[nfbwatlk] Alert about increase in audible traffic signals

Mike Freeman k7uij at panix.com
Tue Sep 25 23:11:40 CDT 2007 

Hmmm ... what's your address again? <smirk>

Actually, even were some blind persons not to advocate for audible 
traffic signals, I suspect that we'd see more and more of them simply 
because they seem to the sighted like a one-time, simple solution to a 
perceived problem that simply involves an expenditure of money 
(especially Federal money so "they" will pay for it -- har) and then 
everyone can feel good for having helped us unfortunates and won't have 
to think about it again or suffer the inconvenience of having to wait a 
few more seconds for pedestrians (blind or sighted) to cross their 
paths.

Cynical? Who, me?<g>

Mike

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Mackenstadt, Gary
  To: amcanfield at comcast.net ; NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List
  Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 7:35 AM
  Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Alert about increase in audible traffic 
signals


  Alco, I understand.  The lack of traffic safety is a serious issue. 
Downtown Seattle reminds me of Boston, and that is not good.  Audible 
street signals are here whether I like it or not.  I am not certain what 
criteria should be used to determine where the damn things should be 
located.  As a taxpayer, I will add it to my list of stuff I do not like 
paying for.  Now, if I end up with a loud one outside my bedroom window, 
I may cease being passive.

  -----Original Message-----
  From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org 
[mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]On
  Behalf Of Alco Canfield
  Sent: Monday, September 24, 2007 11:09 AM
  To: 'NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List'
  Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Alert about increase in audible traffic 
signals


  Of course, Gary.  Listening to the traffic is the bottom line.  I 
would just
  like the convenience that the signal would offer on short lights so I 
could
  save time.

  Alco
  -----Original Message-----
  From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
On
  Behalf Of Mackenstadt, Gary
  Sent: Monday, September 24, 2007 6:52 AM
  To: amcanfield at comcast.net; NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List
  Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Alert about increase in audible traffic 
signals

  Alco, even with a short signal, I do not think that an audible street 
signal
  does anything.  There is no alternative to listening for the traffic.

  -----Original Message-----
  From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org 
[mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]On
  Behalf Of Alco Canfield
  Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 5:05 PM
  To: 'NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List'
  Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Alert about increase in audible traffic 
signals


  Hi, Gary,

  The only time I think audible signals make sense is when the light is 
very
  short.  By the time you spend five seconds analyzing traffic, you have
  little time to get across.  In that instance, I think it makes sense, 
but I
  fear, as you do, that people will use the beep or chirp exclusively 
and not
  pay attention to the traffic.

  Alco

  -----Original Message-----
  From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
On
  Behalf Of Mackenstadt, Gary
  Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 2:23 PM
  To: NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List
  Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Alert about increase in audible traffic 
signals

  Hey, Noel.  I think you and I agree that audible street signals suck 
and are
  totally unnecessary.  I will never understand the logic of them, 
although I
  recognize that they are here to stay.  Somehow, the public believes 
that
  audible street signals safeguard the crossing of blind people.  Today, 
I was
  out downtown at Second and Spring.  I happened to be walking with 
someone.A
  car ran the red light.  I had no trouble hearing it, but I could not 
help
  but think those individuals, including some blind people, believe that
  audible street signals are safe.  They are not.  No one, including the
  sighted, should use the street signal to cross an intersection. 
Listen for
  the flow of traffic.  Audible street signals are another example of 
our path
  to hell being paved with misguided thinking about the blind.

  -----Original Message-----
  From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org 
[mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]On
  Behalf Of Nightingale, Noel
  Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 12:44 PM
  To: nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org
  Subject: [nfbwatlk] Alert about increase in audible traffic signals


  NFB of Washington listers:

  Earlier this week, I traveled in a different part of downtown Seattle
  than the area of downtown I ordinarily traverse.  It was then that I
  discovered that there are now audible pedestrian traffic signals at
  least two intersections along Virginia Street.  I suspect they were 
put
  in as a part of construction that is occurring in the area.

  I found the audible signals to be less distracting than the ones I 
have
  previously encountered.  The level of volume did not interfere with 
the
  sound of traffic.  On the other hand, they seem to be at places that 
are
  fairly straight forward crossings, as opposed to the five-way
  intersection that is a block north at Olive street.

  I'd be curious to hear of anyone else's experiences with respect to 
the
  increased installation of audible traffic signals in their neck of the
  woods.

  Noel


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  nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org
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-------------- next part --------------
Hmmm ... what's your address again? <smirk>
 
Actually, even were some blind persons not to advocate for audible traffic signals, I suspect that we'd see more and more of them simply because they seem to the sighted like a one-time, simple solution to a perceived problem that simply involves an expenditure of money (especially Federal money so "they" will pay for it -- har) and then everyone can feel good for having helped us unfortunates and won't have to think about it again or suffer the inconvenience of having to wait a few more seconds for pedestrians (blind or sighted) to cross their paths.
 
Cynical? Who, me?<g>
 
Mike
 
----- Original Message -----
From:
mailto:Gary.Mackenstadt at ed.gov Mackenstadt, Gary
To:
mailto:amcanfield at comcast.net amcanfield at comcast.net
; mailto:nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List
Sent:
Tuesday, September 25, 2007 7:35 AM
Subject:
Re: [nfbwatlk] Alert about increase in audible traffic signals
Alco, I understand.  The lack of traffic safety is a serious issue.   Downtown Seattle reminds me of Boston, and that is not good.  Audible street signals are here whether I like it or not.  I am not certain what criteria should be used to determine where the damn things should be located.  As a taxpayer, I will add it to my list of stuff I do not like paying for.  Now, if I end up with a loud one outside my bedroom window, I may cease being passive.
-----Original Message-----
From: mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]On
Behalf Of Alco Canfield
Sent: Monday, September 24, 2007 11:09 AM
To: 'NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Alert about increase in audible traffic signals
Of course, Gary.  Listening to the traffic is the bottom line.  I would just
like the convenience that the signal would offer on short lights so I could
save time. 
Alco
-----Original Message-----
From: mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Mackenstadt, Gary
Sent: Monday, September 24, 2007 6:52 AM
To: mailto:amcanfield at comcast.net amcanfield at comcast.net
; NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Alert about increase in audible traffic signals
Alco, even with a short signal, I do not think that an audible street signal
does anything.  There is no alternative to listening for the traffic.
-----Original Message-----
From: mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]On
Behalf Of Alco Canfield
Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 5:05 PM
To: 'NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Alert about increase in audible traffic signals
Hi, Gary,
The only time I think audible signals make sense is when the light is very
short.  By the time you spend five seconds analyzing traffic, you have
little time to get across.  In that instance, I think it makes sense, but I
fear, as you do, that people will use the beep or chirp exclusively and not
pay attention to the traffic.
Alco
-----Original Message-----
From: mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Mackenstadt, Gary
Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 2:23 PM
To: NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Alert about increase in audible traffic signals
Hey, Noel.  I think you and I agree that audible street signals suck and are
totally unnecessary.  I will never understand the logic of them, although I
recognize that they are here to stay.  Somehow, the public believes that
audible street signals safeguard the crossing of blind people.  Today, I was
out downtown at Second and Spring.  I happened to be walking with someone.A
car ran the red light.  I had no trouble hearing it, but I could not help
but think those individuals, including some blind people, believe that
audible street signals are safe.  They are not.  No one, including the
sighted, should use the street signal to cross an intersection.  Listen for
the flow of traffic.  Audible street signals are another example of our path
to hell being paved with misguided thinking about the blind.
-----Original Message-----
From: mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]On
Behalf Of Nightingale, Noel
Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 12:44 PM
To: mailto:nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nfbwatlk] Alert about increase in audible traffic signals
NFB of Washington listers:
Earlier this week, I traveled in a different part of downtown Seattle
than the area of downtown I ordinarily traverse.  It was then that I
discovered that there are now audible pedestrian traffic signals at
least two intersections along Virginia Street.  I suspect they were put
in as a part of construction that is occurring in the area.
I found the audible signals to be less distracting than the ones I have
previously encountered.  The level of volume did not interfere with the
sound of traffic.  On the other hand, they seem to be at places that are
fairly straight forward crossings, as opposed to the five-way
intersection that is a block north at Olive street.
I'd be curious to hear of anyone else's experiences with respect to the
increased installation of audible traffic signals in their neck of the
woods.
Noel
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