[nfbwatlk] Talking Signs

[Mike Freeman]

Amen on the bikes!

Mike

On Fri, 8 Sep 2006, Mackenstadt, Gary wrote:

> What about bikes?  I have had more problems with them. At least, quiet cars are not on sidewalks.  As far as drivers are concerned, they represent a danger to everone.  Also, I am begining to have a concern about people walk around downtown talking on their cell phones.  Unfortunately, as blind persons, our only response can be good training, experience and self-confidence.  Like the bad drivers, the quiet cars are not going away.  Oh, for the horse and carriage.  Of course, in those days, you had to worry about where you were stepping.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]On
> Behalf Of Mike Freeman
> Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 11:41 AM
> To: NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Talking Signs
>
>
> In Noel's defense, however, the cheif problem with electrified cars --
> hybrid or pure electric -- is that they make little or no noise when
> pulling out of a driveway or maneuvering slowly in a parking lot. In
> these instances, one really can't hear them. In fact, I understand that
> the Toyota manual warns hybrid car drivers to be mindful of pedestrians
> in parking lots. So quiet cars do take away somewhat from our defenses
> against nincompoop drivers coming out of driveways or zooming around in
> a Fred Meyer's parking lot while eating a Big Mac and talking on their
> cellphones. Hence, it would be nice if something could be done about
> them (both the cars and the nincompoops). I suspect, however, that both
> pose a similar danger to both the blind and the sighted. It certainly
> isn't going to impair my impendence, however.
>
> Damn the torpedos ...
>
> Mike
>
> On Fri, 8 Sep 2006, Mackenstadt, Gary wrote:
>
>> you will probably want to shoot me the next time you seeme.  It's too bad you will not be at the luncheon on Saturday.  I am softening my position on so-called quiet cars.  Last week, I came acroos one in Sequim.  I was surprised when it went by.  I had no trouble hearing it, and I don't hear worth a damn.  It is an issue which we need to look at, but I no longer consider it the impending crisis that you do, particularly when we think about all of the other traffic issues we have to confront.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]On
>> Behalf Of Noel Nightingale
>> Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 9:41 AM
>> To: 'NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List'
>> Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Talking Signs
>>
>>
>>
>> In addition, the issue of talking signs is a distraction from the real
>> problem we are facing.  That is, the real danger to us losing our
>> independence.  The issue of quiet cars.  Particularly, when hybrid cars
>> are in their electric mode, they cannot be heard until they are going
>> quite fast.  That is the issue that government ought to be fixing.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>> On Behalf Of Mackenstadt, Gary
>> Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 9:28 AM
>> To: nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: [nfbwatlk] Talking Signs
>>
>>
>> I have read with interest all of the comments about talking signs.
>> Quite frankly, they do not impress me.  Recognizing that I am being
>> extremely conservative on blindness issues once again, I still cannot
>> help but thinking that we spend a lot of time trying to address the loss
>> of sight.  Until blind persons are independent travelers in the world,
>> using either long white canes or dogs, it seems to me that a lot of this
>> stuff concerning travel and technology is nonsense.  Blind persons have
>> travelled very compidently for a long time, provided that they had had
>> the necessary training, experience and confidence.  In my judgement,
>> technology like audible street signals have been more of a hindrance
>> than a help.  Of course, technology has provided blind persons with a
>> lot of opportunity, particularly in school and on the job.  Also
>> technology available to the general public has created barriers to the
>> blind--the list is endless.  Of course, I carry a cell phone all the
>> time and have used it a couple of time when lost; so who knows what
>> might be next.  Talking signs do nothing for me.  Maybe, I'm just
>> narrow-minded.
>>
>>
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