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Blind Man to Drive Motorcycle at Thunder in the Valley Air Show

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


CONTACT:
Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
cdanielsen at nfb.org



Blind Man to Drive Motorcycle at Thunder in the Valley Air Show

Columbus, Georgia (March 11, 2014): The National Federation of the 
Blind today announced that one of its members, Dan Parker, an 
experienced racecar builder and driver who lost his sight as the result 
of a racing accident in 2012, will again independently operate a 
three-wheeled motorcycle with the help of a GPS system that gives him 
audible cues in order to help him maintain a straight course. Mr. 
Parker will drive his custom-built motorcycle on the runway as part of 
the Thunder in the Valley Air Show in Columbus, Georgia, this weekend.

On August 27, 2013, Dan Parker became the second blind man to publicly 
operate a vehicle independently and the first blind man to race at the 
Bonneville Salt Flats. Parker completed a two-mile run on the famed 
Bonneville Salt Flats, reaching an officially recorded top speed of 55.331 mph.

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, 
said: “We in the National Federation of the Blind know that blindness 
is not what defines a person or his future. Dan Parker exemplifies that 
belief by continuing to live his dream to be a high-speed motorcycle 
driver. We wish him success in his run at the Thunder in the Valley Air 
Show and look forward to future collaborations with him in our ongoing 
efforts to break down misconceptions about the capacity of blind people. ”

Mr. Parker said: “When I first lost my sight, I wasn’t sure if I could 
continue my lifelong dream of building and racing motorcycles. With the 
help of my friends in the National Federation of the Blind, I realized 
that I can have the life I want; blindness is not what holds me back. I 
look forward to demonstrating this truth to the general public at the 
Thunder in the Valley Air Show this weekend. “

On January 29, 2011, the National Federation of the Blind’s Mark 
Riccobono became the first blind person to operate a vehicle on the 
Daytona International Speedway as a demonstration of technology that 
helped him navigate the course and avoid obstacles. More information 
about this initiative, the NFB Blind Driver Challenge™, along with 
information about Dan Parker, is available at 
www.blinddriverchallenge.org. Also be sure to visit Dan Parker’s 
Facebook page, as well as the NFB’s Facebook and Twitter feeds, for 
continuous updates on this groundbreaking initiative.

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