Vol. 29, No. 4
APRIL 2004
THE MID-FLORIDA VOICE
A publication of Mid-Florida Council of the Blind
TABLE OF CONTENTS
MESSAGE FROM MFCB PRESIDENT RACHEL BADER
NEXT GENERAL MEETING
MARCH GENERAL MEETING REVIEW
THE MFCB BY-LAWS - WILL THEY CHANGE OR NOT?
FCB NOW HAS A DISCUSSION LIST!
MFCB ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB
GOOD THOUGHT - submitted by Bill Freeman
AN INVITATION TO "THE LETTER"
PROPOSALS BEING MADE ON PEDESTRIAN ADVOCACY
MEMBERSHIP - from Jay Bader
BIRTHDAY PEOPLE
MESSAGE FROM MFCB PRESIDENT RACHEL BADER
At our next MFCB General Meeting, you'll have your chance to participate and have a say in shaping the future of our organization as we
dedicate much of April's Meeting to voting on new revisions to our By-Laws. This is a good opportunity to take a look at our organizational
goals and direction. An article which first appeared in the White Cane Bulletin is reprinted later in this issue of THE MID-FLORIDA VOICE
which gives us all some good things to think about as we prepare to consider, discuss and vote on our new documentation.
I'm looking forward to seeing many of you on April 3rd.
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NEXT GENERAL MEETING
The next General Meeting of MFCB will be at Booth Towers, 633 Lake Dot Circle, Orlando, FL, 32801, on Saturday, April 3rd, 2004,
from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. It is highly recommended that if anyone uses paratransit, please plan your rides accordingly.
President Rachel Bader will call a Board Meeting at 12:30 PM.
There is no guest speaker scheduled for this upcoming General Meeting as we will be voting on proposed MFCB By-Laws revisions.
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MARCH GENERAL MEETING REVIEW
Due to the fact that there were not enough members present to constitute a quorum, no formal General Meeting took place on March 6th
at Booth Towers in Orlando. So with 20 members, President Rachel Bader decided to hold an informal meeting to look at and discuss
the proposed revisions to the MFCB By-Laws.
After over an hour of good discussion, Rachel urged everyone present to let other members who regularly do not attend General Meetings
to help get the word out and tell them about the importance of the April General Meeting.
Various Door Prizes were given out as well. Congratulations to all the Prize Winners!
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THE MFCB BY-LAWS - WILL THEY CHANGE OR NOT?
As noted earlier in this Newsletter, the MFCB April General Meeting will be one of the more important ones held in recent years. This is
the opportunity when members who attend can decide whether or not to approve proposed revisions to Mid-Florida Council of the Blind
By-Laws. President Rachel Bader formed a By-Laws Committee earlier this year so we can work on making our By-Laws a stronger
foundation for MFCB; with that in mind, the following is reprinted from the March-April 2004 edition of the White Cane Bulletin, the
newsletter of the Florida Council of the Blind (FCB).
Special thanks to Bill and Bobbie Probst, editors of the White Cane Bulletin, for their permission in reprinting this timely article:
WHY ARE YOU HERE? - by Jack Varnon
Every chapter affiliated with FCB has a Constitution/By-Laws to define its relationship to the state organization and rules on how the
chapter is governed. Generally, the charter members of a chapter know what is written in their Constitution/By-Laws. However, as the
chapter grows in membership, most new members do not know what the chapter's Constitution says; furthermore do not fully appreciate
or understand the purpose of the chapter.
Most members join a chapter because of people they knew were members or were invited by a friend to come to an organization
meeting. What seems to happen is the organization meeting becomes a mild form of recreation where the new member enjoys a meal,
gripe about employment, transportation and other problems stemming from being Visually-Impaired. Then they go home, do nothing
until the next organization meeting. With this type of membership discipline, the chapter ceases to be an effective advocacy
organization.
I suggest that you evaluate your chapter's ability to be an effective advocacy organization with the following questions:
1. Does your chapter give every new member a copy of its Constitution/By-Laws?
2. Have the members read the Constitution/By-Laws carefully?
3. During the year, does your chapter review each article in its Constitution/By-Laws with all the members?
4. Are the members very familiar with the mission statement as defined in the chapter's Constitution/By-Laws?
5. Do the members really know what "Project Insight" is all about?
6. What percentage of the membership participates in the chapter's effort to provide support for those who have recently become blind
and don't know what to do?
7. What percentage of the membership is involved with other community organizations like International Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary and
Chamber of Commerce?
8. What percentage of the membership is involved with the various city/county Citizens' Disability Advisory Boards?
9. What percentage of the membership represents your chapter at the local governmental meeting & public forums?
10. Does your chapter hold workshops to educate members to the full extent of the Randolph-Shepard Act?
11. What percentage of the membership participate in chapter projects to educate the public on how to properly assist the blind, white
cane safety awareness, and the capabilities of the visually impaired?
By this time you should have a feel for your chapter's capacity to be an effective leader to improve the lives of those who are less fortunate
than ourselves and know why you are here.
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FCB NOW HAS A DISCUSSION LIST!
As this Newsletter goes to press, Florida Council of the Blind (FCB) President Robert Miller is announcing the start of the FCB E-mail
Discussion List. The FCB E-mail Discussion List is a way for members, locally and statewide, to express themselves freely on a variety
of issues. These can range from those on a local level to issues on a state or even national platform.
MFCB is proud to have been involved in getting the process in place for this List. We encourage everyone with E-mail and Internet
access to sign up and participate in the various discussions as well as maybe even starting a few. To sign up for the FCB E-mail
Discussion List, and for more information about the List, go to the FCB website at http://www.fcb.org
and go to the link for “FCB E-mail Discussion List Information and Instructions.”
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MFCB ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB
Mid-Florida Council of the Blind now has a presence on the World Wide Web. Through the Florida Council of the Blind web site,
http://www.fcb.org, there is information available on the Internet about MFCB as well as current and
some past issues of the MFCB Newsletter, both in the previous name of MUMBLES and the new name of THE MID-FLORIDA VOICE.
This is only the beginning as another option has been made available for people to find out what is going on with our
organization.
To specifically get to the MFCB section of the FCB website, go to http://www.fcb.org/mfcb.htm.
Feedback is strongly encouraged as to the accessibility and content of the website, so if you have any questions or suggestions, e-mail
webmaster@fcb.org. With your suggestions so far, there will be some changes
forthcoming that will better what we have on the Web.
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GOOD THOUGHT - submitted by Bill Freeman
"Life should not be a journey to the grave
with the intention of arriving quietly and
safely in a pretty and well preserved body,
but rather to a skid broadside, thoroughly used up,
worn out, and loudly proclaiming---WOW!---What a ride!"
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AN INVITATION TO "THE LETTER"
MFCB Member Matt Roberts invites all MFCB Members to attend a presentation called “The Letter,” which is being held at the Downtown
Baptist Church in Orlando April 2nd thru April 4th. The presentation starts at 7:30 PM each evening. For those who are interested, a group
will be leaving from the next MFCB General Meeting on the 3rd of April, and will find a place to eat before going to the church. Traveling is
available by fixed bus route as well as the downtown Lymmo service.
The Downtown Baptist Church is located at 120 East Pine Street, Orlando, FL 32801. If you need more information about this event, call
them at (407) 425-0200, or contact Matt Roberts on his cell phone at (321) 277-5173. Hope many members enjoy listening to “The
Letter.”
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PROPOSALS BEING MADE ON PEDESTRIAN ADVOCACY
Like many areas of the United States, the Greater Orlando area has many intersections, streets and sidewalks that are difficult to deal
with, not only by vehicle, but, more importantly, by walking, especially in regards to the disabled (especially the Blind and
Visually-Impaired). The National Congress of Pedestrian Advocates will meet in Silver Spring, Maryland, May 6th thru 8th, 2004, to
discuss the latest concerns and what can be done about them.
Former American Council of the Blind (ACB) Executive Director Charlie Crawford has prepared a brochure to be distributed at this
Congress. The following is reprinted from the March 2004 Braille Free Press, which is online at
http://www.braille-free-press.org. Special thanks to Braille Free Press editor Penny
Reeder for her permission in reprinting this important piece of work:
WE WALK THIS PATH TOGETHER – by Charlie Crawford
The topic of pedestrian advocacy is as diverse as humankind itself. This brief document on the issues facing pedestrians who are blind
or otherwise disabled is but one important aspect of pedestrian advocacy that all of us who are concerned about the rights of pedestrians
must include in our support of the walking and biking environment.
What pedestrians with disabilities have in common with all other pedestrians is far greater than what is unique to people with particular
disabilities. Going to work, getting things from the store, walking to the bank, just taking a stroll, visiting a friend, or getting in some good
exercise, are just a few reasons why all of us walk, and many of the issues we face along the way are common to our mutual pedestrian
experience. It is how we advocate for and design the walking environment that can spell the difference between accessibility and
frustration – for all pedestrians, able-bodied and disabled alike. This pamphlet takes a look at several important components of the
pedestrian environment and provides guidance to all pedestrian advocates on how to address issues of access for blind and other
pedestrians with disabilities.
Sidewalks
All pedestrians need a good network of sidewalks which allow us to go places without worrying about putting ourselves in the path of
moving vehicles. It is important for us to advocate for the maintenance of existing sidewalks, the installation of new ones where
pedestrians walk, and legal requirements for developers to install or make accommodations for the eventual installation of sidewalks
where appropriate. Moreover, sidewalks need to be on both sides of a street, and accessible and safe passages must be available
when repairs to sidewalks are underway. Here are some considerations for folks with disabilities.
Sidewalks need to be flat, at least 48 to 60 inches wide, made from non-skid materials, and absent of poles and other obstacles in the
path of travel. This insures that wheelchair users are not confronted with walkways that are excessively slanted, blocked by objects, or
made with materials that do not allow for wheelchairs to function. The use of brick, cobblestone, or other materials which create
opportunities for wheelchairs or bicycles to become unstable should be avoided. Pedestrians, especially those who cannot rely upon
vision to detect obstructions, need protection from overhanging branches, protruding signage, or other obstacles placed in the path of
travel.
Intersections and crossings
High on the list of the most dangerous areas for all pedestrians are intersections and crossings. A well designed intersection may not be
optimally configured to move the greatest number of vehicles through in the shortest interval of time, but the fact remains that the utility of
the intersection must be measured both for vehicular traffic and pedestrians as well. Advocates are urged to consult the intersection
design proposals contained within the report of the public rights of way advisory committee (PROWAC) to the U. S. Access board. See
http://www.access-board.gov.
Highlights to consider are:
- A clear view of the pedestrian point of entrance and exit into the crossing must be available to drivers, to avoid harm. The use of street
furniture such as newspaper dispensing boxes, mail boxes, utility poles, street vending facilities, and other objects that block vision can
hide a pedestrian from view. This is especially true for wheelchair users, children and others who may be of smaller stature.
- Curb cuts must be pointed into the path of crossing. Single curb cuts that point at the apex of the corner into the intersection on the
diagonal must be eliminated for the sake of the safety of disabled pedestrians. While these ramps are less costly because one appears
at the corner rather than two of them, they invite serious problems for people using wheelchairs who will have to leave the ramp and turn
to cross, and others who may be blind or contending with other disabilities like developmental delays, that can predispose them to follow
the direction of the ramp and find themselves suddenly surrounded by moving traffic.
Curb cuts that follow the new public rights of way proposals must also have detectable warnings towards their base to allow blind
pedestrians who use mobility canes or guide dogs, to detect the point at which they are about to reach the street. If curb cuts are
perceived by blind or visually impaired pedestrians as essentially flat, then there are no clues to alert them to approaching intersections
with streets, and if the traffic moving along a street is especially quiet, or its noise is blocked by other environmental sounds, a blind
person can find him or herself in the middle of a busy intersection before he or she even realizes it! Detectable warnings are defined in
the public rights-of-way proposal to allow for detection under foot while not posing a problem for wheelchair users.
- Signage at intersections and other areas upon which pedestrians rely must be of sufficient size and contrast to allow people to see
them from a distance, read them with low vision or low vision aids, and not obstruct their physical path of travel. People who have no
usable vision or who may need cognitive reassurance about pedestrian walk cycle information should be accommodated with the
installation of accessible pedestrian signals where the visual information that is made available to sighted pedestrians is made
available tactually and audibly to blind and deaf-blind pedestrians. Here, advocates should consult the legal authorities of Title II of the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), title V section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the proposed public rights of way regulations, and the
manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).
- Crosswalks should be placed so as to maximize the ability of a pedestrian to know where the crosswalk is, travel in as straight a line to
cross the intersection as possible, and allow for cutaways in median strips or islands with detectable warnings. Where crosswalks are
interrupted (by mid-intersection islands, for example),and the pedestrian must take a different direction of travel to complete the
crossing, accessible pedestrian signals should be used to assist in finding that direction and alerting the pedestrian about the status of
the pedestrian walk cycle.
- In addition, engineers should give serious consideration to lengthening the typical time interval which pedestrians have available for
making street crossings. Lengthening the pedestrian phase can accommodate the needs of an aging population as well as specific
limitations with which many people with disabilities must contend.
- Laws relative to the turning of vehicles across crosswalks during the pedestrian cycle must be revisited in the interest of pedestrian
safety. The ideal intersection is a four way stop that allows pedestrians to cross. The next level in terms of the safety of disabled
pedestrians is an intersection that allows parallel traffic to move without being allowed to cross in front of pedestrians until a lead
pedestrian cycle is finished. In these situations it is imperative that accessible pedestrian signals be used to insure that blind
pedestrians know when the lead pedestrian interval is active.
- Any construction of the relatively new phenomenon of the roundabout must take into account the needs of pedestrians, who may be at
even greater risk of injury or death when they step into a roundabout traffic circle than they would be at more traditional intersection
configurations. While the roundabout seems to offer greater safety to drivers, not enough study has been devoted to ramifications for
pedestrians, especially blind and otherwise disabled pedestrians who simply don't have enough available information to determine
when it's safe to initiate a street crossing. The PROWAC proposed rule of signalization should be followed with respect to
roundabouts, unless an equally effective approach to pedestrian safety is developed as an alternative.
Parking lots and malls
Just as many pedestrian accidents happen where the parking accommodations do not lend themselves to a clear view by motorists, the
dangers of parking lots are greatly increased for blind and other pedestrians who may be placed in harm’s way. It is imperative to
construct sidewalks which lead into shopping areas and storefronts, to allow pedestrians to avoid traffic in parking lots. Vehicles should
park in such a fashion as to require them to move forward to leave rather than backing out. The use of traffic calming devices such as
speed bumps should be employed where pedestrians and vehicles share the same space such as entrances and exits into and out of
parking areas.
Malls and other facilities where traffic and pedestrians are likely to share parking lots should have convenient arrival and departure areas
for public transportation which do not require pedestrians to cross hazardous paths of vehicular traffic.
Public transportation
Pedestrians are likely to use public transportation where available. While many public transit entities need to improve their basic
accessibility for people with disabilities, the location and accessibility of bus stops and transportation terminals are the primary focus of
this discussion for pedestrian advocates.
Currently there is a national interest in whether to locate bus stops closer to corners or to put them towards the middle of the block. No
matter where they are placed, they should be consistently located in the same general area of a sidewalk. The bus stops should be
marked with some tactual interruption in the sidewalk such as raised tactile markers that can be detected underfoot but which are not so
high as to present a hazard for wheelchairs. Transit stops should be identified with clear, enlarged, and color contrasted signage and
provide via either a ramp or appropriately designed vehicles, the ability for disabled people to board buses in an accessible fashion.
Similarly, transit terminals should be constructed with accessible signage, pedestrian walks that do not require people to cross active
bus lanes, and where there is moving traffic ahead, the installation of detectable warnings is required.
All buses and trains and transportation facilities should make audible information available concerning bus routes and stops; this can be
accomplished by using a combination of recorded and automatic announcements and a system of infrared transmitters for talking sign
technology where a person using a receiver can point it in a particular direction and be informed about what is there. Talking Signs is a
trade mark of talking signs incorporated but the term is used in a generic sense here. For more information, visit
http://www.talkingsigns.com.
Evolving vehicle technology and pedestrian safety
It is important to note that all pedestrian advocates should be concerned about "the good, the bad and the ugly" in vehicle design. Clearly
technologies that are being developed to reduce or prevent accidents should be made to accomplish the same goal with respect to
pedestrians. Also, the so called "quiet cars" and light rail trains must be designed to create enough sound to alert pedestrians about
oncoming traffic and to allow blind pedestrians at intersections and other areas to know of the presence of vehicles in order to make
proper decisions to effect safe crossings.
Pedestrian perils while walking
Another important aspect to safe pedestrian travel is the need for appropriate laws to bolster a safe walking environment. Leash and
other laws aimed at keeping dangerous pets or other animals out of the way of pedestrians must be created and enforced. This is
especially true for the protection of children and service animal teams from the dangers of attacks by out of control dogs. Also, laws
requiring removal of snow and ice from pathways and walkways are much needed to insure clear and safe pedestrian paths of travel.
Laws which prohibit cars from sitting in the middle of crosswalks while waiting for traffic lights to change, as well as speeding, need to be
enforced vigorously and consistently.
Public and traffic engineering education
For all the above to be taken seriously by the public and traffic engineers, we must work to educate them to a new way of thinking with
respect to pedestrians and bicyclists. Pedestrian jokes that desensitize drivers are really not funny, and telling such jokes should be
neither encouraged nor rewarded. The rates of pedestrian injuries and deaths should not be seen as statistical measures within which
a certain number is acceptable. Drivers should not be discussed in terms of "keeping score," and pedestrians and bicyclists should not
be described in terms of potential "road kill."
The other side of this attitude dynamic is the patronizing and condescending view that there are certain pedestrians who really should
not be walking around unattended anyway. Blind pedestrians and elderly people are too often described in these ways, and attitudes like
these need to be discouraged, and the people who believe such things need to be re-educated about the civil rights that all of us,
able-bodied and disabled alike, share. The pedestrian environment must meet the needs of all the people. Public policy towards
pedestrians must accommodate pedestrians in general and those with disabilities in particular.
Finally, it is important for pedestrian advocates to understand that the onset of a disability such as vision loss will likely require drivers to
have to give up their licenses and become pedestrians themselves. The loss of independence that is a necessary consequence of
giving up driving in environments which are essentially designed to accommodate the needs of drivers, not people who do not or cannot
drive, is only made worse by an uninviting pedestrian infrastructure.
A person faced with these circumstances may well continue driving long after he or she should really have given up a license to drive – and
no wonder! Any reality associated with this observation is likely to worsen as the population ages and disabilities that compromise
driving increase. While some of these dangerous drivers may be prevented through better vision and other testing by states, the fact
remains that the perception that there are really no viable alternatives to driving will continue unless better pedestrian policies are
developed, implemented and enforced.
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MEMBERSHIP - from Jay Bader
Notes from Jay: The 2004 MFCB Members Phone Roster is ready to be distributed. The Roster is available in Print, E-mail, Cassette
and Braille. If you are interested in having a Cassette or Braille version, please contact me as soon as possible as these versions will
otherwise only be available at the April and May General Meetings.
Please note the following MEMBER CHANGE:
MATT ROBERTS
4590 Alder Drive
Port Orange, FL 32127
(321) 277-5173
Matt requests that anyone who wishes to contact him do so on his cell phone as his home number is usually quite busy.
And a reminder that I am accepting any submissions to THE MID-FLORIDA VOICE. All submissions must arrive by regular mail or e-mail
to me by the 15th of the month as issues are prepared shortly after that. I will make sure you are credited with the submission. If you
have any further questions, please call me at (407) 658-2479 or e-mail at
mfcbinfo@bellsouth.net.
Looking forward to seeing many of you at the April General Meeting and make your voice heard with our proposed revisions to the MFCB
By-Laws!
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BIRTHDAY PEOPLE
APRIL
2 - David Land
13 - Bill Spoone
17 - Bob Snyder
19 - Rachel Bader
29 - Ann Valentini
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