[Blindtlk] cleaning up the snow within bus stops

Wed Feb 1 04:44:30 UTC 2012

You go, guy!

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Hyde, David W. (ESC)
Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2012 9:10 AM
To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] cleaning up the snow within bus stops

Cheryl, of course it isn't just a problem for sighted people. It is a
problem when people don't shovel. I don't know what the local ordinance is
where you live, but here folks supposedly have 24 hours to clear their
walks. I have been known, when a property is a flagrant violator, to file a
complaint with the city. Sometimes, the city actually does something.
Sometimes, I get to contact the city about what happened to my complaint,
and whose desk it got lost on this time. Sometimes, I get unhappy enough to
go to a city council meeting and ask publically what they can do. And once
in a while I get this wild urge to go and buy a shovel, take it to the
offending business, and ask if they have someone who I can teach to use this
advanced technology. I haven't done it yet, but my urge to do so is in
direct proportion to the depth of the snow, and inverse proportion to the
temperature.

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of cheryl echevarria
Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2012 10:58 AM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] cleaning up the snow within bus stops

I just have to laugh at all of this, everyone seems to think this is a
problem for just blind people.
I remember when my car wasn't working, or when I wasn't old enough to get my
license yet, that waiting on a cold and icy day here in NY at a bus stop,
and the plows pushing the snow into the waiting areas, and that we would
have to wait either in the street or next to the bus stop, and slip and fall
on my way there.
Also, I also recall even after losing my sight and having my guide dog for
less than a month, I had walked to the store not to far from me, but in the
snow and ice, no so cold and windy day, and mind you this has happened a few
times as well.
That I am walking on the sidewalk and that I know there is a sidewalk in
front of the church to blocks from my house, they never shoveled there
sidewalk and they still don't, that I had to walk in the street, and while
doing so, I slipped and fell, dog was scare because he thought he had done
something wrong. I laughed at it, thank god I didn't break my head or
something. I am not catholic, but I walked to the church ask for the office,
and was told by the head priest, that they are not responsible since they
are exempt.
Being Jewish and knowing that this isn't true with the temples, called my
town and asked if this was true, and the woman told me after chuckling, that
no they are not exempt at all.
They get call all the time about that, and about the bus stops, and the same
thing, they will write a letter and sent me one, and I went to the church
and gave it to them.  Do you think they do anything? Nope.
Along my sidewalks from my home to the town, there is a Knights of Columbus
Hall, not one but 1 Catholic Church and 2 Pentecostal churches within a 7
block radius, and none of them shovel or put salt or sand down, just a path
for there members to walk from the parking lots to the church or hall, which
really sucks.  Maybe some of these towns wouldn't be so broke, if they did
there jobs and gave out summons. 
Leading the Way in Independent Travel!

Cheryl Echevarria
http://www.echevarriatravel.com
631-456-5394
reservations at echevarriatravel.com

For daily updates read our blog at
http://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com

> From: david.hyde at wcbvi.k12.wi.us
> To: blindtlk at nfbnet.org
> Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:57:56 -0600
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] cleaning up the snow within bus stops
> 
> Hi Steve. I think that a number of approaches would be useful. Short term,
to get to work any way you can. I know that I can and oft do take a bus when
it is colder than a rehab counselor's heart out there. Sometimes I get a
ride that I pay for from one of my co-workers. This gets me to work, but
doesn't solve the problem. He should take with the responsible party e.g.
landlord or owner of the property, transit company, or city to discuss
clearing of bus stops. He should do this repeadly. Sometimes, this requires
going to city council meetings. Only after it becomes clear that the city
and other responsible parties are not going to do anything should he try for
an ADA complaint. I hate to use the hammer first.
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
> On Behalf Of Steve Jacobson
> Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2012 8:51 AM
> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] cleaning up the snow within bus stops
> 
> So what are you and Steve recommending, that he disregard the fact that
blind people have dealt with this kind of stuff for years and continue
riding with his dad until he is able to get an ADA complaint filed, heard,
and decided upon?  You guys are probably right about the ADA covering this,
but when there is a lot of snow, you're probably going to run into that good
old "Undue burden" language.  The kind of situation he describes is a pain
for everyone, even sighted people, but I don't think it is justification to
avoid it on the basis of blindness alone, unless there is another disability
that might affect balance.  If he wants to try his advocacy skills and
perhaps get something done on the basis of ADA, that's fine, but it is also
a good opportunity to develop one's winter skills, especially if one is
young and learning, and not just wait around until something happens with
the ADA.  
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Steve Jacobson
> 
> On Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:17:41 -0600, Hyde, David W. (ESC) wrote:
> 
> >First, thank you for reminding me of Muzzy. As far as snow, in this 
> >case, I must agree with Steve. Not
> only at bus stops, which sometimes, do get cleared, but at crosswalks as
well, which often do not. In addition to the fact that, if using a mobility
device, in many areas you can't cross the street, having a two or three foot
snow bank to climb over can and does mess up street crossings. Then, looking
for the sidewalk on the other side. The frustration is only heighten when
some helpful Henry or Henrietta (yes I know they're just trying to help)
hollers out their car window to let you know that you're in the street. 
> 
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org 
> >[mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> >On Behalf Of Mike Freeman
> >Sent: Monday, January 30, 2012 9:50 PM
> >To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
> >Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] cleaning up the snow within bus stops
> 
> >Humberto:
> 
> >What do you do? You do the same thing that every other pedestrian must
do.
> >You suck it up and power your way through the snow, occasionally 
> >falling and cursing and getting back
> up again and going on. You wear boots perhaps and devices like Yaktracks
(I don't like them much). You take soundings through the snow with your cane
held vertically. You get your feet wet and curse Mother Nature.
> 
> >Remember, it's your *eyes* that don't work, not your feet/legs/balance!
> 
> >Muzzy Marcelino once said that snow was blind man's fog. But 
> >remember, he was from the Bay Area so
> wasn't much used to snow.
> 
> >Look upon all this as an adventure!
> 
> >Mike Freeman
> > 
> 
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org 
> >[mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> >On Behalf Of Humberto Avila
> >Sent: Monday, January 30, 2012 6:24 PM
> >To: blindtlk at nfbNet.org; nabs-l at nfbNet.org
> >Cc: blackburn.minkina at yakimaschools.org; tarinkendrick at msn.com
> >Subject: [Blindtlk] cleaning up the snow within bus stops
> 
> >Hello all,
> > 
> >I am running into a problem that has been bothering me to a point 
> >where I want to try out my advocacy
> skills, and I would like to share it with you.
> > 
> >Well. here is the story.  a couple of weeks ago a major winter storm 
> >was upon us here in Central
> Washington State, and it really affected my city, Yakima. We had a 
> snowfall that left about up to 5 inches of snow throughout the city, 
> and the first two days that happened it went nonstop for more than
> >24 hours. this left people unable to go to work and school for about 
> >two days, and public as well as
> school routes for buses were reduced or limited those days. this storm
left me unable to ride the city bus to and from school, making my Dad take
me to and from school for the rest of next week.
> >today that still continued; My dad still drove me to school and back
home. 
> > 
> >While the roads and all highways are clean, many sidewalks including 
> >sidewalks where there are bus
> stops and benches are still soaked into so much snow and ice from two
weeks ago. And you know what is worse? the people or machines who clean the
snow in the mornings or nights deposit all that snow there, leaving the
piles and trails of snow into those very places I mentioned, especially at
the bus stops. 
> Now in fact, that snow has turned into ice, and the sidewalks with bus
stops are even more slippery and hard to walk or step on. 
> > 
> >With all this mess, how is a blind person going to walk to take their
desired public transportation? 
> How am I supposed to step on all those mountains of slippery ice waiting
for the bus? 
> >for once, this is driving me crazy and is putting my independence at 
> >risk of going down the drain. Like
> I said, my parent has to drive me to and from, every day, and if this
continues to happen, I fear that I will lose practice of traveling on the
city bus. 
> > 
> >what it's making things more bothersome is that, quite frankly, I 
> >feel embarrassed by my Dad to pick me
> up at the college, right in front of the main class building, and take me
there because, well, about 99.2% of all the college students can DRIVE and
do DRIVE their own cars, and I don't know what they think of me when my Dad
has to do that. I am very disappointed with them not being able to also
clean up the snow and ice from the bus stops and their sidewalks. I am also
angry because they don't even think about people, especially blind or
disabled, depending on buses to take them everywhere since they have to use
those bus stops.
> > 
> >What should I do? Where should I start from in trying to put someone 
> >to clear up those paths and
> sidewalks where there are bus stop so that I can travel safely and
independently once again? who should I tell about this?
> >which authority should know this? 
> > 
> >I wonder how sighted people are getting off and on those buses with 
> >all this sleek. I'm sure Ice can
> try out on those sidewalks and stops, however, it is very cold and I doubt
this will happen soon enough for me to ride the bus.
> >do you have any recommendations for me on this situation? Any ideas?
> >suggestions? tips?
> > 
> >your help and advice is welcome please. I'm tired of my dad having to 
> >drive here and there every
> morning and spend his gas, and embarrassed that I am one of those very
few, or the only one, whose parents take them to college.
> >I'm sure no college student wants that since we are now adults.
> > 
> >Sincerely,
> >Humberto
> >_______________________________________________
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> >blindtlk at nfbnet.org
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> 
> 
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> >visi.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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