[nfbwatlk] Talking Signs

[Bob Sellers]

Gary, you heard the car go by, but did you hear the car approaching  you
while it wasw still quite a distance from you?

Bob
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mackenstadt, Gary" <Gary.Mackenstadt at ed.gov>
To: "NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List" <nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 11:13 AM
Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Talking Signs


> 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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