Today is 'Make Way Day' and people are being reminded to leave space on the footpath for people with disabilities and mobility issues.
Twenty-five local authorities are taking part in this 'Make Way Day', asking drivers not to park on the footpath, block the path with bins or carelessly park bikes on the street.
While the space might look large enough to get by, an average wheelchair user needs a clearance of one metre to pass a car, bike or wheelie bin.
Saoirse Smith is a wheelchair user from Dublin. Making our way from her house in Clontarf, Saoirse points out a spot where cars regularly block the pavement, meaning she has to double back to use the nearest ramp, go down onto the road, and then go around the obstructing car.
Saoirse says most of the time, people are embarrassed, and apologetic. But she recalls one repeat offender.
"I was getting frustrated, and I had to knock on the door, because I knew which house it was, to say can you move the car, but the person got quite angry with me, and was quite annoyed by me constantly saying to him, move the car, and I was trying to reason with him, like, yes you can park on the path, but not this far in, like park on the kerb, so there's room for me and anyone else (to get by) and I had to call the guards three times."
She has some advice for people to think about the space around their bins, cars or even hedges: "Just be aware there are people that need that extra bit of space... not just disabled people, but elderly people, mothers with babies, fathers with babies, just be aware."
Saoirse said it is not about making people feel guilty for their behaviour, just to think about the space around them.
Today, people who have been frustrated, delayed and blocked all year will go out with 'Make Way Day' stickers. The low-adhesive stickers are friendly reminders to consider the needs of over 13% of the population who have disabilities.
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After last year's 'Make Way Day', Dublin City Council found one of the major obstacles facing the mobility and visually impaired was noted to be advertising boards on public footpaths and roads.
The council said that when advised or formally warned businesses have removed their boards. It says inspections are continuing "on a daily basis both in the city centre and in the suburban villages and around 67 ad boards have been removed".
DCC added that in a further effort to remove clutter from footpaths, it has increased the provision of cycle parking with almost 4,000 new cycle spaces provided in the last two years.
DCC’s policy is to provide cycle parking on the road instead of on the footpath where possible.
