[nagdu] Blind-Drivable Car at Convention

Tamara Smith-Kinney tamara.8024 at comcast.net
Thu Feb 3 18:31:38 UTC 2011 

Okay, so reality is that the little yellow taxi would be a big step up for
me, too.  /smile/  I adore having mass transit available, and I actually
like using it, and I have been known to choose it over my car (or later a
taxi I could afford to take) just because.

For some things, though, taxis are just so much more convenient!  Then
again, I don't have to worry too much about that, either, because I have
fairly regular access to a large red taxi with a dedicated driver who is
very dog friendly, especially when it comes to his poodle.  Oh, I meant my
poodle.  /grin/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Cindy Ray
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 4:22 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind-Drivable Car at Convention

I want to drie the speedy little yellow taxi. Never Mind!
<Giggle>

On Feb 2, 2011, at 5:52 PM, Nicole B. Torcolini at Home wrote:

> Tami,
> 
>   That's so you...I can just imagine it. A red car, zooming down the road,
black poodle Mitzi sticking her head out the passenger window, tongue out
and ears flapping.
> 
> Nicole and Lexia (who does not stick her head out car windows)
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tamara Smith-Kinney"
<tamara.8024 at comcast.net>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2011 4:10 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind-Drivable Car at Convention
> 
> 
>> Oh, but I want to live long enough to drive into town, parallel park
beside
>> a busy sidewalk then hop out for the car with my guide dog and walk the
rest
>> of the way to work (or shopping, I'm easy)!  Or even with my whtie cane.
>> Either way, it would be funny.  Well, I guess not being able to see the
>> looks on people's faces when they first start seeing those sorts of
sights
>> is a bit of a bummer, but I can imagine what they will be.  /lol/
>> 
>> I fear you may be right about attitudes and so forth.  Then again, even
>> though it seems like in some areas we're in a reverse pendulum swing, the
>> wacked out economy and the housing crisis and the general shake up in
what
>> our culture at large has believed is the way things just are because
that's
>> how they're supposed to be could result in suprising changes in the
social
>> order once the dust settles.  I admit, I tend to have a grim view
sometimes,
>> since historically the blind do not fare well in crisis based cultural
>> upheavals...  But then I realize it's very possible that we gained enough
>> ground leading up to this, and we've benefitted from so many advances in
>> technology, that we could come out even or even ahead...  As would other
>> disability groups, for the same reason.  Hard to say, really, since the
dust
>> isn't finished rising into the air as far as anyway can maybe almost sort
of
>> agree.
>> 
>> Still, someone was pointing out that blind people are getting a boost in
>> terms of gaining employment because so many others have given up on even
>> looking out of sheer discouragement.  That's cool.
>> 
>> So, who knows, maybe when the blind-drivable car comes onto the market
and
>> the infrastructure is there for it, they will actually allow blind people
to
>> drive it.  I want that sporty red convertible!  /grin/
>> 
>> 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 2:31 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind-Drivable Car at Convention
>> 
>> Hi,
>> 
>> Oh, I'm completely with you on your analogy with the Wright brothers.
Will
>> we see blind people driving in our lifetime? I sure hope so. As I've said
>> elsewhere (as have others, I'm sure), I believe the attitude and
legislative
>> barriers are going to be much harder to manage than the technological
ones
>> will. I think the technology will be ready in our lifetimes, but I'm not
so
>> sure that sighted drivers will be as willing to share the roads with us,
and
>> that's going to be the harder battle to win. (I suspect that by the time
we
>> *do* win that one, everyone will have automated vehicles and it won't
>> matter.) Having said that though, the technological offshoots of this,
and
>> the developments that come of it in goodness knows how many areas, will
be
>> tremendous.
>> --
>> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
>> Phone: (814) 860-3194 or 888-75-BUDDY
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Feb 1, 2011, at 4:58 PM, Rovig, Lorraine wrote:
>> 
>>> Dear Buddy,
>>> It is also worth noting, in a practical sense, that from the first
flight
>> by the Wright Brothers at Kittyhawk to the first step on the moon took 50
>> years.  I think this trip at Daytona Racetrack is the equivelent of a
>> Kittyhawk for a blind driver.  I wouldn't expect a Wright Brother to fly
>> that airplane of theirs anywhere but on a closed beach until they solved
a
>> few more problems.  On the other hand, fifty years isn't so long for such
a
>> huge leap of mankind as stepping on the moon.  I expect blind drivers
will
>> be on the open roads in my lifetime.  Here is a link to more information
>> about the Daytona trip by Mark Riccobono as found on the NFB Website:
>>> 
>>> Blind Man Drives Car Independently
>>> The NFB announced today that for the first time a blind individual has
>> driven a street vehicle in public without the assistance of a sighted
>> person.  Mark Anthony Riccobono, a blind executive who directs
technology,
>> research, and education programs for the organization, was behind the
wheel
>> of a Ford Escape hybrid equipped with nonvisual technology and
successfully
>> navigated 1.5 miles of the road course section of the famed track at the
>> Daytona International Speedway.  For more information on this historic
>> moment, please read the digital news release with audio and video or the
>> official press release. http://www.digitalnewsrelease.com/?q=nfb_daytona
and
>>> http://www.nfb.org/nfb/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=760
>>> 
>>> Lorraine Rovig
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf
>> Of Buddy Brannan
>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2011 4:24 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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>> .
>>>> org
>>>> 
>>>> 
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> 
> 
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