[nagdu] Blind-Drivable Car at Convention

Wed Feb 2 00:29:41 UTC 2011

Boy, I'm staying on *my* side of the street after reading this. LOL. You know, that car was a "quiet car." 

Cindy

On Feb 1, 2011, at 5:54 PM, Tamara Smith-Kinney wrote:

> Fine!  Rain on my parade with boring reality.  /grin/
> 
> I have to confess, I enjoy my silly little unrealistic image of whizzing
> down the road (with a shiny red convertible model, naturally!) with my
> poodle in her doggles riding shotgun while we boogie to music on the radio.
> 
> You know how I was talking earlier about adults who don't grow up?  I hope I
> did not mistakenly imply that I am not one of them.  /lol/
> 
> It will be interesting to see how the technology comes along to support the
> car itself, though.  Seems to me, just at a glance, that there would be
> benefits to more than just us blind people who want to drive.  There could
> be benefits in terms of lessening of traffic congestion (yeah, I dream),
> improved traffic safety, improved pedestrian safety...  Which would improve
> life for this blind person who sometimes just wants to walk a mile up to the
> store for fun but has to consider the safety factors seven ways from Sunday,
> consult the time of day, weather, horosocope...  Then wonder if it's worth
> being lectured by walking beside a killer road (roads don't kill people;
> idiot drivers kill people; often, on this road), etc.  We will not talk
> about trying to cross the road.
> 
> So maybe the car blind people can drive would also be a car idiots can drive
> safely?  Or if the car tells them there's a pedestrian crossing the street,
> will they still drive right over it and ignore the thump?  /evil grin/
> 
> I did hear on the news just last week about an up and coming technology that
> will allow drivers to join a caravan electronically and leave the driving to
> the lead vehicle while you read a good book, the reporter pointed out
> seriously.  Then, of course, the anchors had fun by listing all the things
> drivers really do in their cars while their driving:  text, read the funny
> pages, do the crossword, put on mascara, drink coffee from one hand and eat
> a donut from the other.... They didn't include changing the baby's diaper on
> the way to daycare, but I have seen that done.  
> 
> Hm...  So I wonder if the cars of the Blind Driver challenge would help at
> all with the idiot driver challenge?  Now that I've thought about it, I may
> never the cross the street again, though.  I've given myself a case of the
> wild willies for sure!
> 
> Tami Smith-Kinney
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Buddy Brannan
> Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2011 1:24 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind-Drivable Car at Convention
> 
> No, there's no strip in the road. Speed strips" are vibraing things that are
> in a cushion under the driver's legs and up his back. These give information
> about whether he can speed up or slow down. The files on blindbargains.com
> are fantastic. BTW, I doubt that any blind people will drive the car on the
> open road. Putting aside the whole issue of not having driver's licenses and
> not being insured, I really don't think that the technology is quite ready
> for real world use. Probably won't be for some time yet. And count on legal
> hurdles and red tape beyond that before we can actually have a car that we
> can drive, and never mind the cost of having such a car modded. Think a van
> with a wheelchair lift is expensive? I'd bet this will be more. 
> --
> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
> Phone: (814) 860-3194 or 888-75-BUDDY
> 
> 
> 
> On Feb 1, 2011, at 3:23 PM, cheryl echevarria wrote:
> 
>> neither did I.
>> 
>> The biggest compliment you can pay me is to recommend my services! 
>> 
>> Cheryl Echevarria 
>> http://www.Echevarriatravel.com<http://www.echevarriatravel.com/> 
>> 1-866-580-5574 or 631-456-5394
>> 
> reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com>
>> 
>> Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel
> CST-1018299-10
>> Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Absolute Cruise and Travel
> Inc.
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: Albert J Rizzi<mailto:albert at myblindspot.org> 
>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog
> Users'<mailto:nagdu at nfbnet.org> 
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2011 3:18 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind-Drivable Car at Convention
>> 
>> 
>> I did not hear anything  about needing a strip on the road  or anything
> like
>> that to tell you the truth. 
>> 
>> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
>> Founder
>> My Blind Spot, Inc.
>> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
>> New York, New York  10004
>> www.myblindspot.org<http://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>
> [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>> Of Cindy Ray
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2011 3:13 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind-Drivable Car at Convention
>> 
>> There are probably plenty of software issues to iron out. Also, as I
>> understand it, mostly the car has to drive on a strip that heops with the
>> sensors, but I could be wrong. Blind Bargains has a podcast of the drive,
>> complete with the crowd there, race announcers, and all, and a press
>> conference. I think it is blindbargains.com though it could be .org.
>> 
>> 
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>> 
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