Miguel A. Mendez
|
October 28, 2002 |
To Whom It May Concern,
I am a blind person writing to express my opposition to the instillation of
truncated domes and audible traffic signals as proposed by legislation. After
years of getting around my city (as well as other cities) on foot INDEPENDENTLY
I am able to say that there have been vary few times in which I have WALKED IN
TO A SITUATION AND WISHED THAT I HAD THE ASSISTANCE OF EITHER AN ATS OR AN
INSTALLMENT OF TRUNCATED DOMES. In fact, in the areas that I have traveled on
foot, truncated domes are quite rare; yet I, as well as other blind travelers
have gotten around just fine. I have always used my white cane to find drop-offs
and dips in the sidewalk and my cane has never failed to alert me of any such
changes in my path. In my case, and in the case of many other independent blind
travelers, the installation of truncated domes would be an unnecessary expense.
Though rare, audible traffic signals are still much more common than truncated
domes. In the situations in which I have encountered ATS, however, I have found
that these are equally as useless as truncated domes. In fact, nowadays, I try
to avoid crossing at intersections in which audible cues are given when the
traffic light changes. This is because I rely on the sound of the traffic flow
to know when it is my turn to cross the street. Audible traffic signals are more
harmful than helpful because they mask and/or add to the sound of the traffic,
making it difficult to make a practical decision on when to cross the street: a
decision that I choose to make on the flow of traffic alone. I sincerely feel
that the enormous amount of money that could be spent on installing audible
traffic signals and truncated domes would be better spent if spent on training
blind persons to live and travel successfully in the world as it currently
exists today. Undoubtedly, it is better to spend money opening doors of
equality, skill, and opportunity for the blind than to waste millions on buying
dependence for blind people and teaching blind people and future generations of
blind people to be dependent.
Respectfully,
Miguel A. Mendez
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