Pat Pokorny, COMS

October 22, 2002

In regard to the Prowac report

I am a long time Certified Orientation and Mobility instructor at a personal adjustment center for adults who have lost their vision later in their lives. Many have macular degeneration and vision loss due to diabetes as well as other causes. Learning to use a long white cane later in life is both a scary and a real challenge to them. I understand that many early blinded individuals may not need any of the helps that you propose for crossing streets, but to those newly blinded individuals they are a great help and a real need. In the beginning when learning to use the cane, the traffic is one of the things which they fear the most. Later as they become familiar and more confident it becomes their best help and landmark. The curb cuts with the tactile markings help them to know in the beginning by touch as well as sound that they are near the street. They are assured that they are not "in" the street with the traffic. The auditory assist at the stop lights is also a help in developing their hearing of the best time to cross. Later they may not need it to cross.

I understand that the tactile and auditory signals are not essential to all people who cross the street that are visually impaired but it is not consistent with our way of life to allow those that are able to deny something that is needed by those who are not so able.

Having the auditory assists on a "as needed" system is an answer that would perhaps be better than having them on all the time.

If I can be of any help please contact me.

Pat Pokorny, COMS
Bosma Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired