Gerald Mackowiak

October 21, 2002

My name is Gerald Mackowiak, and my address is [ ... ].

I strongly support the reccomendations of the PROWAC report. I work and travel in the San Francisco Bay Area, and believe we as blind persons are fully entitled to have access to our environment by the appropriate provision of accessible traffic signals and other such information.

We in the Bay area are fortunate in having a mass transit system (BART) with detectable edging, and gradually are increasing the number of traffic signals with audible access. As a deaf-blind person who travels daily to and from
my job with the State of California, I know the value of these devices. More than once, they have prevented my having accidents.

I find it disgraceful that a vocal minority of the blind would put adherence to an outmoded philosophy above common sense and the safety of other blind pedestrians.

I hope you will consider these views, and approve the PROWAC recommendations.