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

John G. Heim jheim at math.wisc.edu
Wed May 26 13:16:23 UTC 2010


My mobility skills are not at issue here. The fact is that not everyone has 
perfect mobility skills and everyone can make a mistake. I've already posted 
a link to an article about the ways that audible walk signals help blind 
people deal with confusing and difficult situations.  Did you read that 
article?

In fact, my mobility skills are just fine. But that's not the point. I have 
had access to some of the best mobility training in the world via the 
Wisconsin Council of the Blind and Guide dogs for the Blind. But not 
everyone has that access. And even if they do, everyone makes mistakes. 
Audible walk signlas help blind people avoid mistakes.

Actually, I'm glad you brought this up. Blaming the blind person for their 
problems is not a solution. But all too often, that is exactly what the NFB 
does.  Its a direct result of the NFB philosophy that blindness can be 
reduced to a mere nuiscance. Well, that may or may not even be true. But the 
main problem with it is that it inevitably results in blaming the victim. If 
you can't cross a street without audible walk signals, that's your problem. 
If you're not Super Blind Guy (or Gal), the NFB has no use for you.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dewey Bradley" <dewey.bradley at att.net>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2010 7:44 PM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Explanation of traffic lights and pedestrian signals


Maybe you should get some travel training, I don't like them because when
the dam things are makeing all the raket, I can't hear the traffic.
This is a fact of life, people don't always stop for a red light, I want to
be able to hear them.
Maybe someone on the list can explain to you how blind people are able to
tell when the light is ready for you to cross.
These things are where sighted people get there negative stereotypes from.
They think that we can't do anything for our selves, like open a door, cross
the street, find a seat, carry our food, take care of our kids, and much
more.
Its guys like you that hold us back.
That's just one reason that they wont hire us, they think we can't do
anything.
I know someone else like you, he wont even go to the store or to the bank by
him self, and he knows how to, but wants everyone to know that blind people
are stupid and helpless.
Maybe you should get rehab to send you to one of the NFB training centers.
I whent to the Colorado center myself, they are good, I'm not shore about
the other 2, but I'm shore they are good as well.
They can show you how to tell when the light changes, and when and how to
cross the street
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John G. Heim" <jheim at math.wisc.edu>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2010 2:57 PM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Explanation of traffic lights and pedestrian signals


Yes, of course I need audible walk signals.

I hope you're not trying to imply that I shouldn't need audible walk
signals. By that logic, visible walk signals are also unnecessary. That
would imply that cities all over the globe have wasted millions of dollars
installing visible walk signals for sighted people.  If you don't believe
that visible walk signals help sighted people cross streets more safely, you
should contact the traffic engineers in your city and they will set you
straight. Just as visible signals help sighted people cross streets more
safely, audible signals help blind pedestrians cross streets more safely.

Here is a link to some information about audible walk signals helping blind
people cross streets more safely:
http://www.apsguide.org/appendix_c_research.cfm

If you have any reason to believe that audible signals do not help blind
pedestrians cross the street more safely, I would like to see it.  It
certainly seems counter-intuitive to say that audible signals would not make
blind pedestrians safer. If you're going to say that, you are obligated to
provide some evidence.  The NFB should not be organizing protests against
something that by all appearances would make blind pedestrians safer unless
they have some compelling reason to believe it doesn't work.

Otherwise, the NFB should stop playing games with the lives of blind
pedestrians.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dewey Bradley" <dewey.bradley at att.net>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2010 2:06 PM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Explanation of traffic lights and pedestrian signals


Why do you think the NFB  should change its stance?
Do you need them?

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John G. Heim" <jheim at math.wisc.edu>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2010 9:51 AM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Explanation of traffic lights and pedestrian signals


As recently as 2003, the NFB organized protests against audible  walk
signals:
http://nfb.org/legacy/bm/bm03/bm0301/bm030103.htm

Personally, I feel there is no more important issue on which the NFB needs
to change its stance. This is about as wrong-headed as an organization can
be.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sherri" <flmom2006 at gmail.com>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>; "Florida Association of
Guide Dog Users" <flagdu at nfbnet.org>; "NAGDU Mailing List,the National
Association of Guide Dog Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>; "NFB Florida"
<nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>; "NFB of Florida parents" <fopbc at nfbnet.org>
Cc: "Dianne Ketts" <dianne at ketts.org>
Sent: Saturday, May 22, 2010 8:20 AM
Subject: [nfb-talk] Explanation of traffic lights and pedestrian signals


The FCB is streaming their convention and I am currently listening to a
speech by an O & M instructor, Dianne Ketts, who happens to work for the
Lighthouse of Central Florida. I know Dianne personally and find her to be a
very progressive-thinking O & M instructor. She is explaining the various
kinds of Pedestrian signals, traffic lights and the use of audible
pedestrian signals. She particularly emphasizes that you need proper O & M
techniques and training whether or not the audible indications exists,
saying that the audible signal only indicates that the walk signal is
showing, not that it is safe to cross the street. I find her outlook
refreshing and the lecture fascinating.  It is interesting to learn how the
various lights are actuated as well as how the audible pedestrian signals
work. I think it would be of great use to have an explanation of these
various signals and the technology regarding APS'S AT A FUTURE NFBF
CONVENTION AND EVEN POSSIBLY AT AN NFB national convention. I really believe
with traffic patterns changing, with more and more cars on our roadways,
this information is useful for us to know. She says, for example, that
whether there is an APS or not, there are some intersections where it is
imperative for people to find the push-button. Really interesting!

Sherri


Sherri Brun, NFBF Secretary and Newsline® Coordinator
E-mail:  flmom2006 at gmail.com
http://www.nfbnewslineonline.org
http://www.nfbflorida.org

"Don't give up something you want forever for something you want only for
now!"
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