[nagdu] Why good O&M training is so important

[Julie Phillipson]

Aaron there is a huge problem in New York City where they are changing how 
the lights at intersections work and it is causing lots of problems for 
blind people because, as I understand it,  it changes one or two lanes of 
traffic that stops traffic, giving pedestrians 30 seconds more time to cross 
before stopping the other lanes of traffic and there is no way for the blind 
person to know when they can start crossing.  They are changing something 
like 15,000  intersections to work like this.
Therefore it is a case where NFb of New York is supporting the need for 
APS's.  There is a coalition of several disability groups that have been 
working on this.  This trend is spreading to other area's too.  although it 
may look like this guy doesn't have good mobility skills it isn't 
necessarily the case.  May be Cheryl E. can describe this better since she 
lives in the area.
Julie Phillipson
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Aaron Cannon" <cannona at fireantproductions.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 02, 2011 10:17 AM
Subject: [nagdu] Why good O&M training is so important


> This video posted on the Yahoo Accessibility blog seeks to demonstrate
> the need for accessible crossing signals.  However, in my opinion it
> manages to do just the opposite quite nicely.
>
> http://yaccessibilityblog.com/wp/blind-people-cross-street.html
>
> I find it troubling that he talks about needing the signal "to
> indicate that it's safe for me to cross the street."  Even worse is
> his comment "I don't have to listen for the traffic coming the other
> way, I can just listen to the tone."
>
> He also calls crossing without a signal "daunting" and "scary".
>
> I can understand that such crossings can be quite daunting and scary
> if you don't have good training or practice making such crossings, so
> I don't really fault him for that.  However, I fear that people,
> especially other blind people, watching this video will assume that
> that's how it is for everyone.
>
> Finally, I do think that accessible signals can have their place, but
> certainly not the type shown in this video, which seem like they could
> actually interfere with listening to the traffic.
>
> Anyway, I just thought I'd share.
>
> Aaron Cannon
>
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