[Nfb-kzoo] Talking Points

[Timothy Paulding]

OK, so maybe the talking points thing wasn't such a good idea. I think it's going to be important for us to put a little personal stuff in what we say to the board. This might help them remember us and actually do something about these issues. Anyway, here's a rough outline:

1. Introduce yourself 
-mention that you are a blind person and that you rely on public transportation to live your daily life 
--mention how grateful you are that there is public transportation
2. You are at the meeting today because you have a few issues you would like the board to consider
3. The first issue deals with the inaccessibility of certain parts of the Metro Transit website.
-mention you use a screen reader to access the computer
-There is no way for a blind person who uses a screen reader to access the bus schedules on the website. 
-Discuss a real life situation in which you needed to get to a new place and you had no way of finding out which bus goes to that place. 
4. the second issue has to do with the talking GPS system that is going to be installed on Metro's busses
-You would like the GPS system to announce all of the stops on the bus routes
-An announcement every once in a while will just not be that useful to you
--Describe what it is like for you to be on the bus and have to rely on a driver, who is very busy, to tell you when to get off
-describe a situation in which the driver forgot and you missed an important appointment
5. The  final issue has to do with the signage for the bus stops. 
-Describe your vision and how you can't look down a block to see where a bus stop is. Mention that you have to sometimes guess where stops are.
-talk about how it would be useful to you if the bus stop signs were distinguishable from other signs along the road. Any kind of indicator on the signs that is tactile will work just fine

Again the above is just a rough outline of the issues and some ideas on how to help effectively describe them.Don't forget to RSVP via the list if you're going to be able to make the meeting on Friday morning!
Timothy J. Paulding
217 Paisley Ct
Kalamazoo, MI  49006
(269) 598-7696
tjpaulding at gmail.com