[nagdu] Crosswalks, the White Cane Law, and Pedestrians in General

Tue Mar 23 22:40:40 UTC 2010

LOL I like that dialogue I know there is a good joke in there somewhere. I
have this problem with a member of our community parking his hummer on the
sidewalk forcing all pedestrians onto Montauk highway which is a heavily
travelled road. I am attending my community board meeting this coming month
to make sure the police ticket him or at least enforce the law you are
referencing,.

Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
CEO/Founder
My Blind Spot, Inc.
90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
New York, New York  10004
www.myblindspot.org
PH: 917-553-0347
Fax: 212-858-5759
"The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
doing it."

Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Marion Gwizdala
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 5:53 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Crosswalks, the White Cane Law,and Pedestrians in
General

Albert,
    Another of my pet peaves are vehicles parked on sidewalks. The other day

I encountered this and two women were in front of the house having a lively 
conversation and laughing a bit. I stopped and asked them if they were aware

that parking on the sidewalk was a violation of the pedestrian right-of-way 
and they could be ticketed for doing so. One of the women said, "I'm sorry, 
sir, but we just had a death in the family!" I replied, "Well you seem quite

happy about that! I'm sorry for your loss! It's still a violation of the 
pedestrian right-of-way and, unless the person who died was driving one of 
these cars, there could be a ticket issued if the police see this!" The cars

were gone by the time I came back through that route later in the day!

Fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Albert J Rizzi" <albert at myblindspot.org>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 2:24 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Crosswalks, the White Cane Law, and Pedestrians in 
General

>I agree with you there David. To many times I am having to walk out into
> traffic to go around a car, truck, or limo stretched out into the 
> crosswalk
> which is a violation here in nyc. The absence  of a traffic cop does not
> preclude me from punching or rapping the hood of the car either. In one
> instance I stood in front of the car until he had a red light again 
> letting
> him know that I was not letting it go with just a raised fist. He nor the
> others behind him were all to happy. Happened on park avenue and 59th 
> street
> just doors away from the lighthouse.
>
> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
> CEO/Founder
> My Blind Spot, Inc.
> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
> New York, New York  10004
> www.myblindspot.org
> PH: 917-553-0347
> Fax: 212-858-5759
> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
> doing it."
>
>
> Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of David Baker
> Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 2:06 PM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Crosswalks, the White Cane Law,and Pedestrians in
> General
>
> Jewel, the laws vary by state.  In Georgia, for instance, drivers are
> required
> to stop for all pedestrians at all crosswalks (anywhere a street enters or
> crosses another street, if there are no markings).  The law is not 
> followed
> in
> practice and one would have to be insane to rely upon it.  I have been 
> known
> to
> whack cars very hard in situations such as yours.  This, however, upsets 
> my
> wife
> terribly.  She is convinced that I am going to have someone jump out of a
> nice
> Ferrari, Lincoln, or ...  and shoot me, or pummel me to a pulp.  (On the
> other
> hand, wisely or not, my roller tip has left some very impressive dents in
> some
> very expensive cars.)  Since some of my generalized anger about having RP
> has
> abated and I still have some central vision left, I now just raise my cane
> and
> point it directly at the driver has he or she whizzes by.  ('Some
> satisfaction
> there, but no where near as cathartic as a good hard whack on the hood.)
>
> David
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of
> Jewel S.
> Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 12:36 PM
> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [nagdu] Crosswalks, the White Cane Law, and Pedestrians in 
> General
>
> Hi guys,
> The conversation about the White Cane Laws prompted a thought in my mind. 
> I
> know
> that pedestrians, especially those with a white cane or guide dog, must be
> given
> the right of way in crosswalks in intersections, and it was my 
> understanding
> that anywhere a blind person steps into the road they are to be given the
> right
> of way for their safety. Please correct me if I'm wrong (I know it varies
> from
> state to state; I'm in North Carolina).
>
> Now, my question is, what are the laws for crosswalks in general? Are all
> pedestrians given right of way in a crosswalk? What about a crosswalk 
> where
> there is no light? For example, in a shopping center in Raleigh, there is 
> a
> crosswalk across a street in the shopping area that most people don't use
> because cars never give right-of-way to any pedestrians. I decided to give
> it a
> shot yesterday because I needed to quickly get from one bus stop on one 
> side
> to
> the other bus stop on the exact oppposite side. I stuck out my cane, but 
> it
> was
> ignored, of course. I waited until there was a break in traffic, and 
> stepped
> out, at my usual pace for crossing, which is slow by normal standards as I
> don't
> walk fast. So as I was walking across, one car, then another, drove 
> directly
> in
> front of me across the crosswalk, with no thought of stopping or even
> slowing
> down. A third car came within a few feet of me. As I was almost across, a
> car
> did stop for me, but I wonder if it was only because I was directly in his
> path?
>
> What are the laws about these crosswalks in areas with a lot of 
> pedestrians?
> A
> crosswalk with no crosswalk light and/or not at an intersection? What 
> about
> an
> intersection with no crosswalk? Anyone know where to find these laws? I 
> have
> some ideas how to get involved in correcting these problems, if my
> assumption is
> correct that the lack of a light does not excus lack of yielding. Is this
> correct?
>
> Wondering,
> Jewel
>
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