[nfbwatlk] Alert about increase in audible traffic signals

[Dean Martineau]

I like audio traffic signals, and believe some of the blanket criticism of
them is not well informed.

I have lived in foreign countries, travel to many Us cities.  I go lots of
places.  And doing so for me is a struggle.  Depending on what I'm carrying,
as well as many other factors I can't ascertain, straight lines and being
sure about traffic patterns happen, or they don't.  I've been as trained as
opportunities allowed.  Maybe a year of immersion in mobility training would
help, but I'm not convinced, and in any event, it isn't going to happen for
many reasons.  So here I am, and here, I submit, are a lot of other, many of
whom lack my training and perhaps some other attributes as well.  

So it is that when I encounter an audio signal, I breathe a little easier.
I have a piece of environmental information I can use.  

Some of the comments on this subject are really humorous.  As if a person is
going to ignore traffic and just focus on an audio signal!  So do we assume
that sighted travelers are staring fixedly at the walk signal and
disregarding the rest of the environment?  We should outlaw the walk signals
as public dangers!  After all, all those sighted people are getting killed
because they aren't watching the traffic!  

Near my home is an intersection where the light is short going in my
direction.  The walk signal comes on a few seconds before the parallel
traffic starts, as is typical.  Those few extra seconds would be very useful
to be able to use to cross, and even more so because sometimes there is not
parallel traffic.  So I look very impressive as a blind person, standing
there while the walk signal is on, when there isn't parallel traffic.

I understand that I am preaching to the anti-choir here, and that a few
competent travelers, who are among those who set organizational philosophy,
make all the decisions.  It is unfortunate that collaboration can't occur to
support installation of some audible signals at certain intersections for
the benefit of some of us horrible, bad, under-indoctrinated people who
would love to have walk signals just like sighted people have, and for whom
having such signals would probably enhance our safety.  In my experience,
having audible signals, even the coo-coo ones that are not the best choice
does not impair my ability to listen for people who might run the red light.
And I'm sure that a goodly number of folks with vision loss of one degree or
another would appreciate advances in this area if they were actually to be
consulted.  

Note that I have traveled for decades without audible signals and will
continue to do so.  I also give the party line to those who express the
belief that I need audible signals to travel.  But in fact, I would love
more audible signals, so I could tell parallel traffic from turn traffic on
those days when I can't seem to do it very well myself, or for intersections
like the one I described earlier.  And I know the vocal ones here will
unitedly scream their rejection and ridicule of my feelings, but some less
vocal members will agree and feel slightly affirmed.  It's a little like
mandatory or automatic calling of bus stops.  Yes, I can survive without
them, but I, and a lot of silent and invisible people, benefit from them.

Dean