you,
but we absolutely feel the difference you make.

Learn more about our accessibility adventures at Vision Adventurers:
https://www.visionadventurers.com

The Vision Adventurers Team