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  #1  
Old 11-23-2015, 10:10 PM
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ebacon ebacon is offline
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The Kitchen Debate for the Blind

I always enjoy learning from you guys. While digesting your writings I learned about The Kitchen Debate. In a nutshell the "debate" was a discussion between world leaders as to how technology in the kitchen can have societal effects in the long term. The debate took place in 1959. Here is a wiki link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitchen_Debate

IMO the debate is a perfect example of how difficult it is for politicians to predict how their votes today will affect their constituents a generation later.

I want to play politician. Here is my experience with The Kitchen Debate as it relates to blind constituents.

While growing up I had two opportunities to intersect with the blind community. The first was in high school. One of the students was blind and she had a leader dog. I don't recall her name, but I recall her because us kids held doors open for her and helped her identify her surroundings. We communicated that way at a minimum.

The second opportunity was in my first neighborhood in Michigan. There was a blind guy named Tony. Us kids, between ages of about ten and eighteen, made sure that one of us walked with Tony every evening after dinner. Talking with Tony was interesting because he brought a different perspective to movies: He listened to them, whereas us seeing kids watched them. Discussing the contrasts between light and sound made memories like healthy food sticks to the ribs.

That was childhood.

Now I want to play adult politician. I have a village to manage. What would I do if I was handed a court decision or a bid proposal that said I had to install talking crosswalk machines to benefit the blind and/or the workers that make the machines.

Honestly? I would fight against the machines. IMO there is more honest work in walking with blind people.

How would you vote with regard to talking crosswalks for the blind?
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Old 11-24-2015, 07:46 AM
MrPots MrPots is offline
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No.

They simply add more noise and confusion to an already noisy and confusing atmosphere.

Have you ever had to sit at a bus stop near one of those things? They'll drive you crazy..... Lord help you if you live near one.
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Old 11-24-2015, 09:03 AM
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barbara barbara is offline
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I don't mind the talking crosswalk. The ones around where I live chirp one tune for north/ south crossing and another chirping tune to cross east/ west. Much safer for the blind and visually impaired.

I think corners should all have curb cuts, too.
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Old 11-24-2015, 09:09 AM
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Boreas Boreas is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MrPots View Post
No.

They simply add more noise and confusion to an already noisy and confusing atmosphere.

Have you ever had to sit at a bus stop near one of those things? They'll drive you crazy..... Lord help you if you live near one.
I've seen someone run down in a crosswalk, knocked out of his shoes and dead when he hit the ground. Now, that's annoying!

As it happens, I live in an area with plenty of "those things" and frequently ride the bus. The infinitesimally small annoyance they can create for some people is more than compensated by the service they perform.

For people who haven't seen one of these things, they're like any other crosswalk signal except that they regularly emit a low beep, or maybe "boop" so that they can be located by the blind. Once pressed, the booping stops and then, when the "WALK" signal is activated, there's a voice indicating that it's safe to cross. Both the beep and the voice are low enough in volume that they're inaudible at any distance beyond say 20 or 30 feet.
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  #5  
Old 11-25-2015, 08:30 AM
MrPots MrPots is offline
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Originally Posted by Boreas View Post
I've seen someone run down in a crosswalk, knocked out of his shoes and dead when he hit the ground. Now, that's annoying!

As it happens, I live in an area with plenty of "those things" and frequently ride the bus. The infinitesimally small annoyance they can create for some people is more than compensated by the service they perform.

For people who haven't seen one of these things, they're like any other crosswalk signal except that they regularly emit a low beep, or maybe "boop" so that they can be located by the blind. Once pressed, the booping stops and then, when the "WALK" signal is activated, there's a voice indicating that it's safe to cross. Both the beep and the voice are low enough in volume that they're inaudible at any distance beyond say 20 or 30 feet.

The ones I'm familiar with yell "wait!" every 10 seconds or so and then "walk!"

Seems like as a society we're insistent on making as much noise and commotion as possible. It's annoying as hell.
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  #6  
Old 11-25-2015, 07:29 PM
sheltiedave sheltiedave is offline
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Maybe they should chant it. like at a religious service, using angelic voices.
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  #7  
Old 11-25-2015, 08:06 PM
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bobabode bobabode is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ebacon View Post
I always enjoy learning from you guys. While digesting your writings I learned about The Kitchen Debate. In a nutshell the "debate" was a discussion between world leaders as to how technology in the kitchen can have societal effects in the long term. The debate took place in 1959. Here is a wiki link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitchen_Debate

IMO the debate is a perfect example of how difficult it is for politicians to predict how their votes today will affect their constituents a generation later.

I want to play politician. Here is my experience with The Kitchen Debate as it relates to blind constituents.

While growing up I had two opportunities to intersect with the blind community. The first was in high school. One of the students was blind and she had a leader dog. I don't recall her name, but I recall her because us kids held doors open for her and helped her identify her surroundings. We communicated that way at a minimum.

The second opportunity was in my first neighborhood in Michigan. There was a blind guy named Tony. Us kids, between ages of about ten and eighteen, made sure that one of us walked with Tony every evening after dinner. Talking with Tony was interesting because he brought a different perspective to movies: He listened to them, whereas us seeing kids watched them. Discussing the contrasts between light and sound made memories like healthy food sticks to the ribs.

That was childhood.

Now I want to play adult politician. I have a village to manage. What would I do if I was handed a court decision or a bid proposal that said I had to install talking crosswalk machines to benefit the blind and/or the workers that make the machines.

Honestly? I would fight against the machines. IMO there is more honest work in walking with blind people.

How would you vote with regard to talking crosswalks for the blind?
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  #8  
Old 11-26-2015, 11:37 AM
MrPots MrPots is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sheltiedave View Post
Maybe they should chant it. like at a religious service, using angelic voices.
How bizarre.....
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