[gps-talkusers] Re: FW: Re: They thought I was a terrorist

I'm wondering if some sort of RFID wafer could be inserted in to a badge so that a blind user with a small device (maybe as a bn add on or PDA add on) could query the badge and authenticate the wearer. This avoids the need to come in to physical contact with the person until you authenticate them. Braille on a badge may make a blind person reach out an arm in to a dangerous situation with a criminally minded person if they cash in on the fact that a blind person will be reaching out to tactally read the back of a badge. I've noticed in the bay area at least if a police officer approaches me and I'm traveling unassisted they will always identify themselves as an officer first, before anything else. I have to say I like that.
----- Original Message ----- From: <gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 1:19 PM
Subject: [gps-talkusers] FW: Re: They thought I was a terrorist




Hello all:
Please forgive the slightly off-topic post, but since Mike has already
gone there, I guess it's okay.
The whole issue of how does a police officer identify him or herself to
a blind citizen is very interesting. When I was doing some work under  a
grant with  DOJ (actually AFB was the grantee and I was the project
officer) during the early 90's, this issue came up. I remember that some
departments actually put braille and raised print on the back of an
officer's badge such as "MPDC #1254" for "Metropolitan Police of DC
badge #1254". This was coupled with some disability awareness training,
but I never actually got into the training part of it (although that
would have been fascinating). I wonder if this sort of thing is still
being done.
In the times we live in, I think it is even more important for a
mechanism to be in place to help identify first responders to a blind
person. What do you think? I bet this idea has some PR and press value
as well.
If somebody decides to run with this, be sure my name is spelled right
in the footnote! <grin>

Scott
-----Original Message-----
From: gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Michael May
Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 1:44 PM
To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: They thought I was a terrorist

Rick,

I have felt selfconscious a time or two wondering what people think of
the electronic rig. I don't think anyone ever called the cops on me, and
you are right about the officer not identifying himself.
Mike


At 07:22 AM 9/25/2007, you wrote:

Hi folks,
Sunday was a perfect late September day in New Jersey, where I live, so

I decided to take me and my guide dog on a 2-mile walk at around 8 am.
We have a wonderful route in a quiet residential neighborhood.

I was carrying mhy BrailleNote QT 32, and my old Magellan receiver,

since I had left my newer one at work. I stopped to adjust some route
settings and proceeded.

About 5 minutes later a car pulled up beside me, and the driver said,

"Excuse me, are you blind?"

I told him yes, though I thought it a strange question with my dog and

harness in full view.

"What's that thing on your shoulder?" he inquired.
I told him about the BrailleNote and the GPS, and some things it could

do, and then I heard the police radio. I found that one of the neighbors
was concerned and suspicious because I was typing into a little computer
in front of the house. For the life of me, I don't know what they
thought I might be doing in full view in broad daylight.

The thing that bothered me most about this amusing encounter was the

officer didn't immediately identify himself as a policeman before asking
me questions. A person believing a questioner to be a civilian might
ignore him or tell him to go to Hell or worse, which is not the kind of
talk a policeman likes to hear.



Rick Fox
VP, Field Operations
De Witt & Associates
700 Godwin Avenue
Suite 110
Midland Park, NJ 07432
Voice: 201-447-6500 Ext. 213
Fax: 201-447-1187
Email: <mailto:rick@xxxxxxxxxxx>rick@xxxxxxxxxxx
www.4dewitt.com


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