[nagdu] Audible Traffic Signals

cheryl echevarria cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com
Thu Mar 25 13:07:09 UTC 2010 

As mentioned one of our own NFB Members here in Albany was hit by a quiet car while crossing with an Audible Traffic Light.  We use his cane as an example for the quiet car bill, she it is a help if the cars obey the rules though.  It is like even though our dogs are trained to stop or wait until it is safe, things happen.

Cheryl Echevarria Independent Travel Consultant http://Echevarriatravel.com 1-866-580-5574 http://blog.echevarriatravel.com Reservations at echevarriatravel.com Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel CST-1018299-10


 
> From: info at michaelhingson.com
> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
> Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:59:43 -0700
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Audible Traffic Signals
> 
> I must add in my two cents here. NO audible traffic signal will tell me as
> a blind person when it is "ok to cross". All the signal tells me is that
> the light has turned in my favor.
> 
> There are all too many instances of drivers not obeying traffic lights.
> Hearing an audible cue and then using that cue to decide to cross is a
> dangerous concept in this driver society. Without audible engine noises,
> something which should be mandated on all vehicles, I cannot be sure that it
> is safe to cross a street.
> 
> 
> The Michael Hingson Group, INC.
>      “Speaking with Vision”
>                  Michael Hingson, President
>                          (415) 827-4084
>                    info at michaelhingson.com
>                    www.michaelhingson.com
> 
> 
> for info on the new KNFB Reader Mobile, visit:
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> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Albert J Rizzi
> Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 4:57 AM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Audible Traffic Signals
> 
> Marion, 
> the audible signal is of course for the pedestrians . the vehicles 
> already have an effective cue to stop and go. The audible sign would at
> least be a way to combat those hybrid cars with the silent engines. if we
> were and if all others were able to depend on a reliable audible signal to
> let us know it is ok to cross, coupled with effective pedestrian laws, the
> hybrid cars would only present issues at areas with stop signs and not at
> busy intersections. How did you infer that I suggested the audible signs
> could impact the safe use of a car? The safe driver makes that choice and I
> have yet to learn about a device that could ensure a drivers safe operation
> of a vehicle.
> 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: Thursday, March 25, 2010 6:48 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: [nagdu] Audible Traffic Signals
> 
> Albert,
> Audible traffic signals have absolutely no effect on the safe operation 
> of a vehicle. Now, in St. Petersburg, Florida, they have a pretty good idea.
> 
> They have a pedestrian crossing sign near the trafic signal. When a 
> pedestrian activates the crosswalk signal, a yellow light flashes within the
> 
> sign to alert the driver that a pedestrian is crossing.
> 
> Fraternally yours,
> Marion
> 
> 
> ----- 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: Thursday, March 25, 2010 1:07 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] White Cane laws
> 
> 
> > Now in reaction to the hybrid cars which are environmentally friendly and
> > very quiet, why are we not mobilizing the forces to require that urban
> > planners and departments of roads or transportation or what ever 
> > department
> > it is that regulates crossing signs start using audible crossing signs as 
> > is
> > done in many European cities. I hear tell of how the infrastructure is to
> > old and to costly to work with, yet I would think that Paris and London 
> > are
> > much older cities then any of ours and they some how were able to bridge
> > that gap. Would be another great focus of our community to work together 
> > to
> > effect if you ask me.
> >
> > 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 Jewel S.
> > Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 11:33 PM
> > To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> > Subject: Re: [nagdu] White Cane laws
> >
> > Here, here!
> >
> > I have been hit by a car, albeit a very slow moving car, so I was not
> > injured very much at all. The car was backing out of a parking spot
> > after telling me to go ahead. He didn't look where he was going, and
> > his bumper struck me before I knew what was going on. I beat the trunk
> > with my cane and shouted at him, trying to scuttle out of the way (not
> > easy for me), but he would not stop. I would have fallen if someone
> > hadn't run up and caught me and another man knocked on the driver's
> > window, the idiot. I told them to get the license plate number, but
> > they did not. I was very upset. This was also a quiet car.
> >
> > The Quiet Car Bill is something I have been watching very closely. It
> > is almost passed through to law. It is getting sooo close. When it
> > does pass, the government will be required to do a survery and figure
> > out a way for quiet cars to produce the sound needed by pedestrians.
> >
> > I am very sorry about the loss of your guide dog, friend, and the
> > injury of your other friend. Your story is one of the many very real
> > reasons why the White Cane Laws were ut in place in the first place,
> > to save lives.
> >
> > How many lives must be taken before the laws are enforced?
> > ~Jewel
> >
> > On 3/24/10, Albert J Rizzi <albert at myblindspot.org> wrote:
> >> Here here!
> >>
> >> 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 Tamara Smith-Kinney
> >> Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 1:07 PM
> >> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
> >> Subject: Re: [nagdu] White Cane laws
> >>
> >> Tracy,
> >>
> >> I'm so sorry! I didn't know that had happened to you. It must have been
> >> awful for a long, long time after the fact. And I'm sure whatever
> > recourse
> >> you received was not worth the loss. I'm glad you're well and still
> > living
> >> your life.
> >>
> >> While I am glad the white cane laws and pedestrian laws underlying them 
> >> do
> >> give me some added rights and protections. Greater awareness and greater
> >> enforcement does and will give us better odds of traveling safely through
> >> our daily lives.
> >>
> >> There will still be those people who disengage brain before turning key,
> > but
> >> the more drivers who are aware of the law, of their responsibilities as
> >> drivers, and of the consequences of their not taking their
> > responsibilities
> >> seriously when they're behind the wheel, the better off we'll all be.
> >>
> >> Tami Smith-Kinney
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
> >> Behalf
> >> Of Tracy Carcione
> >> Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 5:23 AM
> >> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
> >> Subject: [nagdu] White Cane laws
> >>
> >> Could we possibly get back to discussing better enforcement of White Cane
> >> laws, and drop all the sniping? Or is it the concensus that the White
> >> Cane laws are outmoded, and we should just let them drop and ignore them?
> >> I'm not asking for someone else to be responsible for my safety, but I am
> >> asking that the drivers take their share of responsibility. They are the
> >> ones in charge of the vehicle that is a lot faster and heavier than I am.
> >> I am especially concerned with new quieter cars becoming more common.
> >> I've lost count of the times my dog has stopped short, then I've heard 
> >> the
> >> car whizzing by in front of us.
> >>
> >> I personally know 3 people who've been hit. One was crossing with the
> >> light when a bus turned on top of her, and she was killed. One was
> >> crossing a quiet street, when some old fool came speeding around a blind
> >> corner and hit her. Now she has to use a wheelchair. And one was me,
> >> trying to cross a street to get home during an ice storm. There wasn't
> >> enough traffic, and there wasn't anyone around to ask, and I probably
> >> misjudged the traffic light. My dog was killed.
> >>
> >> Two of these accidents could have been avoided, if the driver were paying
> >> propper attention. We have laws on the books that say they should be
> >> particularly careful when a blind pedestrian is in the street. I'd like
> >> to see greater awareness of those laws. It doesn't seem so much to ask,
> >> to save a life.
> >> Tracy
> >>
> >>
> >>
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