[nfbwatlk] Article regarding NY streets

[Prows, Bennett (HHS/OCR)]

Debby, Marci,  and Listers,

You both have raised a great issue for discussion. Debby, you put a lot into your post. Nice job. 

I too read the article, and was disturbed as well about the way it depicts our abilities or lack thereof to adapt to differing situations. Travelling is different, and to some extent more adventurous now. I walk in a lot of different cities and areas. I don't  ask friends or family members to show me how to get from one spot to another.  This would limit my ability to get around in strange cities as I travel for my job and other reasons.  I do ask directions though, as does everyone. I can usually find my target, and get there.  

The issues associated with crossing streets, navigating construction sites and otherwise blocked pedestrian pathways, varies with the area, the specifics of the location, etc. I have used all the tools of orientation and mobility as I'm sure you do. There will be unique or at least specific circumstances in which we have to adapt to the environment, such as asking for some assistance or guidance through particular situations. This of course does not go against NFB philosophy or anything like it.

And, on a personal level, I must confess my attitude toward audible street signals has undergone a change. Other people may not have undergone this metamorphosis. I am comfortable with these signals, particularly as my hearing may be fading a bit as I age. I am happy to know that at least a light is with me when crossing at a precarious intersection, (see sixth and Stewart and Westlake, in Seattle.), even though there isn't such a signal there.  (grin.)

Anyway, traffic is getting much quieter, and I'm hesitating more, even with the audible signals to make sure nothing is happening in front of me.

Round abouts are another concern. I haven't encountered many of these, and would be interested in how people function in the traffic circle situations.

There is one particular navigational concern I have. Several years ago, while in Vancouver, Washington, I went with Joanne Laurent to a spot where she showed me a new design of sidewalk and surroundings. There was in fact no difference, no curb, no incline, no tactile way at all of telling the difference between the sidewalk and the street. Sure, you can hear the traffic, when it is near, but you can't be certain that you aren't walking on the sidewalk or in the street. I didn't have a ready answer for the dilemma of how to tell the difference.

This doesn't mean however, that the world needs to be, or ever will be made to accommodate us. As you point out, cane use, dog handling, etc, are integral to our independence. And we take the world as it is, not as we'd necessarily like it.

Travel on.

/s/

Bennett  ...).   

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Debby Phillips
Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2012 7:34 AM
To: nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nfbwatlk] Article regarding NY streets

Good morning all.  I read with interest the article that Marci 
sent the link to.  For those not good at accessing Facebook, I 
went to Google and did a search and found the article right away.  
Now, to the meat of what I'd like to say.

At first reading I too was offended at the article, but I would 
like to point out a few things.  First of all, Ken Stewart is 78, 
I believe the article said.  Older folks (and someday we will be 
in that category) don't deal with changes as well as younger 
ones.  So it's not just a matter of traveling as a blind person, 
but in some instances, at least, we are dealing with an aging 
population.  However, having said that, I will say that good cane 
skills er good dog handling skills are absolutely essential.  But 
I do think that we as blind folks have to learn to adapt to 
change, because whether we like it or not, the days of fairly 
simple traffic patterns are gone.  With right on red and turning 
lanes now available that sound of parallel traffic can be 
deceiving.  (And I've been in a small town for eight years, so I 
admit that my judgements about city traffic are probably off a 
bit.  But things are changing rapidly.  Whether we like it or 
not, (especially with gas prices) people are going to use more 
hybrids, and more bikes to get around.  They are definitely 
harder to hear.  I like the idea of pedestrian plazas though, 
admittedly they might be harder to stay oriented in.  So it seems 
to me that we need to figure out new ways of doing OandM that 
take these things in to account.  We also need to figure out how 
to teach our friends and family to help us learn new areas, or 
changed areas.

Now, I also know that this next statement may not be totally NFB 
correct, but I do think that there are times when it is necessary 
for there to be an accessible pedestrian signal.  There was a 
street here in Colville that was almost impossible to tell when 
the light changed to walk.  The parallel street had little 
traffic, and telling when the walk sign was on was very 
difficult.  Either there would be no parallel traffic, there 
would be one car and maybe a quiet one at that, and then the walk 
sign was gone.  they were going to put in an accessible signal, 
but what they did instead is they took out all the traffic lights 
along Main Street.  (That was NOT my idea).  Lol.  Now cars are 
supposed to stop for pedestrians.  They have stopped for me, and 
other people have said that it's great, but time will tell.  This 
is a year-long pilot program to see if it gets traffic through 
town more quickly.  It will, and Colville being the small town 
that it is, most people will stop for folks walking.  But anyway, 
that's one way for the state to get out of putting in an 
accessible pedestrian signal.  (Grin).

One thing in the article, they kept mentioning DAVID PATTERSON, 
but I thought he didn't use a white cane.  And as for memorizing 
every little hump in the sidewalk, that's crazy.  And I don't 
know anybody that counts steps.  If I ever have to start doing 
that, I'll probably be admitted to the crazy ward, cuz counting 
steps and keeping track of everything else I'd drive me to more.  
What's this thing with sighted folks counting steps, anyway?  
Everybody asks me, do you count your steps?  I would love to hear 
how NFB folks in New YORK City are dealing with the changes in 
the streets, etc.  The article was pretty negative.  Actually 
QUITE negative.  It made Ken Stewart out to be an idiot, and I've 
read his writings for years and know that he's not, he's actually 
a pretty bright guy.  Hope this isn't too far astray.    Peace,    
Debby

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