Kristal Platt, M.S.
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October 27, 2002 |
Dear Members of the Access Board:
I was trained under sleep shades fifteen years ago to use a white cane. At that
time, I would not have supported the idea of accessible pedestrian signals, but
much has changed in the past fifteen years. Today it seems roads are much wider
, traffic is much heavier, and automobiles are much quieter and faster than ever
before. Today there is more ambient noise with construction (including road
construction), airplanes, emergency vehicles, and other municipal vehicles
making listening for traffic noises more difficult than in the past. Today there
seems to be a general disregard for laws, including coming to a complete stop
before turning right on a red light, and the fundamental law of stopping at a
red light. Of course, accessible pedestrian signals will not protect all
pedestrians from drivers who violate traffic laws, but it will help take some of
the "guess work" out of a blind person's decisions about when and where to cross
streets.
When I learned cane travel we were taught that if we were uncertain of when to
cross an intersection, we should simply wait for another cycle of the light.
This is no longer a realistic or safe strategy as today, many times the traffic
cycle lengths and lane turn signals vary depending upon traffic volume, time of
day, etc. Again, ambient noises may interfere with the ability to cross for
multiple walk cycles.
I consider myself to be a proficient traveler using buses, cabs, and private
automobiles; still my feet are my primary mode of transportation. I do not feel
I can walk as safely today. Perhaps fifteen years ago were the "Good Old Days"
or maybe the "Dark Ages"; in either case, things have changed and unless we can
adapt and change to manage the differences in the environment, the potential
alternatives are literally risk-taking behaviors. Therefore I support the
recommendations made by the Public Right of Way Advisory Committee to the U.S.
Access Board regarding accessible pedestrian signals and detectable warnings.
Kristal Platt, M.S.