Personally I don?t see any advantage in these designs. They are more likely to cause confusion for both drivers and pedestrians, and blind folks that are not particularly confident will be much more likely to avoid these sort of environments. On the other hand, when addressing our needs, we really need to avoid the ?technology solution,? for many reasons, not the least of which is that not everybody can afford to buy a smart phone, or $2000.00 GPS to go shopping, or to walk to work. The ?KISS? principle is the the thing that needs to be kept to the forfront.
I find it frustrating that as a society we are now pushing technology and environmental design, not based on their practicality or ability to truly improve the quality of people?s lives, but simply because they are ??cool.? For example, there is absolutely no reason for touch screens on the dashboards of cars, in place of gold fashion knobs and buttons, which a driver could operate without taking his or her eyes off the road. Oh yeah, shared spaces, and cars with touch screen controls, yes sir, that?s genius!
To be perfectly clear, when it comes to shared spaces, I am not overly concerned about the safety of blind people, we are among the most adaptable people in the world, but I am deeply concerned about the children that have to walk through these areas. Many children are injured and killed each year in parking lots, and now we want to turn the streets into the same sort of uncontrolled free for all, while we do our level best to provide lots of new distractions for motorists. The shared spaces concept will eventually fall out of favor, but probably not before it becomes more popular, and problematic for the general public. Basically, the same as quiet cars didn?t get attention, until sighted pedestrians and cycleists starting paying the price for the quiet.
From: NOMC [mailto:nomc-bounces at lists.nbpcb.org] On Behalf Of Jane Lansaw
Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2017 5:06 PM
To: Maurice Peret <mperet at BISM.org>
Cc: NOMC List <nomc at lists.nbpcb.org>
Subject: Re: [Nomc] FW: FW: 4 Public Comment; Peggy Martinez
We have a shared space outside of the library where the Tulsa at Nfb chapter needs. It's annoying but as long as the cars are willing to share two, we do OK. Still, I wish that we had some input when the engineers decide that they want something like this. What can we do?
from the world's smallest keyboard.
On Oct 14, 2017, at 8:01 AM, Maurice Peret > wrote:
No, Peggy is legally blind.
Fraternally,
Maurice
On Oct 14, 2017, at 07:07, Merry-Noel > wrote:
Maurice,
Is Peggie sighted? Just wondering.
Merry-Noel
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPadhttps://yho.com/footer0
On Friday, October 13, 2017, 1:38 PM, Maurice Peret > wrote:
Dear Colleagues,
As a way of introducing the below thread, I have been sitting on this message for far too long after having committed myself to sharing it with you. Peggy Martinez has become a friend and is a member of our Seattle Washington area chapter. She is the author of the below comments offered to the Access Board sometime last summer. You might recognize Peggy by her family name, which she shares with her sister, Cathy Martinez who has spoken at NFB conventions in the past in her prior role at the U.S. Department of Labor and now working for Wells Fargo. In any case, Peggy is passionate about inserting the voice of the nation's blind into the fast evolving landscape of smart street development and shared spaces. She seeks collaboration from everyone in the blindness community interested and who shares her passion to get to work on this. You will find her contact information in her comments and please share your thoughts with members of this list. I tend to think we may have lagged over the
years since the historically contentious debates over audible pedestrian signals in our responsibility to insert our expectations and to hold traffic engineers accountable.
Thank you for giving Peggy's thoughts your attention.
Maurice
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: peggy at creativeinclusion.us
Date: Mon, 28 Aug 2017 09:36:33 -0700
Subject: FW: 4 Public Comment; Peggy Martinez
To: mauriceperet at gmail.com
Peggy Martinez
Principal, Creative Inclusion, LLC
206.588.2012tel:206.588.2012
peggy at creativeinclusion.us
www.creativeinclusion.ushttp://www.creativeinclusion.us
First, thank you appointees and employees of the Access Board for your excellent work. My name is Peggy Martinez, I live in Seattle Washington, I am an advocate and business owner. My comments today pertain to the need for specific guidance for wayfinding and other treatments for people who are blind and sight-impaired regarding current trends in sidewalk and street design, new intersection design, protected bike lanes, large open spaces such as pavilions, transit facilities etc.
As I understand, there is currently no official guidance for planners and designers to use when considering how best to make these spaces accessible specifically for wayfinding and orientation for people who are blind and sight-impaired.
I believe the US Access Board along with organizations such as the American Council of the Blind, American Foundation for the Blind, National Federation of the Blind, the Association of Educators and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, the orientation and mobility community, notable cross-disability experts and research entities along with the planning and design community should organize to create solutions so that people who are blind and sight-impaired can independently navigate these spaces safely and with confidence.
Please let me know if I can provide further information and/or how I can be of help with this significant and complex request. I understand it will take considerable coordination and have begun communicating with the leadership of the blindness organizations to make my concerns and recommendations known.
Along with accessible technology and the myriad of programs and services vrucial to the independence and self-sufficiency of people with disabilities, clearly defined wayfinding in our public spaces for people who are blind and sight-impaired are equally as important for full participation in all life's many opportunities.
Thank you for accepting my comments. I would appreciate hearing back on any next steps that will be taken.
Sincerely,
Peggy Martinez
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