[Blindtlk] speaking of transit
David Evans
drevans at bellsouth.net
Tue May 13 20:09:24 CDT 2008
Dear Cat,
You are right no.
By the way. Two years ago I took part in Project Action's National Transit
conference in Washington D.C.
I got to meet and work with a group there from the Marianas Islands Transit.
They were surprised when I knew so much about Guam and Rota and Saipan.
We talked about the special challenges you guys face there and the low
population density.
I have many great memories of living on the island and going to Mong-Mong
school.
I am sure many things have changed there and I would like to see it again.
I remember the beautiful sunsets from my house at NAS Agama. I lived right
next the cliff and just down the street from the ampi theater.
It was great living there.
I hope that you have some transit there now. We did not have anything but
the NAVY bus service to go down town, to the beach or to school, no
Para-transit at all then for anybody.
How far we have come.
I hear the Japanese come there now for golf vacations?
I remember when the first Japanese set foot on the island in the late
1950's.
They made the mistake of letting them go into town.
The natives killed 5 or 6 of them before the rest got away and back to the
base at NAS.
Bitterness toward them was still there.
Our house girl's grand father was beheaded just for looking up at an
American plane as it flew over head in 1944.
The natives were treated very cruelly.
Now the Nips come and play golf there and swim at the beaches and they are
friends again.
Just shows how the World does heal itself from some of the ugliest wounds.
Have a great day Cat and let me know if there is anything I can do to help
you out there.
Have you thought about starting an affiliate there. You could always be a
chapter of the Hawaii affiliate or start one for all of the Marianas, even
if they all are not U.S.territories like Guam.
David Evans, NFBF
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kathleen A. Millhoff" <kamillhoff at gdoe.net>
To: "NFBnet Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 5:42 PM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] speaking of transit
> but, ray, is the half-fare thing a blindness related thing or an economic
> thing?
> i'm asking because, the "purist" as you say, can't have it both ways.
> either
> everything is blindness related, or only lack of physical vision is
> blindness related.
> if using half fare (regardless of its purpose) makes someone a half
> person,
> then the world is filled with partials (pun intended). traipse on over to
> your local flea market or yard sale, note the people attempting to lower
> the
> stated price on anything available - to say nothing of the bargaining at
> retailers' establishments. are those folks are half or less?
> i'm not trying to deliberately evade the issue i know to be here - that
> is,
> don't use an accommodation such as reduced fares because they're
> demeaning.
> but my idea is one i like better - use whatever means available;
> philosophy
> can survive our efforts to become more a part of the world and what it
> offers.
> and, even though transit entities may force me to sit in front because i'm
> blind, i don't reject this out of hand if sitting in front is also my
> choice; if i wanted to sit in back i would, but usually i like sitting in
> front so i can get off the bus first; it's a hold-over to the old days
> when
> regular transit systems were jammed with people and it always felt like a
> race (by the way, in japan, where people ride trains and trolleys, the
> herds
> of people leap from each conveyance to run to the next, as all is tightly
> scheduled, crowded and unremitting. i'd never take a back seat there,
> either.
> sorry to go on and on; we'll see public transit make a comeback if the gas
> keeps going up.
> best,
> kat
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindtlk-bounces+kamillhoff=gdoe.net at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:blindtlk-bounces+kamillhoff=gdoe.net at nfbnet.org]On Behalf Of Ray
> Foret jr
> Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 7:34 PM
> To: Marion & Martin; NFBnet Blind Talk Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] speaking of transit
>
>
> Okay okay. Time for me to weigh in here. Look y'all, it's like this. IF
> I
> wanted to be strictly true to NFB philosophy and always think I had
> something to prove, I'd never ever accept or use half fare. But, I've got
> news for you purists out there. Real life sometimes requires you to make
> other choices. Let me be very blunt about this. As true as the NFB
> philosophy is, there are times when it doesn't take real life in to
> account.
> I will use half fare; but, only in situations where I MUST get to town on
> the bus and I don't have enough cash on hand to pay full fare. Now, The
> NFB
> purists will accuse me of not being rue to the NFB philosophy because I
> used
> half fare even once; but, I say in all frankness that such a purist has
> not
> lived enough real life to know what he's talking about. How do I know,
> simple. I used to be what I would call a purist myself. Now, let me put
> this question. IF you had to go to town, and the regular fare was a
> dollar;
> but, you only had fifty cents, what would you do? Keep in mind that you
> have no one upon whom you can call for help, and, you MUST get in to town
> on
> some official business; jury duty for example. Which way will you go?
> Will
> you say,
> "Well, NFB philosophy says I'm only half a person if I use half fare;
> and so, I don't care how urgent my business is. I'll just stay home
> because
> I only have half fare.". Then, in that case, yes, your believe in the NFB
> philosophy would win out, and you'd feel philosophically vindicated; but,
> try telling that to the judge when he hauls you in to court to explain why
> you did not appear for duty. What worth your precious philosophy then?
> No. Real life must take control here. Real independence is not
> defined
> by how strictly you adhere to the NFB philosophy; rather, it's having the
> tools you need to get done what you have to do to get it done. So, I say
> this. Avoid using half fare as much as possible; but, if your
> circumstances
> dictate that you do otherwise, do otherwise.
> The NFB philosophy is not the end all and be all of every tiny little
> detail of how to live one's life. It was never meant to be; rather, it
> should serve as a general guide for the blindness aspects of how to live a
> normal life. I used to think otherwise. I used to believe that if you
> didn't do everything the NFB dictated for you to do twenty/four/seven, you
> were a trator to the NFB cause and not worthy of what ever help the NFB
> might see fit to offer you. I had not lived enough of actual real life to
> know better at the time.
> Now, am I suggesting that the NFB philosophy is now no good and that we
> should abandon it? No, indeed not. We should use it as much as possible
> to
> live the best normal lives as possible and in a positive way to help other
> people.
> As for the paratransit services, this is what I believe. If a blind
> person lives within walking distance of a regular city bus stop, then,
> that
> blind person should not use paratransit at all; excepting on those
> occasions
> where getting to a destination is necessary, (going to church for
> example),
> and there is no bus running on the weekends and no other mode of
> transportation is available. IF, however, the blind person is faced with
> other physical inconveniences, (being confined to a wheelchair), then, of
> course, that blind person needs to make the logical choice and use
> paratransit. If the able bodied blind person lives too far from the bus
> stop to walk there, then, under those circumstances also paratransit may
> be
> used. Also, if the cab companies don't do regular contract type
> arrangements, (taking one to and from work for a reduced fee) for example,
> then, in such a case also paratransit may be used. Well, that's it from
> me
> about that subject.
>
> Take care.
>
> Sincerely,
> The Constantly BAREFOOTED Ray
> Phone:
> 985-360-3375
> e-mail:
> rforetjratcomcastdotnet
> Skype Name:
> barefootedray
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Marion & Martin" <swampfox1833 at verizon.net>
> To: "NFBnet Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 9:16 PM
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] speaking of transit
>
>
> Dewey,
> First of all, I think it is telling that you wrote, "I can see doing it
> for seniors and vets". To follow through on your logic, are there not
> seniors and vets who have excellent incomes? Why would you give it to
> them?
> On our public transportation system, the regular fare for a single ride
> is $1.50 or $.75 for a reduced fare. An All-day pass is $3.25 and the
> reduced fare is $1.60. In order to qualify for the reduced fare, one must
> provide proof that they are disabled, senior, or a student, register with
> the authority, and show the pass whenever paying the reduced fare. I, for
> one, do not accept the reduced fare. I have two reasons for this. Firstly,
> I
> do not wish to register and divulge personal information. Secondly, I feel
> that, if I pay my full fare, I have the full right to complain when
> services
> are not adequate.
>
> Fraternally,
> Marion Gwizdala
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "dewey bradley" <dewey.bradley at att.net>
> To: "NFBnet Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 10:57 PM
> Subject: [Blindtlk] speaking of transit
>
>
>> What do you folks think about the fact that we ride for half the price,
>> and in Illinois we ride for free?
>> I know blind people who make over 50, and still will pay half the fair,
>> the people who make these laws think that all blind people are pore I
>> guess.
>> I've gone to my law makers about getting It set to where you have to
>> prove
>> you're low income to get the reduced fair cards, but no one will even
>> talk
>> to me about It.
>> maybe If those of us that make good money would pay the full fair, maybe
>> we would have better services.
>> I don't make much money right now, but I used to make almost 16 bucks an
>> hour, I should have been made to pay the full fair.
>> So what do you think about that?
>> I can see doing It for seniors and vets
>> _______________________________________________
>> blindtlk mailing list
>> blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> blindtlk:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk/swampfox1833%40verizon.net
>
> _______________________________________________
> blindtlk mailing list
> blindtlk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> blindtlk:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk/rforetjr%40comcast.net
>
> _______________________________________________
> blindtlk mailing list
> blindtlk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> blindtlk:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk/kamillhoff%40gdoe.net
>
> _______________________________________________
> blindtlk mailing list
> blindtlk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> blindtlk:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk/drevans%40bellsouth.net
More information about the blindtlk
mailing list