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My name is Tom TeBockhorst, and I am a member of the National Federation of the Blind. I would like to comment on the Access Boards draft guidelines.

I have been a member of the NFB for eleven years and I am good cane traveler. I always use my cane everywhere I go. And I can travel safely and independent with my cane. That is why I feel strongly against the Access Board installing detectable warning tiles and audio traffic signals.

We who are blind do not need detectable warning tiles to find curb cuts, drop offs, ledges, train platforms, and other things by using our canes and dogs. We also do not need audio traffic signals to help us cross streets. We can cross streets by using traffic training skills. We stop when the perpendicular traffic is going, and we go when the parallel traffic is going.

I went to an orientation center and learned how to cross streets under sleep shades. I also learned how to find curb cuts, drop offs, ledges, and escalators under sleep shades. Most blind people learn there skills at orientation centers.

I feel that money shouldn't be spent on things we blind people don't need. Such as detectable warning tiles and audio traffic signals. It should be spent on things we blind people need. Like Newsline, better Braille literacy for kids, textbooks in alterative format for blind kids at the same time their sighted peers have them. Blindness skills for seniors, better mobility skills for blind kids, talking ATM machines, talking voting machines, and many other things we blind people to make our lives better.

I hope you take my comments into consideration before the Access Board makes it final ruling. And I strongly urge you to not to put in the final ruling about detectable warning tiles and audio traffic signals. Thank you for taking the time to read my comments.