Alice George
 October 25, 2002

     
I am writing to oppose the regulations recommended by the Access Board for blind and visually impaired persons throughout the U.S. The tactile markings at curbs and audible traffic signals are not needed, can be dangerous for blind persons crossing streetts, and are absolutely prohibited costwise.

I am a blind person who has crossed streets and busy intersections independently using a long white cane in many cities. I, as other blind persons do, use audible cues from the flow of the traffic to cross streets and busy intersections. The many sounds and tones of the audible traffic signals would be very confusing and would interfere in ones listening for cues from the traffic flow.

Please rethink your recommended regulations for blind and visually impaired persons. Let blind persons cross streets and busy intersections as we always have, and let others learn to do the same. Also, relieve cities and towns from the mandate to install these unneeded audible traffic signalls which will also be prohibited costwise.

Thank you in advance for rethinking your recommendations. Also, thank you for deleting the audible traffic signals from the recommendations.

Alice George
 

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