[tabi] Re: Braille signage-- demand and offer

  • From: "Easy Talk" <Easytalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 07:16:21 -0400

Hi Bryan,
Just so you know, I think most people would want to access the bus info using 
there cell phones.  Microsoft doesn't currently have a accessible operating 
system that is useable by Blind people who use speech on there phones not to 
mention the low market share of there OS. 

Robert

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Waterman, Brian 
  To: <tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
  Sent: Thursday, October 17, 2013 6:20 PM
  Subject: [tabi] Re: Braille signage-- demand and offer


  This is Brian from StarMetro. We are working with Microsoft and Bing maps 
right now.

  Sent from my iPhone

  On Oct 17, 2013, at 6:17 PM, "Chip and Allie Orange" <acorange@xxxxxxxxxxx> 
wrote:


    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 

      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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