Resolution for NFB Convention re Traffic Signs Warning Drivers about Blind Pedestrians
Hi everyone, I'm writing to you as my Structured Discovery colleagues about a resolution that I've written for the NFB national convention. This one may be somewhat controversial. I want you all to be aware of this resolution, and I'd love your help in convincing anyone who needs convincing that this resolution is a good idea. As many of us here probably know, cities and towns sometimes put up traffic signs that function specifically to warn drivers about the possible presence of blind pedestrians. This is most common, in my experience, near training centers for the blind, state VR agencies, libraries for the blind, or schools for the blind. The traffic sign may read "Watch for the Blind" or "Blind Pedestrian Crossing" or something like that. Sometimes, these signs get put up near the homes of blind children, and they might read "Blind Child." When I was a sighted kid, I remember seeing signs that said "Blind driveway," and I thought at the time that this meant that blind drivers lived there. That is not what this is about because those signs are not about blind people. Many of these signs are used to focus on blindness as a reason that drivers should be careful. This harnesses low expectations for blind people to make the case, as if sighted pedestrians were not also worth protecting. If it's a school for the blind, telling drivers that it's a school zone should be sufficient. They shouldn't be speeding there because there are children going to school there, period. Blindness does not need to be part of the sign. When local NFB chapters fight to get signs like these removed, it can be a long and arduous process. To make things a little bit easier, this resolution urges the National Highway Administration to add guidance in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) that discourages the use of signs that specifically alert drivers to the existence of blind pedestrians and instead recommend signs that are inclusive to both sighted pedestrians and blind pedestrians without regard to eyesight. Since many traffic control bureaucrats use the MUTCD as their primary manual, having guidance in there that aligns with the NFB chapter's case will help make that advocacy easier. These decisions and advocacy processes take place on a local level, but we can do our part in the NFB to work with the relevant national entity to put our stance into their primary manual. I am hearing from some important folks in our movement that this resolution is going to get a lot of pushback from NFB members who think it's unsafe to cross streets without these signs. I do not know how widespread that resistance will be. I think that, if people are properly informed, this will go quite smoothly. This is where credible Structured Discovery professionals can say something in affiliate caucus meetings to help assuage fears. The other piece of pushback that I am told to expect is that NFB members may worry that, if an NFB member does not know about the policy stance that we took through this resolution, they may advocate for a blindness-specific traffic sign and then be out of compliance with NFB policy. My opinion on this concern is that, if an NFB member were to unknowingly advocate the other way, our response would not be to tar and feather them, but to give them a call and talk with them about why we have the stance that we have. In Minneapolis, there were some traffic signs like this near a training center for the blind that had also relocated to another city. The signs remained after the training center left. This is not the NFB training center here but another one. We found out about these signs because they're in my neighborhood. Earlier this year, we were able to make the case with our local city council to get those signs removed pretty easily because the training center was no longer there, but not all local chapters have it that easy. This message is to alert you to the topic of this resolution so that you can think about whatever you may want to say about it if you feel compelled. If you have any thoughts for me, I'm happy to hear them on or off list. Aloha, Justin Salisbury Justin MH Salisbury, MEd, NOMC, NCRTB English Pronouns: He/Him/His Email: President@Alumni.ECU.edu<mailto:President@Alumni.ECU.edu> ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Justin_Salisbury<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Justin_Salisbury&source=gmail-imap&ust=1727538746000000&usg=AOvVaw3uZJqqJkT2wSVxJDa9dD7W> LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-salisbury<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-salisbury&source=gmail-imap&ust=1727538746000000&usg=AOvVaw0XtyTG9WXXQ8TWe6UeU4Nz> ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1786-2786 "Until the lion learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter." Chinua Achebe
Hi Justin, I decided to respond on list so everyone could read my thoughts as well. I think this resolution is a good idea and I can’t wait to read it. If we have resolutions like this, it will help newer, untrained members understand why we believe what we believe and what exactly we do believe. For example, I have a very young, very new Tulsa chapter. Very low on skills and high on low vision. A member brought to our attention and intersection downtown. It does not have an audible pedestrian signal. As a train Professional, I don’t think we need one there, but he could do with a bit more training to make him feel more secure crossing. I’m also the only. Cane travel teacher in Northeast Oklahoma so I have to tread lightly since everyone knows where I work. I am trying to be gentle as I guide this new chapter in our philosophical history, but could use some input on resolutions regarding audible pedestrian signals. Fortunately, there is a resolution on the books for another young Chapter problem. Somebody thought that dining in the dark was a good fundraiser idea. I was able to retrieve the 2012 resolution on dining in the dark and sent it to our new Chapter president for philosophical training. If she lets me take time for some philosophical training after the business meeting next month, I might be able to nudge the chapter gently away from this nonsense and on onto Moore promotion model type events. It’s the fact that we have a resolution that will help me here. Please roll forward with yours and if you want to send it to the list, I would love to read it ahead of time. Also, if anybody knows about resolutions regarding Audible pedestrian signals, I would like to get my hands on one. I will keep searching nfb.org, of course. Jane Lansaw NOMC Sent from my iPhone
On Jul 1, 2025, at 10:58 PM, Justin Salisbury via NOMC <members@lists.nbpcb.org> wrote:
Hi everyone,
I'm writing to you as my Structured Discovery colleagues about a resolution that I've written for the NFB national convention. This one may be somewhat controversial. I want you all to be aware of this resolution, and I'd love your help in convincing anyone who needs convincing that this resolution is a good idea.
As many of us here probably know, cities and towns sometimes put up traffic signs that function specifically to warn drivers about the possible presence of blind pedestrians. This is most common, in my experience, near training centers for the blind, state VR agencies, libraries for the blind, or schools for the blind. The traffic sign may read "Watch for the Blind" or "Blind Pedestrian Crossing" or something like that. Sometimes, these signs get put up near the homes of blind children, and they might read "Blind Child."
When I was a sighted kid, I remember seeing signs that said "Blind driveway," and I thought at the time that this meant that blind drivers lived there. That is not what this is about because those signs are not about blind people.
Many of these signs are used to focus on blindness as a reason that drivers should be careful. This harnesses low expectations for blind people to make the case, as if sighted pedestrians were not also worth protecting. If it's a school for the blind, telling drivers that it's a school zone should be sufficient. They shouldn't be speeding there because there are children going to school there, period. Blindness does not need to be part of the sign.
When local NFB chapters fight to get signs like these removed, it can be a long and arduous process. To make things a little bit easier, this resolution urges the National Highway Administration to add guidance in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) that discourages the use of signs that specifically alert drivers to the existence of blind pedestrians and instead recommend signs that are inclusive to both sighted pedestrians and blind pedestrians without regard to eyesight. Since many traffic control bureaucrats use the MUTCD as their primary manual, having guidance in there that aligns with the NFB chapter's case will help make that advocacy easier.
These decisions and advocacy processes take place on a local level, but we can do our part in the NFB to work with the relevant national entity to put our stance into their primary manual.
I am hearing from some important folks in our movement that this resolution is going to get a lot of pushback from NFB members who think it's unsafe to cross streets without these signs. I do not know how widespread that resistance will be. I think that, if people are properly informed, this will go quite smoothly. This is where credible Structured Discovery professionals can say something in affiliate caucus meetings to help assuage fears.
The other piece of pushback that I am told to expect is that NFB members may worry that, if an NFB member does not know about the policy stance that we took through this resolution, they may advocate for a blindness-specific traffic sign and then be out of compliance with NFB policy. My opinion on this concern is that, if an NFB member were to unknowingly advocate the other way, our response would not be to tar and feather them, but to give them a call and talk with them about why we have the stance that we have.
In Minneapolis, there were some traffic signs like this near a training center for the blind that had also relocated to another city. The signs remained after the training center left. This is not the NFB training center here but another one. We found out about these signs because they're in my neighborhood. Earlier this year, we were able to make the case with our local city council to get those signs removed pretty easily because the training center was no longer there, but not all local chapters have it that easy.
This message is to alert you to the topic of this resolution so that you can think about whatever you may want to say about it if you feel compelled. If you have any thoughts for me, I'm happy to hear them on or off list.
Aloha,
Justin Salisbury
Justin MH Salisbury, MEd, NOMC, NCRTB English Pronouns: He/Him/His Email: President@Alumni.ECU.edu<mailto:President@Alumni.ECU.edu> ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Justin_Salisbury<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Justin_Salisbury&source=gmail-imap&ust=1727538746000000&usg=AOvVaw3uZJqqJkT2wSVxJDa9dD7W> LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-salisbury<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-salisbury&source=gmail-imap&ust=1727538746000000&usg=AOvVaw0XtyTG9WXXQ8TWe6UeU4Nz> ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1786-2786
"Until the lion learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter." Chinua Achebe
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Hi Jane, The resolutions for the 2025 national convention haven’t been posted yet. In case the national office made minor stylistic edits, I decided to wait until it was officially posted for people to actually read the official text. I don’t want two versions of it circulating. I expect that they will be posted any day now. For now, folks here on this list can think about the concept in case they want to say anything. In my own experience, in the last day or two leading up to convention, with the flurry of emails, alerts, and my own preparations for travel at all of my convention responsibilities, I know I can miss things that people share in the spaces where I would otherwise be more attentive. That’s why I chose to send this to everyone a week before convention, slightly before the resolutions were posted. I am also aware that we will have another resolution about audible pedestrian signals that also references the MUTCD. I know this because it was written by another member of the Minnesota affiliate. If you’re interested in talking to people about dining in the dark experiences, I would very much encourage you to read the 2015 article that Arielle Silverman published in the Journal of Blindness Innovation and Research. Check that out at the following link: <https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/jbir/jbir15/jbir050201abs.html> The Perils of Playing Blind: Problems with Blindness Simulation and a Better Way to Teach about Blindness Abstract<https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/jbir/jbir15/jbir050201abs.html> nfb.org<https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/jbir/jbir15/jbir050201abs.html> [X]<https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/jbir/jbir15/jbir050201abs.html> See you at convention, Justin Sent from my iPhone Justin Mark Hideaki Salisbury Mobile: 808.797.8606 ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Justin_Salisbury LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-salisbury “In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On Jul 2, 2025, at 5:57 AM, Jane Lansaw <widearc2000@gmail.com> wrote: Hi Justin, I decided to respond on list so everyone could read my thoughts as well. I think this resolution is a good idea and I can’t wait to read it. If we have resolutions like this, it will help newer, untrained members understand why we believe what we believe and what exactly we do believe. For example, I have a very young, very new Tulsa chapter. Very low on skills and high on low vision. A member brought to our attention and intersection downtown. It does not have an audible pedestrian signal. As a train Professional, I don’t think we need one there, but he could do with a bit more training to make him feel more secure crossing. I’m also the only. Cane travel teacher in Northeast Oklahoma so I have to tread lightly since everyone knows where I work. I am trying to be gentle as I guide this new chapter in our philosophical history, but could use some input on resolutions regarding audible pedestrian signals. Fortunately, there is a resolution on the books for another young Chapter problem. Somebody thought that dining in the dark was a good fundraiser idea. I was able to retrieve the 2012 resolution on dining in the dark and sent it to our new Chapter president for philosophical training. If she lets me take time for some philosophical training after the business meeting next month, I might be able to nudge the chapter gently away from this nonsense and on onto Moore promotion model type events. It’s the fact that we have a resolution that will help me here. Please roll forward with yours and if you want to send it to the list, I would love to read it ahead of time. Also, if anybody knows about resolutions regarding Audible pedestrian signals, I would like to get my hands on one. I will keep searching nfb.org, of course. Jane Lansaw NOMC Sent from my iPhone On Jul 1, 2025, at 10:58 PM, Justin Salisbury via NOMC <members@lists.nbpcb.org> wrote: Hi everyone, I'm writing to you as my Structured Discovery colleagues about a resolution that I've written for the NFB national convention. This one may be somewhat controversial. I want you all to be aware of this resolution, and I'd love your help in convincing anyone who needs convincing that this resolution is a good idea. As many of us here probably know, cities and towns sometimes put up traffic signs that function specifically to warn drivers about the possible presence of blind pedestrians. This is most common, in my experience, near training centers for the blind, state VR agencies, libraries for the blind, or schools for the blind. The traffic sign may read "Watch for the Blind" or "Blind Pedestrian Crossing" or something like that. Sometimes, these signs get put up near the homes of blind children, and they might read "Blind Child." When I was a sighted kid, I remember seeing signs that said "Blind driveway," and I thought at the time that this meant that blind drivers lived there. That is not what this is about because those signs are not about blind people. Many of these signs are used to focus on blindness as a reason that drivers should be careful. This harnesses low expectations for blind people to make the case, as if sighted pedestrians were not also worth protecting. If it's a school for the blind, telling drivers that it's a school zone should be sufficient. They shouldn't be speeding there because there are children going to school there, period. Blindness does not need to be part of the sign. When local NFB chapters fight to get signs like these removed, it can be a long and arduous process. To make things a little bit easier, this resolution urges the National Highway Administration to add guidance in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) that discourages the use of signs that specifically alert drivers to the existence of blind pedestrians and instead recommend signs that are inclusive to both sighted pedestrians and blind pedestrians without regard to eyesight. Since many traffic control bureaucrats use the MUTCD as their primary manual, having guidance in there that aligns with the NFB chapter's case will help make that advocacy easier. These decisions and advocacy processes take place on a local level, but we can do our part in the NFB to work with the relevant national entity to put our stance into their primary manual. I am hearing from some important folks in our movement that this resolution is going to get a lot of pushback from NFB members who think it's unsafe to cross streets without these signs. I do not know how widespread that resistance will be. I think that, if people are properly informed, this will go quite smoothly. This is where credible Structured Discovery professionals can say something in affiliate caucus meetings to help assuage fears. The other piece of pushback that I am told to expect is that NFB members may worry that, if an NFB member does not know about the policy stance that we took through this resolution, they may advocate for a blindness-specific traffic sign and then be out of compliance with NFB policy. My opinion on this concern is that, if an NFB member were to unknowingly advocate the other way, our response would not be to tar and feather them, but to give them a call and talk with them about why we have the stance that we have. In Minneapolis, there were some traffic signs like this near a training center for the blind that had also relocated to another city. The signs remained after the training center left. This is not the NFB training center here but another one. We found out about these signs because they're in my neighborhood. Earlier this year, we were able to make the case with our local city council to get those signs removed pretty easily because the training center was no longer there, but not all local chapters have it that easy. This message is to alert you to the topic of this resolution so that you can think about whatever you may want to say about it if you feel compelled. If you have any thoughts for me, I'm happy to hear them on or off list. Aloha, Justin Salisbury Justin MH Salisbury, MEd, NOMC, NCRTB English Pronouns: He/Him/His Email: President@Alumni.ECU.edu<mailto:President@Alumni.ECU.edu> ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Justin_Salisbury<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Justin_Salisbury&source=gmail-imap&ust=1727538746000000&usg=AOvVaw3uZJqqJkT2wSVxJDa9dD7W> LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-salisbury<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-salisbury&source=gmail-imap&ust=1727538746000000&usg=AOvVaw0XtyTG9WXXQ8TWe6UeU4Nz> ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1786-2786 "Until the lion learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter." Chinua Achebe _______________________________________________ NOMC mailing list -- members@lists.nbpcb.org To unsubscribe send an email to members-leave@lists.nbpcb.org
participants (2)
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Jane Lansaw -
Justin Salisbury