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

Wed Mar 24 00:09:03 UTC 2010

In some parts of the city it would serve to get it taken away from you and 
broken across your face. Lol

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marion Gwizdala" <blind411 at verizon.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 5:48 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Crosswalks, the White Cane Law,and Pedestrians in 
General

> Mark,
>    Isn't a good smack to get the driver's attention "proper use" of a long 
> white cane? (grin)
>
> Marion
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Mark J. Cadigan" <kramc11 at gmail.com>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 3:30 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Crosswalks, the White Cane Law, and Pedestrians in 
> General
>
>
>> If you are using a cane properly there should be no damage dun to the 
>> cars. Especially not to the hood.
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "David Baker" <david at bakerinet.com>
>> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 2:06 PM
>> 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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>>
>>
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>
>
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