[IL-Talk] IL-Talk Digest, Vol 206, Issue 28
Gregory D. Rosenberg
gregg at ricis.com
Mon Jun 28 14:40:35 UTC 2021
Good morning,
Windows 11 won’t run on the majority of hardware that folks own today. It seems it will be more focussed on ARM based processors instead of Intel X86/x64 based processors. Microsoft started shipping versions of Windows 10 for ARM processors quite a number of years ago. In the last year they have moved to ARM based processors in select Microsoft Surface products. I attempted to install it in a virtualization environment on Intel hardware and ran into compatibility issues. I am running an early BETA version of Windows 11 on an ARM based machine.
P.S. Text the word BLIND to 85944 to donate $10 to the NFB Imagination Fund via your phone bill.
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can have the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.
--
73' & 75'
Gregory D. Rosenberg AB9MZ
gregg at ricis.com <mailto:gregg at ricis.com>
RICIS, Inc.
7849 Bristol Park Drive
Tinley Park, IL 60477-4594
http://www.ricis.com
708-267-6664 Cell
708-444-2690 Office
On Jun 28, 2021, at 07:00, il-talk-request at nfbnet.org <mailto:il-talk-request at nfbnet.org> wrote:
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: CTA Electric Buses (Kyle Chellino)
2. Re: CTA Electric Buses (Deborah Kent Stein)
3. Re: CTA Electric Buses (Kyle Chellino)
4. Re: CTA Electric Buses (Harris Singer)
5. Re: CTA Electric Buses (Kelly Pierce)
6. Re: CTA Electric Buses (Kyle Chellino)
7. Windows 11 (Kyle Chellino)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2021 08:08:41 -0500
From: Kyle Chellino <chellinoramtruck at gmail.com>
To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [IL-Talk] CTA Electric Buses
Message-ID:
<CAC8kptWijq80YyaQLqp53Jhfr8gfxjuULZY9JZm5_9vhkDhxvg at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
Just got back from out of town
On 6/26/21, Kelly Pierce via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
I had my first opportunity on Saturday to evaluate the CTA electric
buses. Was anyone else at the electric bus event at Jefferson Park? I
sent the following to CTA officials. The Chicago Transit Board should
not approve additional funding for electric buses until the Authority
puts in place mitigation measures to prevent the higher crash rates
caused by electric vehicles compared to those with internal combustion
engines. Apparently, Federal guidelines do not require external
audible sounds from the electric buses CTA purchased, but they do not
consider higher ambient noise levels that often occur in big cities
like Chicago. Until Saturday, no one at CTA seems to have taken the
issue of pedestrian safety and electric buses seriously, despite
reports from the federal government from 10 and 12 years ago that
clearly show that the quiet nature of electric vehicles causes more
crashes. Additionally, I asked the CTA board to request the agency?s
President, Dorval Carter, to investigate and evaluate pedestrian crash
mitigation efforts of electric vehicles and to deploy measures as part
of the pilot program known to reduce risk, such as artificial sound
emission at low speeds.
I would welcome the Federation?s support to amplify my voice and join
me in raising concerns regarding electric buses and blind pedestrian
safety.
Kelly
June 26, 2021
This communication Recapitulates information stated to CTA ADA
Compliance Officer Amy Serpe and Assistant Chief Engineer - Vehicle
Engineering - Electrification Jason House. The comments were provided
on June 26, 2021 at the Jefferson Park Transit Center in an electric
bus demonstration event organized by the Chicago Transit Authority.
Part of the demonstration included the electric bus departing from the
transit center and then returning a few minutes later to the location
near where it was before. I observed both the departure and arrival of
the bus. The departure of the bus could barely be heard and I could
not hear the arrival of the electric bus. The presence of diesel buses
were easily detectable by sound. The transit center is a major hub on
the northwest side of Chicago where multiple bus routes stop for
passengers so immediate comparisons with diesel buses were possible.
I shared my observations with Jason House and referenced federal
regulations regarding electric vehicles. He looked up the regulation
and found that if a vehicle has a sound greater than 60 decibels it is
not required to make an artificially created external noise. He took
a reading of the ambient noise at the transit center and found the
level was 80 dB. Jason House said he contacted a representative of the
bus manufacturer, Proterra, during the demonstration who told him that
another transit agency had installed technology for external sounds to
warn pedestrians of the bus?s presence. I explained both to Jason
House and Amy Serpe that many places in Chicago have ambient sound
conditions that exceed 60 dB, such as the Jefferson Park Transit
Center, bus stops near expressways and along busy thoroughfares like
Lake Shore Drive. A blind pedestrian who could not visually see the
bus would not know that a bus was close if the bus were traveling at
slow speeds because the sound of the bus could not be heard over the
ambient environmental noise level. Unlike with diesel buses, I and
other blind pedestrians are at greater risk of injury and crashes with
electric buses because their presence cannot be heard. In 2009 the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released the report
?Incidence of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Crashes by Hybrid Electric
Passenger Vehicles? with the finding that a hybrid electric vehicle
was two times more likely to be involved in a pedestrian crash than a
vehicle using an internal combustion engine in situations involving
low-speed maneuvers. A 2011 update to the original report titled
?Incidence Rates of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Crashes by Hybrid
Electric Passenger Vehicles: An Update? offered more data by adding
additional years of State crash files as well as by increasing the
number of States included in the analysis from 12 to 16. The analysis
was conducted on a total of 24,297 hybrid electric and 1,001,000
internal combustion engine Honda and Toyota selected vehicles in 16
States. A total of 186 and 5,699 hybrid and internal combustion
vehicles respectively were involved in pedestrian crashes, and a total
of 116 and 3,052 hybrid and internal combustion vehicles respectively
were involved in bicycle crashes. Overall, the odds ratios indicate
that the odds of a hybrid electric vehicle being in either a
pedestrian or bicycle crash are greater, 35 percent and 57 percent
respectively, than the odds of an internal combustion vehicle being in
a similar crash.
As is clear from the reports, the danger of electric vehicles is not
confined to blind persons. Sighted pedestrians and cyclists are in
danger as well because they walk or turn in front of electric vehicles
without knowing their close presence. Jason House said the feedback
would be brought to the electric bus project team for investigation
and evaluation.
CTA must recognize the increased likelihood of crashes with
pedestrians and cyclists from electric vehicles, such as electric
buses, and take strong measures to eliminate the higher crash rate.
The measures would include having electric buses emit sounds higher
than ambient noise when traveling at low speeds. I appreciate very
much the opportunity to evaluate the electric bus pilot program and
look forward to learning about further efforts.
Kelly Pierce
_______________________________________________
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IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
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------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2021 18:06:38 -0500
From: "Deborah Kent Stein" <dkent5817 at att.net>
To: "'NFB of Illinois Mailing List'" <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [IL-Talk] CTA Electric Buses
Message-ID: <022001d76ba9$15ae0490$410a0db0$@att.net>
Content-Type: text/plain;charset="utf-8"
Dear Kelly,
I totally agree that the silent nature of electric buses is a serious concern to the blind community and, in fact, to all pedestrians. I have discussed this with John Pare in governmental affairs at our national office. He confirmed that the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010 only covers vehicles that weigh under 10,000 pounds, so many or most buses are currently exempt. We will have to work on this at the national level, perhaps getting an amendment added to the current bill. But local pressure can also help. If municipalities show reluctance to purchase silent electric vehicles, that can push the manufacturers to add a sound component. We need to think carefully about how best to proceed and make sure that we present a united front.
Debbie
-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kelly Pierce via IL-Talk
Sent: Saturday, June 26, 2021 11:24 PM
To: il-talk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Kelly Pierce <kellytalk at gmail.com>
Subject: [IL-Talk] CTA Electric Buses
I had my first opportunity on Saturday to evaluate the CTA electric buses. Was anyone else at the electric bus event at Jefferson Park? I sent the following to CTA officials. The Chicago Transit Board should not approve additional funding for electric buses until the Authority puts in place mitigation measures to prevent the higher crash rates caused by electric vehicles compared to those with internal combustion engines. Apparently, Federal guidelines do not require external audible sounds from the electric buses CTA purchased, but they do not consider higher ambient noise levels that often occur in big cities like Chicago. Until Saturday, no one at CTA seems to have taken the issue of pedestrian safety and electric buses seriously, despite reports from the federal government from 10 and 12 years ago that clearly show that the quiet nature of electric vehicles causes more crashes. Additionally, I asked the CTA board to request the agency?s President, Dorval Carter, to investigate and evaluate pedestrian crash mitigation efforts of electric vehicles and to deploy measures as part of the pilot program known to reduce risk, such as artificial sound emission at low speeds.
I would welcome the Federation?s support to amplify my voice and join me in raising concerns regarding electric buses and blind pedestrian safety.
Kelly
June 26, 2021
This communication Recapitulates information stated to CTA ADA Compliance Officer Amy Serpe and Assistant Chief Engineer - Vehicle Engineering - Electrification Jason House. The comments were provided on June 26, 2021 at the Jefferson Park Transit Center in an electric bus demonstration event organized by the Chicago Transit Authority.
Part of the demonstration included the electric bus departing from the transit center and then returning a few minutes later to the location near where it was before. I observed both the departure and arrival of the bus. The departure of the bus could barely be heard and I could not hear the arrival of the electric bus. The presence of diesel buses were easily detectable by sound. The transit center is a major hub on the northwest side of Chicago where multiple bus routes stop for passengers so immediate comparisons with diesel buses were possible.
I shared my observations with Jason House and referenced federal regulations regarding electric vehicles. He looked up the regulation and found that if a vehicle has a sound greater than 60 decibels it is not required to make an artificially created external noise. He took a reading of the ambient noise at the transit center and found the level was 80 dB. Jason House said he contacted a representative of the bus manufacturer, Proterra, during the demonstration who told him that another transit agency had installed technology for external sounds to warn pedestrians of the bus?s presence. I explained both to Jason House and Amy Serpe that many places in Chicago have ambient sound conditions that exceed 60 dB, such as the Jefferson Park Transit Center, bus stops near expressways and along busy thoroughfares like Lake Shore Drive. A blind pedestrian who could not visually see the bus would not know that a bus was close if the bus were traveling at slow speeds because the sound of the bus could not be heard over the ambient environmental noise level. Unlike with diesel buses, I and other blind pedestrians are at greater risk of injury and crashes with electric buses because their presence cannot be heard. In 2009 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released the report ?Incidence of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Crashes by Hybrid Electric Passenger Vehicles? with the finding that a hybrid electric vehicle was two times more likely to be involved in a pedestrian crash than a vehicle using an internal combustion engine in situations involving low-speed maneuvers. A 2011 update to the original report titled ?Incidence Rates of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Crashes by Hybrid Electric Passenger Vehicles: An Update? offered more data by adding additional years of State crash files as well as by increasing the number of States included in the analysis from 12 to 16. The analysis was conducted on a total of 24,297 hybrid electric and 1,001,000 internal combustion engine Honda and Toyota selected vehicles in 16 States. A total of 186 and 5,699 hybrid and internal combustion vehicles respectively were involved in pedestrian crashes, and a total of 116 and 3,052 hybrid and internal combustion vehicles respectively were involved in bicycle crashes. Overall, the odds ratios indicate that the odds of a hybrid electric vehicle being in either a pedestrian or bicycle crash are greater, 35 percent and 57 percent respectively, than the odds of an internal combustion vehicle being in a similar crash.
As is clear from the reports, the danger of electric vehicles is not confined to blind persons. Sighted pedestrians and cyclists are in danger as well because they walk or turn in front of electric vehicles without knowing their close presence. Jason House said the feedback would be brought to the electric bus project team for investigation and evaluation.
CTA must recognize the increased likelihood of crashes with pedestrians and cyclists from electric vehicles, such as electric buses, and take strong measures to eliminate the higher crash rate.
The measures would include having electric buses emit sounds higher than ambient noise when traveling at low speeds. I appreciate very much the opportunity to evaluate the electric bus pilot program and look forward to learning about further efforts.
Kelly Pierce
_______________________________________________
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IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
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------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2021 18:33:00 -0500
From: Kyle Chellino <chellinoramtruck at gmail.com>
To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [IL-Talk] CTA Electric Buses
Message-ID:
<CAC8kptWKB9j9aPStq-vxkuOkaSETA=vpBZA7a+MeqtpbMG29AA at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
In my oppinion, I feel that until they have everything figured out for
the people that are out walking on the streets wanting to feel secure
and safe, they should not put anything like that electric on the road.
Sounds too dangerous and what if a blind person is walking around and
the driver ain't paying attention, and they hit that person, we have
to think of those factors as well.
On 6/27/21, Deborah Kent Stein via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
Dear Kelly,
I totally agree that the silent nature of electric buses is a serious
concern to the blind community and, in fact, to all pedestrians. I have
discussed this with John Pare in governmental affairs at our national
office. He confirmed that the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010 only
covers vehicles that weigh under 10,000 pounds, so many or most buses are
currently exempt. We will have to work on this at the national level,
perhaps getting an amendment added to the current bill. But local pressure
can also help. If municipalities show reluctance to purchase silent electric
vehicles, that can push the manufacturers to add a sound component. We need
to think carefully about how best to proceed and make sure that we present a
united front.
Debbie
-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kelly Pierce
via IL-Talk
Sent: Saturday, June 26, 2021 11:24 PM
To: il-talk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Kelly Pierce <kellytalk at gmail.com>
Subject: [IL-Talk] CTA Electric Buses
I had my first opportunity on Saturday to evaluate the CTA electric buses.
Was anyone else at the electric bus event at Jefferson Park? I sent the
following to CTA officials. The Chicago Transit Board should not approve
additional funding for electric buses until the Authority puts in place
mitigation measures to prevent the higher crash rates caused by electric
vehicles compared to those with internal combustion engines. Apparently,
Federal guidelines do not require external audible sounds from the electric
buses CTA purchased, but they do not consider higher ambient noise levels
that often occur in big cities like Chicago. Until Saturday, no one at CTA
seems to have taken the issue of pedestrian safety and electric buses
seriously, despite reports from the federal government from 10 and 12 years
ago that clearly show that the quiet nature of electric vehicles causes more
crashes. Additionally, I asked the CTA board to request the agency?s
President, Dorval Carter, to investigate and evaluate pedestrian crash
mitigation efforts of electric vehicles and to deploy measures as part of
the pilot program known to reduce risk, such as artificial sound emission at
low speeds.
I would welcome the Federation?s support to amplify my voice and join me in
raising concerns regarding electric buses and blind pedestrian safety.
Kelly
June 26, 2021
This communication Recapitulates information stated to CTA ADA Compliance
Officer Amy Serpe and Assistant Chief Engineer - Vehicle Engineering -
Electrification Jason House. The comments were provided on June 26, 2021 at
the Jefferson Park Transit Center in an electric bus demonstration event
organized by the Chicago Transit Authority.
Part of the demonstration included the electric bus departing from the
transit center and then returning a few minutes later to the location near
where it was before. I observed both the departure and arrival of the bus.
The departure of the bus could barely be heard and I could not hear the
arrival of the electric bus. The presence of diesel buses were easily
detectable by sound. The transit center is a major hub on the northwest
side of Chicago where multiple bus routes stop for passengers so immediate
comparisons with diesel buses were possible.
I shared my observations with Jason House and referenced federal regulations
regarding electric vehicles. He looked up the regulation and found that if
a vehicle has a sound greater than 60 decibels it is not required to make an
artificially created external noise. He took a reading of the ambient noise
at the transit center and found the level was 80 dB. Jason House said he
contacted a representative of the bus manufacturer, Proterra, during the
demonstration who told him that another transit agency had installed
technology for external sounds to warn pedestrians of the bus?s presence. I
explained both to Jason House and Amy Serpe that many places in Chicago have
ambient sound conditions that exceed 60 dB, such as the Jefferson Park
Transit Center, bus stops near expressways and along busy thoroughfares like
Lake Shore Drive. A blind pedestrian who could not visually see the bus
would not know that a bus was close if the bus were traveling at slow speeds
because the sound of the bus could not be heard over the ambient
environmental noise level. Unlike with diesel buses, I and other blind
pedestrians are at greater risk of injury and crashes with electric buses
because their presence cannot be heard. In 2009 the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration released the report ?Incidence of Pedestrian and
Bicyclist Crashes by Hybrid Electric Passenger Vehicles? with the finding
that a hybrid electric vehicle was two times more likely to be involved in a
pedestrian crash than a vehicle using an internal combustion engine in
situations involving low-speed maneuvers. A 2011 update to the original
report titled ?Incidence Rates of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Crashes by Hybrid
Electric Passenger Vehicles: An Update? offered more data by adding
additional years of State crash files as well as by increasing the number of
States included in the analysis from 12 to 16. The analysis was conducted on
a total of 24,297 hybrid electric and 1,001,000 internal combustion engine
Honda and Toyota selected vehicles in 16 States. A total of 186 and 5,699
hybrid and internal combustion vehicles respectively were involved in
pedestrian crashes, and a total of 116 and 3,052 hybrid and internal
combustion vehicles respectively were involved in bicycle crashes. Overall,
the odds ratios indicate that the odds of a hybrid electric vehicle being in
either a pedestrian or bicycle crash are greater, 35 percent and 57 percent
respectively, than the odds of an internal combustion vehicle being in a
similar crash.
As is clear from the reports, the danger of electric vehicles is not
confined to blind persons. Sighted pedestrians and cyclists are in danger as
well because they walk or turn in front of electric vehicles without knowing
their close presence. Jason House said the feedback would be brought to the
electric bus project team for investigation and evaluation.
CTA must recognize the increased likelihood of crashes with pedestrians and
cyclists from electric vehicles, such as electric buses, and take strong
measures to eliminate the higher crash rate.
The measures would include having electric buses emit sounds higher than
ambient noise when traveling at low speeds. I appreciate very much the
opportunity to evaluate the electric bus pilot program and look forward to
learning about further efforts.
Kelly Pierce
_______________________________________________
IL-Talk mailing list
IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
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IL-Talk:
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------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2021 19:13:43 -0500
From: Harris Singer <harris.singer at gmail.com>
To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [IL-Talk] CTA Electric Buses
Message-ID:
<CAPiU5SuMDFDE=YN1iZQBbNwsnBoLLTngqarYd+S=KwRZdf0ycw at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
An audible signal should be applied to all buses, not just electric.
When in high traffic areas I've been startled by buses that suddenly
pull-up without any audible notice. Diesel buses don't make any more
noise at a bus stop than electric ones given the engine is a hundred
feet behind the door.
On 6/27/21, Kyle Chellino via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
In my oppinion, I feel that until they have everything figured out for
the people that are out walking on the streets wanting to feel secure
and safe, they should not put anything like that electric on the road.
Sounds too dangerous and what if a blind person is walking around and
the driver ain't paying attention, and they hit that person, we have
to think of those factors as well.
On 6/27/21, Deborah Kent Stein via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
Dear Kelly,
I totally agree that the silent nature of electric buses is a serious
concern to the blind community and, in fact, to all pedestrians. I have
discussed this with John Pare in governmental affairs at our national
office. He confirmed that the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010
only
covers vehicles that weigh under 10,000 pounds, so many or most buses are
currently exempt. We will have to work on this at the national level,
perhaps getting an amendment added to the current bill. But local pressure
can also help. If municipalities show reluctance to purchase silent
electric
vehicles, that can push the manufacturers to add a sound component. We
need
to think carefully about how best to proceed and make sure that we present
a
united front.
Debbie
-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kelly
Pierce
via IL-Talk
Sent: Saturday, June 26, 2021 11:24 PM
To: il-talk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Kelly Pierce <kellytalk at gmail.com>
Subject: [IL-Talk] CTA Electric Buses
I had my first opportunity on Saturday to evaluate the CTA electric buses.
Was anyone else at the electric bus event at Jefferson Park? I sent the
following to CTA officials. The Chicago Transit Board should not approve
additional funding for electric buses until the Authority puts in place
mitigation measures to prevent the higher crash rates caused by electric
vehicles compared to those with internal combustion engines. Apparently,
Federal guidelines do not require external audible sounds from the
electric
buses CTA purchased, but they do not consider higher ambient noise levels
that often occur in big cities like Chicago. Until Saturday, no one at
CTA
seems to have taken the issue of pedestrian safety and electric buses
seriously, despite reports from the federal government from 10 and 12
years
ago that clearly show that the quiet nature of electric vehicles causes
more
crashes. Additionally, I asked the CTA board to request the agency?s
President, Dorval Carter, to investigate and evaluate pedestrian crash
mitigation efforts of electric vehicles and to deploy measures as part of
the pilot program known to reduce risk, such as artificial sound emission
at
low speeds.
I would welcome the Federation?s support to amplify my voice and join me
in
raising concerns regarding electric buses and blind pedestrian safety.
Kelly
June 26, 2021
This communication Recapitulates information stated to CTA ADA Compliance
Officer Amy Serpe and Assistant Chief Engineer - Vehicle Engineering -
Electrification Jason House. The comments were provided on June 26, 2021
at
the Jefferson Park Transit Center in an electric bus demonstration event
organized by the Chicago Transit Authority.
Part of the demonstration included the electric bus departing from the
transit center and then returning a few minutes later to the location near
where it was before. I observed both the departure and arrival of the bus.
The departure of the bus could barely be heard and I could not hear the
arrival of the electric bus. The presence of diesel buses were easily
detectable by sound. The transit center is a major hub on the northwest
side of Chicago where multiple bus routes stop for passengers so immediate
comparisons with diesel buses were possible.
I shared my observations with Jason House and referenced federal
regulations
regarding electric vehicles. He looked up the regulation and found that
if
a vehicle has a sound greater than 60 decibels it is not required to make
an
artificially created external noise. He took a reading of the ambient
noise
at the transit center and found the level was 80 dB. Jason House said he
contacted a representative of the bus manufacturer, Proterra, during the
demonstration who told him that another transit agency had installed
technology for external sounds to warn pedestrians of the bus?s presence.
I
explained both to Jason House and Amy Serpe that many places in Chicago
have
ambient sound conditions that exceed 60 dB, such as the Jefferson Park
Transit Center, bus stops near expressways and along busy thoroughfares
like
Lake Shore Drive. A blind pedestrian who could not visually see the bus
would not know that a bus was close if the bus were traveling at slow
speeds
because the sound of the bus could not be heard over the ambient
environmental noise level. Unlike with diesel buses, I and other blind
pedestrians are at greater risk of injury and crashes with electric buses
because their presence cannot be heard. In 2009 the National Highway
Traffic
Safety Administration released the report ?Incidence of Pedestrian and
Bicyclist Crashes by Hybrid Electric Passenger Vehicles? with the finding
that a hybrid electric vehicle was two times more likely to be involved in
a
pedestrian crash than a vehicle using an internal combustion engine in
situations involving low-speed maneuvers. A 2011 update to the original
report titled ?Incidence Rates of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Crashes by
Hybrid
Electric Passenger Vehicles: An Update? offered more data by adding
additional years of State crash files as well as by increasing the number
of
States included in the analysis from 12 to 16. The analysis was conducted
on
a total of 24,297 hybrid electric and 1,001,000 internal combustion engine
Honda and Toyota selected vehicles in 16 States. A total of 186 and 5,699
hybrid and internal combustion vehicles respectively were involved in
pedestrian crashes, and a total of 116 and 3,052 hybrid and internal
combustion vehicles respectively were involved in bicycle crashes.
Overall,
the odds ratios indicate that the odds of a hybrid electric vehicle being
in
either a pedestrian or bicycle crash are greater, 35 percent and 57
percent
respectively, than the odds of an internal combustion vehicle being in a
similar crash.
As is clear from the reports, the danger of electric vehicles is not
confined to blind persons. Sighted pedestrians and cyclists are in danger
as
well because they walk or turn in front of electric vehicles without
knowing
their close presence. Jason House said the feedback would be brought to
the
electric bus project team for investigation and evaluation.
CTA must recognize the increased likelihood of crashes with pedestrians
and
cyclists from electric vehicles, such as electric buses, and take strong
measures to eliminate the higher crash rate.
The measures would include having electric buses emit sounds higher than
ambient noise when traveling at low speeds. I appreciate very much the
opportunity to evaluate the electric bus pilot program and look forward to
learning about further efforts.
Kelly Pierce
_______________________________________________
IL-Talk mailing list
IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
IL-Talk:
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------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2021 19:52:35 -0500
From: Kelly Pierce <kellytalk at gmail.com>
To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [IL-Talk] CTA Electric Buses
Message-ID:
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Debbie,
Your note reminds me to send a copy to Maurice Peret, who leads
pedestrian safety efforts for the Federation on the national level.
While I presented the problem very well, I said little about the
solution. While not legislatively required, do Federation leaders on
pedestrian safety believe the standards created for the Pedestrian
Safety Enhancement Act should apply to buses or should a different
standard apply? If the standard would be different, what specifically
would that be and why is it different?
Talk to you later.
Kelly
On 6/27/21, Harris Singer via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
An audible signal should be applied to all buses, not just electric.
When in high traffic areas I've been startled by buses that suddenly
pull-up without any audible notice. Diesel buses don't make any more
noise at a bus stop than electric ones given the engine is a hundred
feet behind the door.
On 6/27/21, Kyle Chellino via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
In my oppinion, I feel that until they have everything figured out for
the people that are out walking on the streets wanting to feel secure
and safe, they should not put anything like that electric on the road.
Sounds too dangerous and what if a blind person is walking around and
the driver ain't paying attention, and they hit that person, we have
to think of those factors as well.
On 6/27/21, Deborah Kent Stein via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
Dear Kelly,
I totally agree that the silent nature of electric buses is a serious
concern to the blind community and, in fact, to all pedestrians. I have
discussed this with John Pare in governmental affairs at our national
office. He confirmed that the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010
only
covers vehicles that weigh under 10,000 pounds, so many or most buses are
currently exempt. We will have to work on this at the national level,
perhaps getting an amendment added to the current bill. But local
pressure
can also help. If municipalities show reluctance to purchase silent
electric
vehicles, that can push the manufacturers to add a sound component. We
need
to think carefully about how best to proceed and make sure that we
present
a
united front.
Debbie
-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kelly
Pierce
via IL-Talk
Sent: Saturday, June 26, 2021 11:24 PM
To: il-talk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Kelly Pierce <kellytalk at gmail.com>
Subject: [IL-Talk] CTA Electric Buses
I had my first opportunity on Saturday to evaluate the CTA electric
buses.
Was anyone else at the electric bus event at Jefferson Park? I sent the
following to CTA officials. The Chicago Transit Board should not approve
additional funding for electric buses until the Authority puts in place
mitigation measures to prevent the higher crash rates caused by electric
vehicles compared to those with internal combustion engines. Apparently,
Federal guidelines do not require external audible sounds from the
electric
buses CTA purchased, but they do not consider higher ambient noise levels
that often occur in big cities like Chicago. Until Saturday, no one at
CTA
seems to have taken the issue of pedestrian safety and electric buses
seriously, despite reports from the federal government from 10 and 12
years
ago that clearly show that the quiet nature of electric vehicles causes
more
crashes. Additionally, I asked the CTA board to request the agency?s
President, Dorval Carter, to investigate and evaluate pedestrian crash
mitigation efforts of electric vehicles and to deploy measures as part of
the pilot program known to reduce risk, such as artificial sound emission
at
low speeds.
I would welcome the Federation?s support to amplify my voice and join me
in
raising concerns regarding electric buses and blind pedestrian safety.
Kelly
June 26, 2021
This communication Recapitulates information stated to CTA ADA Compliance
Officer Amy Serpe and Assistant Chief Engineer - Vehicle Engineering -
Electrification Jason House. The comments were provided on June 26, 2021
at
the Jefferson Park Transit Center in an electric bus demonstration event
organized by the Chicago Transit Authority.
Part of the demonstration included the electric bus departing from the
transit center and then returning a few minutes later to the location
near
where it was before. I observed both the departure and arrival of the
bus.
The departure of the bus could barely be heard and I could not hear the
arrival of the electric bus. The presence of diesel buses were easily
detectable by sound. The transit center is a major hub on the northwest
side of Chicago where multiple bus routes stop for passengers so
immediate
comparisons with diesel buses were possible.
I shared my observations with Jason House and referenced federal
regulations
regarding electric vehicles. He looked up the regulation and found that
if
a vehicle has a sound greater than 60 decibels it is not required to make
an
artificially created external noise. He took a reading of the ambient
noise
at the transit center and found the level was 80 dB. Jason House said he
contacted a representative of the bus manufacturer, Proterra, during the
demonstration who told him that another transit agency had installed
technology for external sounds to warn pedestrians of the bus?s presence.
I
explained both to Jason House and Amy Serpe that many places in Chicago
have
ambient sound conditions that exceed 60 dB, such as the Jefferson Park
Transit Center, bus stops near expressways and along busy thoroughfares
like
Lake Shore Drive. A blind pedestrian who could not visually see the bus
would not know that a bus was close if the bus were traveling at slow
speeds
because the sound of the bus could not be heard over the ambient
environmental noise level. Unlike with diesel buses, I and other blind
pedestrians are at greater risk of injury and crashes with electric buses
because their presence cannot be heard. In 2009 the National Highway
Traffic
Safety Administration released the report ?Incidence of Pedestrian and
Bicyclist Crashes by Hybrid Electric Passenger Vehicles? with the finding
that a hybrid electric vehicle was two times more likely to be involved
in
a
pedestrian crash than a vehicle using an internal combustion engine in
situations involving low-speed maneuvers. A 2011 update to the original
report titled ?Incidence Rates of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Crashes by
Hybrid
Electric Passenger Vehicles: An Update? offered more data by adding
additional years of State crash files as well as by increasing the number
of
States included in the analysis from 12 to 16. The analysis was conducted
on
a total of 24,297 hybrid electric and 1,001,000 internal combustion
engine
Honda and Toyota selected vehicles in 16 States. A total of 186 and 5,699
hybrid and internal combustion vehicles respectively were involved in
pedestrian crashes, and a total of 116 and 3,052 hybrid and internal
combustion vehicles respectively were involved in bicycle crashes.
Overall,
the odds ratios indicate that the odds of a hybrid electric vehicle being
in
either a pedestrian or bicycle crash are greater, 35 percent and 57
percent
respectively, than the odds of an internal combustion vehicle being in a
similar crash.
As is clear from the reports, the danger of electric vehicles is not
confined to blind persons. Sighted pedestrians and cyclists are in danger
as
well because they walk or turn in front of electric vehicles without
knowing
their close presence. Jason House said the feedback would be brought to
the
electric bus project team for investigation and evaluation.
CTA must recognize the increased likelihood of crashes with pedestrians
and
cyclists from electric vehicles, such as electric buses, and take strong
measures to eliminate the higher crash rate.
The measures would include having electric buses emit sounds higher than
ambient noise when traveling at low speeds. I appreciate very much the
opportunity to evaluate the electric bus pilot program and look forward
to
learning about further efforts.
Kelly Pierce
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------------------------------
Message: 6
Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2021 20:02:26 -0500
From: Kyle Chellino <chellinoramtruck at gmail.com>
To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Kelly Pierce <kellytalk at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [IL-Talk] CTA Electric Buses
Message-ID:
<CAC8kptURk9N9x26R9HK9Da1rm3fTBFhCbVE7OZLZpER9mzRE0g at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
I agree 100 percent!
On 6/27/21, Kelly Pierce via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
Debbie,
Your note reminds me to send a copy to Maurice Peret, who leads
pedestrian safety efforts for the Federation on the national level.
While I presented the problem very well, I said little about the
solution. While not legislatively required, do Federation leaders on
pedestrian safety believe the standards created for the Pedestrian
Safety Enhancement Act should apply to buses or should a different
standard apply? If the standard would be different, what specifically
would that be and why is it different?
Talk to you later.
Kelly
On 6/27/21, Harris Singer via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
An audible signal should be applied to all buses, not just electric.
When in high traffic areas I've been startled by buses that suddenly
pull-up without any audible notice. Diesel buses don't make any more
noise at a bus stop than electric ones given the engine is a hundred
feet behind the door.
On 6/27/21, Kyle Chellino via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
In my oppinion, I feel that until they have everything figured out for
the people that are out walking on the streets wanting to feel secure
and safe, they should not put anything like that electric on the road.
Sounds too dangerous and what if a blind person is walking around and
the driver ain't paying attention, and they hit that person, we have
to think of those factors as well.
On 6/27/21, Deborah Kent Stein via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
Dear Kelly,
I totally agree that the silent nature of electric buses is a serious
concern to the blind community and, in fact, to all pedestrians. I have
discussed this with John Pare in governmental affairs at our national
office. He confirmed that the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010
only
covers vehicles that weigh under 10,000 pounds, so many or most buses
are
currently exempt. We will have to work on this at the national level,
perhaps getting an amendment added to the current bill. But local
pressure
can also help. If municipalities show reluctance to purchase silent
electric
vehicles, that can push the manufacturers to add a sound component. We
need
to think carefully about how best to proceed and make sure that we
present
a
united front.
Debbie
-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kelly
Pierce
via IL-Talk
Sent: Saturday, June 26, 2021 11:24 PM
To: il-talk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Kelly Pierce <kellytalk at gmail.com>
Subject: [IL-Talk] CTA Electric Buses
I had my first opportunity on Saturday to evaluate the CTA electric
buses.
Was anyone else at the electric bus event at Jefferson Park? I sent the
following to CTA officials. The Chicago Transit Board should not
approve
additional funding for electric buses until the Authority puts in place
mitigation measures to prevent the higher crash rates caused by electric
vehicles compared to those with internal combustion engines. Apparently,
Federal guidelines do not require external audible sounds from the
electric
buses CTA purchased, but they do not consider higher ambient noise
levels
that often occur in big cities like Chicago. Until Saturday, no one at
CTA
seems to have taken the issue of pedestrian safety and electric buses
seriously, despite reports from the federal government from 10 and 12
years
ago that clearly show that the quiet nature of electric vehicles causes
more
crashes. Additionally, I asked the CTA board to request the agency?s
President, Dorval Carter, to investigate and evaluate pedestrian crash
mitigation efforts of electric vehicles and to deploy measures as part
of
the pilot program known to reduce risk, such as artificial sound
emission
at
low speeds.
I would welcome the Federation?s support to amplify my voice and join me
in
raising concerns regarding electric buses and blind pedestrian safety.
Kelly
June 26, 2021
This communication Recapitulates information stated to CTA ADA
Compliance
Officer Amy Serpe and Assistant Chief Engineer - Vehicle Engineering -
Electrification Jason House. The comments were provided on June 26, 2021
at
the Jefferson Park Transit Center in an electric bus demonstration event
organized by the Chicago Transit Authority.
Part of the demonstration included the electric bus departing from the
transit center and then returning a few minutes later to the location
near
where it was before. I observed both the departure and arrival of the
bus.
The departure of the bus could barely be heard and I could not hear the
arrival of the electric bus. The presence of diesel buses were easily
detectable by sound. The transit center is a major hub on the northwest
side of Chicago where multiple bus routes stop for passengers so
immediate
comparisons with diesel buses were possible.
I shared my observations with Jason House and referenced federal
regulations
regarding electric vehicles. He looked up the regulation and found that
if
a vehicle has a sound greater than 60 decibels it is not required to
make
an
artificially created external noise. He took a reading of the ambient
noise
at the transit center and found the level was 80 dB. Jason House said he
contacted a representative of the bus manufacturer, Proterra, during the
demonstration who told him that another transit agency had installed
technology for external sounds to warn pedestrians of the bus?s
presence.
I
explained both to Jason House and Amy Serpe that many places in Chicago
have
ambient sound conditions that exceed 60 dB, such as the Jefferson Park
Transit Center, bus stops near expressways and along busy thoroughfares
like
Lake Shore Drive. A blind pedestrian who could not visually see the bus
would not know that a bus was close if the bus were traveling at slow
speeds
because the sound of the bus could not be heard over the ambient
environmental noise level. Unlike with diesel buses, I and other blind
pedestrians are at greater risk of injury and crashes with electric
buses
because their presence cannot be heard. In 2009 the National Highway
Traffic
Safety Administration released the report ?Incidence of Pedestrian and
Bicyclist Crashes by Hybrid Electric Passenger Vehicles? with the
finding
that a hybrid electric vehicle was two times more likely to be involved
in
a
pedestrian crash than a vehicle using an internal combustion engine in
situations involving low-speed maneuvers. A 2011 update to the original
report titled ?Incidence Rates of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Crashes by
Hybrid
Electric Passenger Vehicles: An Update? offered more data by adding
additional years of State crash files as well as by increasing the
number
of
States included in the analysis from 12 to 16. The analysis was
conducted
on
a total of 24,297 hybrid electric and 1,001,000 internal combustion
engine
Honda and Toyota selected vehicles in 16 States. A total of 186 and
5,699
hybrid and internal combustion vehicles respectively were involved in
pedestrian crashes, and a total of 116 and 3,052 hybrid and internal
combustion vehicles respectively were involved in bicycle crashes.
Overall,
the odds ratios indicate that the odds of a hybrid electric vehicle
being
in
either a pedestrian or bicycle crash are greater, 35 percent and 57
percent
respectively, than the odds of an internal combustion vehicle being in a
similar crash.
As is clear from the reports, the danger of electric vehicles is not
confined to blind persons. Sighted pedestrians and cyclists are in
danger
as
well because they walk or turn in front of electric vehicles without
knowing
their close presence. Jason House said the feedback would be brought to
the
electric bus project team for investigation and evaluation.
CTA must recognize the increased likelihood of crashes with pedestrians
and
cyclists from electric vehicles, such as electric buses, and take strong
measures to eliminate the higher crash rate.
The measures would include having electric buses emit sounds higher than
ambient noise when traveling at low speeds. I appreciate very much the
opportunity to evaluate the electric bus pilot program and look forward
to
learning about further efforts.
Kelly Pierce
_______________________________________________
IL-Talk mailing list
IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
IL-Talk:
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------------------------------
Message: 7
Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2021 01:22:21 -0500
From: Kyle Chellino <chellinoramtruck at gmail.com>
To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [IL-Talk] Windows 11
Message-ID:
<CAC8kptXrLE1mtYmAt3PGYAueEEnKUfkNPMeKa1m55E7PR66-cg at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
Hi guys, so I want your oppinion on something. I've been hearing about
the new windows 11, I want to know what your take is on windows 11 and
how accessible you think it's going to be for blind users. Thanks
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