[nfbwatlk] Alert about increase in audible traffic signals

[Carl Jarvis]

Point well taken Mike,
no one should be teaching folks that they are safer because traffic signals 
emit some sort of noise.  I would never tell a student that they will be 
safer when they learn to use a white travel cane.  I tell them that they 
will be more efficient travelers.  But that cane will not protect them from 
some stupid, drunk or reckless driver.
Nor will the beeping, chirping, coo cooing signal.
But properly placed it can be one more tool to assist us in an ever more 
congested world.
And with such innovations as roundabouts, quiet cars and idiot drivers, we 
need all the help we can get.
When I was a younger man, working in the Orientation and Training Center, I 
traveled from home to work by public transit, and often I took students into 
Seattle for one purpose or another.  My travel skills were about as good as 
any totally blind persons, and better than many of my partially sighted 
friends.
But age plays tricks on us.  I now enjoy a condition called Meniere's 
disease of the ear.  My hearing has become somewhat distorted and my balance 
is impacted, too.  Where I once could focus in on a sound, pinpointing its 
exact position, now I'm lucky to hear it, and I'm never sure just where it 
comes from.   Once upon a time, I must confess, that in my secret heart of 
hearts, I thought other folks just weren't trying hard enough to learn good 
travel skills.
One thing I can say about the aging process.  It is very humbling.
Once upon a time I was a fierce opponent of audible traffic signals.  I 
worked hard to get Seattle to take down the signal that rang out on the 
corner of Rainier and South Alaska Street.  We even tried to get the city to 
remove the signal at Walker and Rainier, where many multi-disabled people 
crossed to work at the Lighthouse.
Why, all they needed was to learn better travel skills.  We over looked the 
fact that for many of these folks just riding the public transit and 
crossing that street was a major, heroic accomplishment.
Finally, the sad fact is that the vast majority of folks in our blind 
community have received no travel training.  Since the government can't seem 
to scrape up the money and staff to provide this training, then my heart 
doesn't bleed a bit if they are pressured into spending 20 thousand dollars 
to put in a noise maker in the corner traffic light.
And finally, finally, that's like, PS and PPS, when I was young, every 
traffic signal in the city of Seattle rang each time the light changed. 
There was no yellow light.  It went from green to red, with a loud ring. 
There was a light on every corner rather than hanging from the center of the 
street.  Also, there were no free right turns.
Even in a driving rainstorm you could hear that signal ring.
But as pedestrian's safety became second to the need to speed up traffic, 
changes were made that actually put foot traffic in great peril.

Carl Jarvis