<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Papyrus;
panose-1:3 7 5 2 6 5 2 3 2 5;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I’ve been following this thread closely. Over the years, my family has experienced many difficulties and frustrations with the dismal state of public transportation in our area. I empathize with all of you regarding lousy and inadequate scheduling, delayed and canceled rides, and the often shoddy conditions found in the transit system. I have a question for all participants on this listserv: why is there so much focus and enthusiasm on the effort to put blind people behind the wheel of a car and absolutely none on improving public transportation? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Driving a car despite blindness seems a very attractive goal. We all want the freedom and independence to go where we want to go when we want to go there. Nevertheless it will be years before a method is perfected. Huge dollar amounts will be expended for research and fabrication and manufacturing. This doesn’t take into account a massive educational campaign to gain acceptance in the public arena. If and when a blind person is put behind the wheel of a fast moving car in highway traffic that vehicle will surely be beyond the financial reach of most people I know, blind or sighted. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>On the other hand public transportation, however lousy it is, exists to some degree almost everywhere. There are many simple things that could be done to make it better. As a group that depends on this mode of getting around, we have a collective voice. Energy devoted to this issue might very well effectively improve our lives now.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Thank you for letting me air my opinion. I look forward to your comments.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Papyrus;font-variant:small-caps;color:#1F497D'>Trudy <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> ct-nfb-bounces@nfbnet.org [mailto:ct-nfb-bounces@nfbnet.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Richard McGaffin<br><b>Sent:</b> Saturday, June 18, 2011 7:08 AM<br><b>To:</b> NFB of Connecticut Mailing List<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Ct-nfb] TRANSPORTATION<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>Good morning folks:</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>about the transit thing I refuse to use it, I will walk take a city bus, or bug my family for rides if I have too, the para transit sucks to put it bluntly they're never on time and when I did use it. It made me late for work.</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><br><br>--- On <b>Fri, 6/17/11, Suzanne Westhaver <i><<a href="mailto:swesthaver@comcast.net">swesthaver@comcast.net</a>></i></b> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #1010FF 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt;margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br>From: Suzanne Westhaver <<a href="mailto:swesthaver@comcast.net">swesthaver@comcast.net</a>><br>Subject: Re: [Ct-nfb] TRANSPORTATION<br>To: "NFB of Connecticut Mailing List" <<a href="mailto:ct-nfb@nfbnet.org">ct-nfb@nfbnet.org</a>><br>Date: Friday, June 17, 2011, 10:41 PM<o:p></o:p></p><div id=yiv1596836690><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> Hi, Joyce. I think working the two transits to coordinate is trickier too. I have used the Waterbury/New Haven connection to connect in New Haven on rare occasions when I need to get to a law office in New Haven and have had good luck, but New Haven si a very busy transit system.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Nice thing about Waterbury is they run later now. You can get a ride up until 9 p.m. which it used to be 5 p.m. was the latest. Now they are talking about extending service until 11 p.m. which is verynice for people that ork later or 2nd shift or just want to do stuff in the evening.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br>-----Inline Attachment Follows-----<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>_______________________________________________<br>Ct-nfb mailing list<br><a href="http://us.mc811.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Ct-nfb@nfbnet.org">Ct-nfb@nfbnet.org</a><br><a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org" target="_blank">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org</a><br>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Ct-nfb:<br><a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org/rmcgaffin%40snet.net" target="_blank">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org/rmcgaffin%40snet.net</a><o:p></o:p></p></div></blockquote></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>