Scott Blanks

October 24, 2002

You may count me as a firm proponent of audible pedestrian signals and detectable warnings for the blind and visually impaired. I have lived on both sides of the fence, in areas where these audible cues were virtually unheard of, and now I currently reside in a setting where numerous installations have occurred.

Detractors of audible signals would like people to believe that these signals can lead to a degradation of proper mobility skills which can in turn precipitate dangerous situations. What is often absent from these arguments is the intentionally forgotten fact that a person with even minimal mobility training understands that these signals aren't meant to be a substitute for appropriate orientation and mobility skills, but rather yet another tool that can, if the individual chooses, be used to assist someone travel more independently, more safely, and with increased confidence.

I consider myself a high functioning independent traveler. Yet even I have been stonewalled by dozens of unique street intersections. There are simply too many x factors involved in crossing a street; length and variation of traffic cycle, shape and width of streets, angles of streets and curbs and the relation of one street to an adjacent street. The list goes on and on. The idea of these audible signals and warnings is the right one. And as with any wise idea, there will be abuses. People will treat this advantage as proof that they are suddenly untouchable, able to go anywhere and do anything, simply because a chirp tells them to cross the street. If we allow this troublesome minority to convince us that this whole idea is flawed, we've limited a far greater number of people than we've helped. Allow these installations to go forward without opposition, and we can work on ensuring that people receive proper and adequate training on the most important aspects of tra! vel such as smart listening and decision making.

There are times when we must weigh what we do against what it might cause other people to think about the blind community. This situation most certainly isn't one of those times. Plainly put, these audible indicators are about us, the visually impaired people who are striving to live full lives, go to school, maintain jobs, and generally function in the world like any other human being. Let's let this idea whose time has come go forward. We can certainly deal with any challenges that may crop up.

Thank you for taking the time and putting forth the effort with this issue. My name is Scott Blanks. My address is [ ... ]

Thanks again,
Scott Blanks