[nfbwatlk] Bikes (was Re: Talking Signs)

Lauren Merryfield lauren at catliness.com
Sat Sep 9 07:02:02 CDT 2006 

Hi,
I had a similar experience when I was at the University of Nebraska.  A 
bicyclist went around me and got in front of me and my cane got in the 
spokes and broke.  He fell but wasn't hurt.  I had to get a new fiberglass 
cane.
thanks
Lauren
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----- 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 1:59 PM
Subject: [nfbwatlk] Bikes (was Re: Talking Signs)


> Noel:
>
> Boy, do I here you! Seems like bicyclists get a real charge of seeing
> how close they can come to the "poor blind person" without taking
> him/her out. Aside from being hazardous to both bicyclist and
> pedestrian, it's damned irritating!
>
> Once when I was in graduate school at New Mexico State University, a
> bicyclist came a bit too close to him and I rammed my aluminum cane in
> his spokes, breaking several and flipping him. He hit the pavement hard.
> I stood over him until I knew he was OK; then I walked off. I understand
> he complained bitterly to his roommate who told him he had it coming! My
> cane was bent up a bit so went to the machine shop at the physics
> building and straightened it out!
>
> Your story does demonstrate that one need not be blind to face danger as
> a pedestrian.
>
> Incidentally, what happend to the mad bicyclist?
>
> Mike
>
> On Fri, 8 Sep 2006, Noel Nightingale wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> I have had trouble with bikes on sidewalks too.  I particularly detest
>> it when they run over my cane and don't bother to offer to pay for it or
>> even apologize.  Until last week, however, I viewed them entirely as a
>> nuisance.  Last week, a pedestrian was in downtown Seattle was knocked
>> off the sidewalk after being side-swiped by a bicyclist on the sidewalk.
>> She was thrown under the wheels of a bus and killed.  I now view that
>> issue with a bit more urgency than previously.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>> On Behalf Of Jacob
>> Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 12:53 PM
>> To: NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Talking Signs
>>
>>
>> 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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>>>>> nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org
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