[Blindtlk] To Drive or not to Drive: that is the question

[Steve Jacobson]

Darian,

When I listened to the description of Mark Riccobono driving, I was very surprised to find that I was deeply moved.  The reason was not that I believe I will 
drive someday, but rather, it was because a blind person was doing something I never thought I would observe under any circumstances.  In my mind, there 
are many hurtles that would need to be overcome before we as blind people could drive on today's freeways, and some of those hurtles are political.  In 
other words, I don't think we should give up on improving mass-transit just yet.  However, who knows what the future will hold and how driving will evolve.  
The technology being developed might keep us from being excluded if small mass-transit vehicles were to gain popularity in the future, or if the concept of 
self-guided vehicles takes hold.  Both will probably require that passengers have some awareness of what is happening around them.  However, what 
means more to me is that if we can develop new and improved ways of getting information, it could help us deal with other challenges.  There has been a lot 
of work done over the past several decades to develop travel aids that give us information about our environment, but while some offer some interesting 
possibilities, none have ever really caught on.  We are struggling with how to read and interpret drawings in an efficient manner.  Some of the technologies 
used here might lead to some useful applications in these areas.  

In my opinion, it would not be smart for us as blind people to assume that we will be able to drive to meet our transportation needs and change our focus for 
now, just as it doesn't make sense to sit back and wait for one's vision to be restored even if one believes it is possible.  It makes more sense to make the 
most of what we have and look for other ways that the new technologies that are being developed might help us now.  At the same time, though, it is good 
for us to realize that there are possibilities in our futures that we may not recognize, and there is a place for dreaming as long as we keep it in perspective.  
Whether I, as an older adult, ever drive or not, it does not take away from the fact that something was done at Daytona that I would not have thought 
possible a decade or so ago.  I also believe that it is very likely that I will be using some of the technology being developed.

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

  

On Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:30:00 -0700, Darian Smith wrote:

>I have heard from many, blind and sighted alike that the blind  being
>able to drive will be  looked  upon as  something  absolutely iconic
>and life-changing.  Assuming  that this opinion is in fact widely
>believed,  what do you think this means for us as blind people now?
>Also what does it mean, if we never do  drive? Is this to say that our
>lives  are not full?  Not complete?  And will never be?
> I'm curious as to your thoughts  on this.

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