We were delighted last week to welcome Megan and Oscar from Voi UK – the rental e-scooter and bike people here in Southampton -to join both Southampton Sight and Let’s Communicate Hard of Hearing Club for a sight and hearing loss awareness discussion and training session. Along with one of Southampton City Council’s Sensory Services team, the two intrepid adventurers stepped into a world they had never experienced before…
After tea, coffee, and a frank discussion regarding the pros and cons of scooters for those living with a sensory impairment, Megan and Oscar donned simi specs, simulating the impact of glaucoma, and a fetching pair of headphones to mirror the world heard through hearing aids.
Once suitably attired, the Voi employees were ‘treated’ to a wee tour of the local streets and roadways, taking in the everyday through the eyes and ears of those living life differently.
The impact was immediate. Returned (mostly) in one piece, the duo expressed their astonishment at just how different, how alien, and unfamiliar it all felt, not to mention how stressful. Walking a mile in another’s shoes truly does make all the difference.
As Megan states, “It was great to visit Southampton Sight today.Oscar and I found it really insightful and really appreciate all of your time. I’ll definitely be working on pushing education and safety events across Solent over the coming months to help ensure the scheme is a positive experience for everyone.”
Voi are extremely pro-active and keen to help all residents in Southampton get the most out of their ongoing scheme. Anyone with any concerns or issues can contact them directly through reporting avenues for residents simply by providing details (such as date, location, vehicle registration etc.). Contact Voi via:
- the Report-a-Voi form for scooters parked incorrectly or clearly antisocial riding, (which goes straight to their field operations team for rapid action, but does not generate individual replies) can be found at https://report.voi.com/
Or
- support@voiapp.io for complaints, parking or hardware issues, payments, or serious incidents (handled by their support team who do respond directly).
Main image description: The photograph shows four people stood outside the Southampton Sight centre. From left to right: Oscar from Voi (wearing simi specs), Kris from Southampton Sight (holding a white cane,) Megan from Voi (wearing simi specs and headphones) and Anthony from Sensory Services. They are all smiling.
