[nabs-l] Google car takes to the streets

Mon Apr 15 00:26:05 UTC 2013

I don't think anyone made generalizations on why people are unemployed. But
Carly's post made it sound like she doesn't think our "blind asses" will be
able to afford a car. She seems to harbor anger toward the "sighties" and
those of us who are blind and want to freedom to pursue whatever we want in
life.

All of my responses were to that we should not assume we won't having a
gainful income because we are blind. I fully understand the difficultly my
fiance who is sighted has been laid off twice in two years. But the fact
that he could drive meant he was able to accept employment that was an hour
from our home in a car and a company not on a bus route. If he was limited
to the bus we probably would have been living on the streets now. He did
the hour commute for a couple of months until we moved closer and to a much
better location for me to have bus access.

But we should not look at buying a car any different than a sighted person
does. They have to save up they have to have an income that is sufficient
to make the car payments. But we stand a much better chance of employment
if we have the freedom to interview at any company and not be limited to
those on a bus. Our lack of reliable transportation is one reason someone
sighted might get the job over us with all other experience being equal.

Because of having to rely on the bus I cannot do the things that help get
employment while going to school. I am on the bus 22 hours a week which
means I cannot do undergrad research. I just don't have the time.

On Sun, Apr 14, 2013 at 3:29 PM, Ashley Bramlett
<bookwormahb at earthlink.net>wrote:

> Aleeha,
> Thank you. I don't think we are even close either to having such a car to
> drive in public.
> So, really we are arguing among ourselves about something in the distant
> future. And, step back and think. Cars cost more money than taking public
> transit and this car will be more than the average car.
>
> We have so so many barriers in employment now. You will have to save a lot
> for such a car and you can only save money if you got a job.
> Getting a job is not easy and made worse in the economy. If you get
> interviewed, even under schedule A in the government, you got other
> competors against you with more job experience, more computer experience
> perhaps. It’s a catch 22; you need more experience for entry level jobs but
> you need a job to cultivate experience.
> Yes we can work, but as I'm finding there are a number of barriers with
> software accessibility to deal with on the job. Jobs you would not think
> are visual are visual. For instance, many communications jobs require not
> only the writing of pitch letters and press releases, but the compilation
> of photos with adobe end design or using graphical layout software such as
> microsoft publisher or photoshop to publish pr material. Not to mention
> social media wich is semi accessible. Can you say the word captcha? For
> real, these are barriers.
> I'm really tired of people saying they'll just get employed or that people
> who cannot find work are making excuses. Having a degree does not gaurantee
> you a job. Having excellent references from professors and aquaintances
> does not gaurantee you a job.
>
> I've been hoping to find at least a part time job to give me experience
> before I go to grad school; actually not sure I'll do grad school but if I
> do, I'd sure like to work before grad school. And yes, I had internships in
> the government and one nonprofit. still not enough experience.
>
> I'd suggest having a job before getting a google car if one even exists
> for the public.
> Also, try not to make sweeping generalizations about why people aren't
> employed. It could be you one day.
>
> Ashley
>
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Aleeha Dudley
> Sent: Sunday, April 14, 2013 3:50 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Google car takes to the streets
>
> Hello all,
>     I hesitate to stick my nose into this one, but it seems that this
> thread has provoked my own strong opinions, both about the Google car
> and about the attitude of some list members.
>     First, I will say this. In my opinion, I would drive the Google
> car if there was a way to provide a failsafe of sorts that would
> activate should a malfunction in the system occur. I do not believe
> that we are even close to having these cars in public, let alone to
> knocking down the proverbial barrier that exists between the blind and
> sighted communities which would allow them to even consider permitting
> us to drive on the roads.
>     The second part of my message concerns the language some people
> are choosing to use on this list, as well as the hostile attitudes
> that exist amoung some. If you choose to curse, please take it off
> list. I for one am offended by some of the language on this list and
> feel that many others are as well. We are supposed to be a community
> of blind students assisting one another in our educational pursuits
> and issues. With the attitude I have observed, it concerns me that
> some students might be afraid to come forward, fearing being shut down
> or criticized. As Kaiti has stated before, this list archive is
> PUBLIC! That means anyone can find it and read it on the Internet. Not
> so concerning until you think about the fact that most employers
> looking for a valued employee will do a web search and background
> check. This means that they can and will find these posts with these
> offensive words and will probably think of you as a less valuable
> candidate for the job, or perhaps dismiss your application altogether
> if they see such language in your messages. For your own job security,
> I suggest this language and negative attitude tone down. Please
> consider other list members who may not condone such language or who
> may be younger than most of us.
> Thank you,
> Aleeha
>
> On 4/14/13, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>> Hi all,
>> I haven't read all this thread much. But from what I read, it seems like
>> you
>>
>> all believe the car would provide more transit options and you'd buy one
>> if
>>
>> given a choice.
>>
>> I know the problems in the bus system; I've seen them and ridden
>> paratransit
>>
>> and felt its impact of unreliability and lateness.
>> That said, I think other methods of travel are more efficient and safe.
>> Things like cabs, car pools, getting rides with friends when you want to
>> hang out, and hiring a driver would be better.
>>
>> I do not support blind people driving because we cannot see to override
>> the
>>
>> car.
>> I have to agree with the individual that said that having a car is self
>> serving. We are putting other lives at risk.
>> We face many obstacles on the rode like other cars wipping in front of us
>> when its not their turn; cars inching along not going the speed limit and
>> you got to move around them, waiting for pedestrians to walk, rode rage,
>> and
>>
>> drunk drivers.
>> Without vision, we cannot! intervene the computerized car to override it
>> when obstacles arise.
>> I cannot tell you how many times my parents slammed on the brakes due to
>> some driver wipping out in front of them, drivers who unexpectedly turn
>> without turning on their turn signal like their supposed to, pedestrians
>> who
>>
>> are still walking across the street when the orange don't walk signal is
>> on
>>
>> thus making cars wait, having to swerve around bicyclists, and distracted
>> drivers on cell phones.
>> All these obstacles create hazards which a human driver with eyes needs to
>> see and make a quick judgement and use reflexes to act upon unexpected
>> hazards.
>>
>> So, yeah, when you all can afford a new google car, go right ahead and you
>> never know who might be hurt if you even get a license. I just don't want
>> to
>>
>> be on the road with you.
>>
>> I think the nfb car sounded safer and it was built for blind people, but
>> we
>>
>> abandoned that project, probably cause of money.
>> Ashley
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Kaiti Shelton
>> Sent: Sunday, April 14, 2013 12:08 PM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Google car takes to the streets
>>
>> I don't see it as self-serving either... in my experience with buses I
>> have to agree with Sophie here.  Plus, some parts of town that I need
>> to go either aren't served by buses, or take a really long time to get
>> to which sometimes involves going in the opposite way of the
>> destination for a while and then circling back because of Dayton's bus
>> system.  (It's organized by buses going north-south and east-west, but
>> sometimes when you're at a stop the time of the bus won't tell you if
>> the bus is going north or south, or east or west so you have to roll
>> with it.  I'd much rather just get into a car and drive than boomerang
>> around the city just to get to one place, and then do it again
>> returning to school.  And because of this, and the fact that it the
>> bus system isn't exactly equivalent to a car, I don't consider it
>> self-serving either.  I have no problem in supporting it and other
>> programs of public transit for people who can't drive a car, which
>> more often are people who are low income, have a suspended license, or
>> who are inner-city, or elderly than blind, but if I and other blind
>> people can afford a car and want one I don't see anything self-serving
>> in that, it's just doing what is most efficient.  I actually think not
>> taking advantage of this opportunity on the basis that the less than
>> efficient public transit systems work fine and that other people can
>> use the money or whatever that would go into buying this car would be
>> like saying you'd pass up going to college even though you could
>> because other people can be served by your tuition money, and the high
>> school diploma would serve you just fine.  It's more efficient, so why
>> not do it?
>>
>> Sophie, I too see it more as an investment in independence.  :)
>>
>> On 4/14/13, Robert William Kingett <kingettr at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Im buying this damn car the first chance I get. I’d rather be self
>>> serving and frivolous and drive to some place within 20 minutes instead
>>> of sitting on the bus for three hours, or more, depending on if the
>>> driver didn't call my stop and I’d be riding extra long. Here in
>>> chicagothat isn't a problem but I used to live in Tallahassee FL where
>>> there was no automated system to tell you where you were. So yes, I’d
>>> much rather be self serving and save up. Besides, as I have said before
>>> in a previous message, this technology is driving along the streets of
>>> Nevada. I'm so excited that I'm even grinning and daydreaming about
>>> driving along side of a bus, and happy that I'm frivolous enough to pay
>>> for a self serving device that will allowfor me to get to the office
>>> quicker, or to an interview on time, thus allowing me to have greater
>>> chances to pay my taxes so you other non self serving blind people can
>>> take the bus. I think it's a neat little circle of irony, don't you
>>> think? LOL!
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>
>> --
>> Kaiti
>>
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