[nfbwatlk] Talking Signs

[Mike Freeman]

Actually, I suspect that bicyclists will ride on the sidewalks even when 
bike lanes are universal. It's just too hard to resist scaring thehell 
out of pedestrians!

Mike

On Fri, 8 Sep 2006, Jacob wrote:

> Yes I can agree with you on bikes.  There have been so many times that I
> have been walking on the sidewalk and a bike come flying pass me and almost
> could have been hit.  I have a few times where my cane has been caught in
> the bike.  Seattle bike group and the city of Seattle are working on  a
> program to get more places where bikes have bike lanes on the street.  The
> Street funding that will be voted in Seattle in November will be part of
> bike funding sidewalk funding, tree funding and street work to have  place
> where people can walk. ride bike and drive with good streets
> from
> Jacob Struiksma
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
> To: "NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List" <nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 12:05 PM
> Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Talking Signs
>
>
>> 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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