[Electronics-talk] [EXTERNAL] Re: Electronics-talk traffic signal app

[Baracco, Andrew W]

I feel that if accessible traffic signals are to be deployed, that they
should be deployed wherever there is a traffic light. I feel that this
is the only fair solution, and is born out by the discussion that we
have been having. We have seen that there is a wide range when it comes
to the abilities of blind persons in this arena. What is not a problem
to some is a major problem to someone else. If you only deploy
accessible signals at certain intersections, what cryteria do you use to
determine whether or not a given intersection rates an accessible
signal? As someone said, an intersection with little traffic can be as
problematic as an intersection with heavy traffic. T intersections pose
major problems because of the lack of parallel traffic. Also, an
intersection where one street has heavy traffic, and the intersecting
street has little traffic can be problematic. And the one place where
there should always be an accessible signal is at a round about.

Andy


-----Original Message-----
From: Electronics-talk [mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Steve Jacobson via Electronics-talk
Sent: Monday, June 29, 2015 11:26 AM
To: 'Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances'
Cc: Steve Jacobson
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: [Electronics-talk] Electronics-talk traffic
signal app

Jim and others,

My understanding, beyond Chris's concerns, is that some feel crossing
when the light is red even without traffic technically puts them in
violation of the law.  I have personally not worried about this,
although I tend to remain careful to listen for on-coming traffic,
knowing that somebody might speed to make it through a light before it
changes.

On a related issue, I would really like to understand better how people
who are hearing-impaired deal with this.  On the one hand, I do not want
to take a position that prevents someone from traveling, but I also
don't feel I want to push for accessible lights on intersections that
are pretty simple if they are not truly needed either.  When I cross a
street, I am aware that what I hear may not be as substantial as what
others with normal vision see, but I do feel that I get enough
information in most cases to make decisions about my safety.  For
example, one of the bus stops I sometimes use is about five blocks from
my house, and the route there is along a somewhat busy street without a
sidewalk.  I may not be able to hear a car as far away as someone sees
it, but I can hear on-coming cars in plenty of time to be sure I'm at
the edge of the street.  What I would like to understand better is what
people who are hearing-impaired use to make decisions about crossing a
street.  While I consider myself to be safer crossing when the light is
green for me than when it is red, I never feel that the light is truly a
guarantee of my safety.  I would personally not recommend that any blind
person just cross when another person or an APS indicates is it okay
without being very aware of their surroundings such as turning cars, or
cars approaching the intersection at what seems like an unusually fast
speed.  

Do people who are severely hearing-impaired have other alternative
techniques that help judge safety, or is it felt that one has the right
to take the risk, if that is what it is?

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

-----Original Message-----
From: Electronics-talk [mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Jim Barbour via Electronics-talk
Sent: Monday, June 29, 2015 9:09 AM
To: Christopher Chaltain
Cc: Jim Barbour; Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances
Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Electronics-talk traffic signal app

So Chris, you're saying that you don't trust the traffic to stay quiet
Long enough to get across all lanes?

APS is audio pedestrian signal.

Jim

Written While on the Move

> On Jun 29, 2015, at 5:17 AM, Christopher Chaltain <chaltain at gmail.com>
wrote:
> 
> I'm not Sarah, but I answered this question in a previous post, and I
think Sarah answers it in the post you're replying to.
> 
> As I said earlier, I have two streets I cross, where the cross traffic

> is
very minimal but I need to cross four lanes of traffic, and due to
either the traffic light patterns or the lack of any preceding traffic
signals, the cars can be traveling quite quickly. I want to make sure I
have a full cycle to cross all four lanes, and I can't do that without
the cross traffic in these situations. I've also crossed streets late at
night, again where the traffic is light, and barely made it across the
street before a lone car came speeding by because I wasn't sure I had
the full traffic cycle.
> 
> BTW, what is meant by the acronym APS that you used?
> 
>> On 06/28/2015 10:41 PM, Jim Barbour via Electronics-talk wrote:
>> Hey Sarah,
>> 
>> I hear you that I probably sound like I'm judging.  I do think it is 
>> not
a smart thing for blind people to rely on APSs, except in rare
circumstances where the number of points of an intersection are very
high, or some other one off traffic situation.
>> 
>> Being deaf/blind has been mentioned as a reason to rely more on APSs.

>> Not
knowing much about how those who are dead/blind travel, I completely
respect this option.
>> 
>> Would you mind answering another question for me? This was asked the
other day, and it still is a question I have. Why do you care if it is
quiet because there's no traffic, or because the signal is in your
favor?  What are the circumstances when you wouldn't just obey the rule
that if it's quiet, you would cross.
>> 
>> Thanks Very Much,
>> 
>> Jim
>> 
>>> On Sun, Jun 28, 2015 at 06:53:21PM -0700, Sarah Clark via
Electronics-talk wrote:
>>> I am reading a lot of judgmental posts on this topic. It isn't 
>>> always as simple as listening to traffic patterns.  Besides the so 
>>> called "silent cars" that are becoming more and more prevalent, in 
>>> Beverly Hills where I live we have quite a number of intersections 
>>> where there is a 4 way walk signal -- meaning that it is time to 
>>> walk when all is quiet. (also allowing for diagonal crossings, which

>>> I never do). Some of these intersections involve 1 or more streets 
>>> that are not especially busy, so you have no way of knowing if it is

>>> quiet because it is time to cross or because there are simply no 
>>> cars coming through at the moment. Crossing some of these 
>>> intersections nearly every day I have learned to judge them based on

>>> pattern of the cycle at that specific intersection (the patterns 
>>> vary from one intersection to another), but depending on the time of

>>> day and how heavy the traffic is, this is not fool proof and I 
>>> sometimes judge wrong. And someone unfamiliar with the intersections

>>> who needed to cross at off-peak times would find themselves in a 
>>> literal guessing game. I've found having a guide dog invaluable when

>>> crossing these intersections, because in the event that my timing 
>>> was off and a car didn't give me the right of way once I started
crossing (which they are legally required to do), the dog would see the
car coming and handle the situation accordingly.
>>> 
>>> Sarah
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
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>> 
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> 
> --
> Christopher (CJ)
> chaltain at Gmail
> 

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