[tabi] Re: Braille signage-- demand and offer
- From: "Chip and Allie Orange" <acorange@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2013 18:17:44 -0400
If I could offer suggestions on things that would help everyone as well as
the disabled (speaking up here as instructed):
Please ask StarMetro to consider placing their route data on the Google
transit system. There are many free apps (I am writing one right now) which
can then present the data from Google, as part of a complete set of
instructions, as to how a person might need to walk and make use of the
transit system to get from point A to point B. Their instructions tell you
exactly which streets to walk to; where the bus stop is located; what time
the bus stops there and which one you should take, and how many stops later
you should disembark from the bus, along with the remainder of your walking
(or transfer) instructions. They are amazingly clear and easy to use.
Over 100 cities already participate on Google transit, and Google does this
absolutely for free; and says they will help any city having a problem
getting their data in the correct format.
This makes use of the transit system by a blind person much easier, as users
of my app in other cities are already telling me. It completely replaces
the paper maps and the inaccessible route planner from StarMetro with
something accessible and maintained by someone else! We all win.
Thanks.
Chip
From: tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of blindwilly
Sent: Thursday, October 17, 2013 4:21 PM
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; brian.waterman@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [tabi] Re: Braille signage-- demand and offer
Erica,
I have been in on this since the first, along with our TCB. One thing I
noticed is that for every one person that complained about the efforts,
there were three that were positive. We have a long way to go, but we have
come a long way and farther than the mass majority of America.
William
----- Original Message -----
From: Erica <mailto:ericamccaul@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; brian.waterman@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, October 17, 2013 1:15 PM
Subject: [tabi] Braille signage-- demand and offer
I am going to make an offer and a demand for the folks subscribed to TABI.
There has been some hugh and cry regarding a perceived lack of information
about the process used to determine how/if Braille signage should be
included in Starmetro's attempts to improve our bus service.
Many venues for information are open to the general public, including--
perhaps most obviously-- the City's Press Releases, which can be accessed
through Talgov.com. Lynn Evans has done a wonderful job of faithfully and
timely posting these to TABI... so there should be no excuses here about not
having access to that information in the past. (Lynn, I am in no way
obligating you to continue this service... but I certainly want to publicly
thank you for all you have done!)
IF, however, you still are uninformed, AND WISH TO BE, please email me
off-line and I will provide you with a list of information sources.
If you choose not to get involved--
do not make an effort to inform yourself,
cannot find it in your schedule to make your voice heard in a productive
manner--
THEN HERE IS MY DEMAND:
please remain silent about such issues.
Starmetro has done a wonderful job in their efforts to get Braille signage
to little ol' Tallahassee!
There have been a few snags, yes, but every pioneer has faced such
challenges.
Startmetro DOES NOT NEED TO HEAR whining and crying at this point about
opportunities individuals missed to have their input heard, or about a
"better way" to do something they have already completed. That is no way to
show our gratitude for their efforts, not to mention the efforts of the
citizens who were involved. Starmetro NEEDS to hear "Thank you!"
IT IS DONE. IT HAS BEEN DONE AS WELL AS WE-- Starmetro staff and involved
citizens-- COULD POSSIBLY FORESEE AND PLAN.
And, NO, in case you are wondering, it was not just 3 or 4 local folks
stabbing in the dark; Department of Transportation and other national
standards were consulted. (Thank you to Lynda Jones!)
If you don't use the bus, then you will never have to worry about your hand
getting a cramp from reading sideways.
However, for those of us who do ride, this will be a HUGE help! I'm sure we
are smart enough to read Braille "sideways", just as sightlings adapt to
signs written vertically.
Let's move forward with positive comments only.
just like Thumper's father told him, "If you can't say anything nice, don't
say nothin' at all."
Erica
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