[tabi] Re: Fw: Nova 2010
- From: "Dave Bigoney" <takeablink@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:34:59 -0400
I agree with you.
Dave Bigoney
Blink
(850) 443-1017
----- Original Message -----
From: djrogers0628
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, March 26, 2010 2:10 AM
Subject: [tabi] Re: Fw: Nova 2010
Thanks, Dave; I do have my own issues, but I'm trying to help her see there
is a bigger picture here--she simply doesn't get it that we want to be as
normal and productive--for want of better words as do our sighted citizenry,
and we require good transportation, sidewalks and safe street crossings to do
these things.
Darla
Darla J. Rogers, B.A. Social Science; M.S. Rehabilitation Counselor Education
djrogers0628@xxxxxxxxxxx
Home phone #: 850-329-7437
Cell #: 850-443-3571
Skype ID: wildflower0628
I suited up for the long walk back to myself...
....Ani DiFranco
----- Original Message -----
From: Dave Bigoney
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 6:12 PM
Subject: [tabi] Re: Fw: Nova 2010
Very nicely done and put! I couldn't agree more.
Dave Bigoney
Blink
(850) 443-1017
----- Original Message -----
From: Easy Talk
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 5:32 PM
Subject: [tabi] Re: Fw: Nova 2010
You go girl.
Robert
----- Original Message -----
From: djrogers0628
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 5:16 PM
Subject: [tabi] Fw: Nova 2010
Here is what I wrote to Ms. Lightsey. Wonder if she'll even respond.
----- Original Message -----
From: djrogers0628
To: debbie.lightsey@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 4:57 PM
Subject: Nova 2010
Dear Ms. Lightsey:
I have been back in Tallahassee nearly 3 years, and I lived here 1.5
years in 2004-2005. During these times, I have never known you to side with
disabled Tallahassee residents--especially the blind.
Due to circumstances beyond my control, I did not make it to last
night's City Commission meeting but know the people who spoke about the issues
regarding Nova 2010 did so eloquently, so I won't re-summarize what was said by
them. I am speaking for myself and my husband who is also blind.
We have lived at
2000 N. Meridian Rd.
for over 2 years. We were told this area is very accessible to blind
and visually-impaired persons. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Both my husband and I have used public transportation in a number of
cities to go to and from work and to recreate, run errands, visit friends, etc.
First there are no Audible Pedestrian Signals (APS) in this
neighborhood, so crossing Monroe at John Knox is a crap shoot, as it is very
difficult to hear the traffic patterns to let me or my husband know it is safe
to cross. We also cannot cross Meridian at Bradford or John Knox safely--we
would need to cross Meridian at Bradford Road to find the only sidewalks that
are on Meridian Road in our neighborhood.
Second, on our side of Meridian Road, there is virtually no sidewalk
between Bradford Road and John Knox. I have talked to both the city and county
about this issue and have been told that it is a state highway and thus not
under the jurisdiction of either entity to make sidewalk improvements to make
it safe to navigate around the neighborhood.
In addition to there not being sidewalks on this side of Meridian Road,
there is an uncovered culvert for storm run-off;; this forces us to stand and
wait for traffic to clear on Meridian Road before we step out in the street and
run several feet to get around it and back up on the curb out of Meridian Road.
As an educated woman, I believe you owe it to your constituents to
learn more about the issues on which you vote; you obviously, do not know
anything about the blindness community, or you would realize that being able to
use Star Metro effectively, would provide freedom we currently don't possess
because Dial-a-Ride reservations must be made 24 hours in advance, and it is
very difficult to make it on time if one has more than one appointment for the
day. Taxi fare has gone up considerably, and neither of us is currently
employed. Using Star Metro would allow for more spontaneous trips, though the
current Nova 2010 Plan does not give us any evening service.
I challenge you to leave your car at home--that would put less carbon
monoxide etc. into the air--and walk up to your bus stop and take Star Metro to
and from work for a week and ask Dial-a-Ride if you can become a temporary
rider to see what using that service is like.
Blind and visually impaired people do vote, and believe me, if there
isn't more willingness to really hear and understand our issues, we will
encourage all of our community and friends, coworkers and business associates
to vote with us.
We are not unaware of budget constraints, but, in the long run money
would be saved if blind and visually impaired people had safe ways to navigate
the city. You know we are not lying about the unsafe pedestrian situation in
Tallahassee. I know you saw the study done and saw the dismal rating
Tallahassee received.
So, in closing, I challenge you to "walk a mile in our shoes." Only
then can you cast educated votes that really represent the blindness community.
There are many more people with disabilities--many invisible--who live here
and need to get about the city using public transportation because they cannot
drive either.
Sincerely,
Darla J. Rogers, B.A. Social Science; M.S. Rehabilitation Counselor
Education
djrogers0628@xxxxxxxxxxx
Home phone #: 850-329-7437
Cell #: 850-443-3571
Skype ID: wildflower0628
I suited up for the long walk back to myself...
....Ani DiFranco
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