I am told that for years, the Access Board has been tossing around the question of detectable warnings and audible traffic signals for the blind. I am also told that the Access Board is about to consider requiring these things to be installed everywhere-- on every intersection with a stoplight and at so-called hazardous areas. Why?

I am blind, and I ride buses and travel independently quite often. So do many of my blind friends and acquaintances. I don’t see any of us staying at home waiting for special devices to help us cross the street. Why should we have audible traffic signals and bumpy domes everywhere? Maybe in a few isolated cases, such things would be useful, but certainly not everywhere. I don’t think I could stand beeping signals on every street corner. I would certainly find them hard to explain to my sighted neighbors and friends.

Please, please don’t make society spend tons of money for something we don’t need or want. Let me put it another way--Don’t do it.

Sincerely yours,
Barry Hond

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