[nfb-talk] Explanation of traffic lights and pedestrian signals

[David Andrews]

  John:

I read the link you gave below.  The majority of the piece is taken 
up with research and descriptions of what an APS should sound like to 
be audible to the most people.  There are a couple sentences, at the 
end, which I will paste in that say that APS's improve the attention 
to walk signals  for everybody, and the last sentence says that they 
help blind people know exactly when the signal changes.  That is it.

This is obviously an important issue to you -- it comes up again and 
again and again.  The NFB position has shifted some over time, but at 
this point we are not going out and fight for APS's at all 
intersections.  It just isn't going to happen.  In the greater scheme 
of things we think there are more critical issues.  I would guess you 
don't agree.  That doesn't make us or you right or wrong,  it just is.

Dave






Effect of Speech Messages on all pedestrians

Van Houten, Malenfant, Van Houten and Retting (1997) found that 
redundant information conveyed by audible pedestrian signals 
increases the attention of all pedestrians to turning traffic and may 
contribute to a reduction in pedestrian-vehicular conflicts and 
crashes at signalized intersections. Their research in Clearwater, 
Florida used prototype speech message technology in which speech 
messages were broadcast from the pedestrian signal head. When the 
pedestrian push button was pressed, the message was "Please wait for 
WALK signal." The message "Look for turning vehicles while crossing 
[street name]" began 200 msec before WALK signals were illuminated.

The signal also gave participants who were blind precise information 
about the onset of the WALK interval and which street had the WALK interval.



At 08:33 AM 5/26/2010, you wrote:
>All you need to do is google "research audible walk signal".  There 
>is plenty of information out that that will help you decide for 
>yourself about audible walk signals. I'm confident that anyone 
>reasonably informed on this subject will agree with me.
>
>Here's a really good place to start:
>http://www.apsguide.org/appendix_c_signal.cfm
>
>Have you noticed that my posts are chuck full of links to 
>documentation for the things I say whereas those of the people who 
>disagree with me have none? This is always the case on this list in 
>every single debate we've ever had. None of these debates are ever a 
>case of dueling facts. In each ccase, I have all the facts and my 
>opponents have nothing but unsubstantiated opinions and insults.

                         David Andrews:  dandrews at visi.com
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