Social media users are currently discussing a pedestrian crossing hack you might not know.
TikTok user @iamjondeau posted a video on something he just discovered - and it's now viral.
He wrote: "I was today years old when I found this out...."
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The user then shows a 'secret' cone at the bottom of some traffic lights which is designed to tell blind or partially sighted people when they can cross the road safely, as it spins when the 'green man' comes on.
The viral video has now been viewed by 316.7K users.
Paula Beattie, Campaigns and Policy Manager at the Royal National Institute of Blind People in Northern Ireland (RNIB NI) told Belfast Live : “The rotating cone, located on the under-side of pedestrian controlled crossing button boxes, as featured in this TikTok video, is used throughout the UK. A person can place their finger lightly on the cone and can then feel it start to continuously spin the instant the light changes to signal that the traffic has stopped and it’s now safe to cross the road.
"This should be used in combination with the audible beeping crossing but is more commonly used at junctions where there are multiple pedestrian crossings situated close together or where there is significant noise and where the audible crossing may not be used safely.
“We at RNIB NI believe strongly that an accessible society is essential to the approximately 56,400 blind and partially sighted people in Northern Ireland. This number is set to rise. Sight loss is a spectrum, and every eye condition affects someone’s sight differently. The majority (93 per cent) of people who are registered blind or partially sighted have some usable sight.
"In our #See Me #See Differently manifesto document published ahead of the recent 2022 assembly elections, RNIB NI sets out how we will continue to campaign for accessible signal-controlled pedestrian crossings over roads and cycleways . This infrastructure must be embedded in project design principles, particularly in locations and along routes to essential public services. Getting the features right in pavements and roads can make a real difference to the ability of blind and partially sighted people, to move around safely and confidently.
"Central and Local Government, councils, planners and designers must check thoroughly as to how their new designs or proposed changes align with the RNIB’s ‘Key Principles of Inclusive Street Design’.”
To access support or to find out more about the work of RNIB in Northern Ireland, call their helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit the website: www.rnib.org.uk/northernireland.
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