Visually impaired cyclist calls for more sighted tandem partners

Visually impaired cyclist Julia Kabanova told ERR’s Ringvaade that she must trust other people in her daily life, and cycling is no exception. She said more sighted riders, or “bike eyes,” are needed so that people with visual impairments can lead more active lives.

Kabanova said her love of cycling began in secondary school, when she had the chance to join a bicycle trip. A school for blind students had an old tandem bicycle, which she tried once before telling her parents about it. Tandem cycling has since become her favourite hobby.

She said she would ride every day if she had enough pilots, the riders who steer the front of the tandem bicycle. She sometimes rides with her older son, but would also like to cycle to work and to the shops.

Riding a tandem bicycle requires caution because it is longer, heavier and slower than a regular bicycle. Unregulated intersections are particularly difficult, as sudden braking is not easy. Kabanova said her sighted partners warn her about obstacles such as bumps in the road, although she has sometimes been frightened when the speed became too high. She has taken part in the Tartu cycling rally twice.

“I have to trust people in my everyday life anyway,” Kabanova said. “Whether I am crossing the road or getting off a bus, whatever I do independently, cycling is simply one small step further in that trust.”

Maarja-Liis Orgmets, who leads the Jooksusilmad community, said it connects people with visual impairments who want to live more actively with volunteers willing to accompany them. The community is looking for volunteers for running, walking and cycling, and has recently seen growing interest in gym training.

According to Kabanova, doing such activities alone can sometimes be so stressful that people give up. She said electric scooters on city streets are another major concern, adding that she has fallen several times because of them.