The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for content, style and space available. Opinions expressed are those of the authors, not those of the American Council of the Blind, its staff or elected officials. “The Braille Forum” cannot be responsible for the opinions expressed herein. We will not print letters unless you sign your name and give us your address.
General comments on the Forum
I just got my issue of “The Braille Forum.” First off, I like the information about workshops. I work at the Virginia Industries for the Blind in Charlottesville, Va. I’ve worked there since I was 21; I'm now 35 years old. I chose it because, along with blindness, I have some brain damage which caused a hearing disability. Also, I wanted to be with other people who had disabilities.
I’ve had good jobs over the years. ... I did the bagging, learned to pack and renovate mattresses, then folded sweatshirts that we made for the Army. I did the other [work] on the assembly line that didn’t call for a sewing machine. I’m well liked as a co-worker. I don’t think money is everything. It’s all in a day’s work. I finish tasks on time or ahead ... then go home knowing I have earned my pay and given something to the world.
Another thing, the story about glaucoma: the doctor found out I have glaucoma. I learned a little about glaucoma. It was helpful.
— Annette E. Lockington, Charlottesville, Va.
Regarding today’s traffic
To the Editor,
In recent days the ACB-L e-mail list has seen many messages regarding a tragic automobile accident in which a blind pedestrian was critically injured and later died. I was saddened by the event, but I was also disturbed at many of the responses I read on the list. Many immediately concluded that the driver was at fault, stating that the law requires a driver to stop when a blind person approaches. In theory, such a law is great, but there are often situations where something happens so fast that the driver is unable to react in time, in spite of all due caution and skill. There may have been many other factors involved in this tragic accident; a poorly designed intersection, weather, bright sunlight that impeded the driver’s vision, or the woman or her guide dog may have made a bad decision that caused the event.
Some said officials are all too quick to side with the driver, as evidenced by findings in a large number of accidents involving blind people over the past several years. The fact that far too many blind people have been struck and killed by autos in the past 5 years does not necessarily imply that the drivers were at fault. There is more traffic in our major cities than ever before, and there are more accidents involving pedestrians. Anyone who has been driving for years will tell you that it is more difficult and dangerous today than in the past.
We who are blind are more likely to be active and take calculated risks today than in the past. We go to school, work, and do other things that require us to cross streets, sometimes taking our lives in our hands. I have been a dog user, and I traveled with a cane in Pittsburgh for 18 years. I was a competent and careful traveler, but I still had some close calls that I’m aware of, and perhaps some very close calls that I don’t even want to know about. Most of them had nothing to do with driver error. In fact, if it were not for skilled drivers, some of my close calls would probably have gotten me killed. They happened because of wind, noise, my lapses in concentration, construction, ice and snow, or sometimes just due to a misjudgment on my part. The plain truth is that traveling without sight is risky, and increased traffic and congestion are not helping matters.
Yes, there are bad and careless drivers out there, but let’s not waste the emotional energy aroused by this recent accident by simply blaming the driver prior to any investigation or strong evidence. Instead, I urge all of us to funnel the energy created by our anger and sadness into work on things we may have the power to change. Are improvements needed in guide dog and cane travel techniques currently being taught? Do we need more audible pedestrian signals? Do intersections need to be evaluated for safety in view of increased traffic? Do new tools need to be developed to minimize risk to our safety? Do drivers need to be taught more effective safety skills? The answer to all of these is yes, and each of us can do our part to promote change.
If the driver in this incident was at fault, then I hope he or she is found guilty and appropriately prosecuted. We human beings are prone to make mistakes, and a simple error in driving, such as concentrating on passing traffic on the left while forgetting for just an instant to look to the right, could result in someone’s death. Driver, if you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol or if you were somehow otherwise blatantly negligent, then I hope you go to jail. On the other hand, if you were not at fault, or if you simply made a small human error that, due to random chance, caused this horrible occurrence, then I urge you to forgive yourself and join us in our efforts to promote change that will result in safer travel for people who are blind. I also urge you to forgive us for making you an undeserved lightning rod for our emotions.
— Jerry Berrier, Shrewsbury, Mass.
Regarding a previous letter to the editor
Dear Editor,
I am canceling my subscription to “The Braille Forum” because I am so upset by your decision to publish Bud Keith’s letter. I believe that Keith owes ACB a public apology for inappropriately airing matters which should, at best, be reserved for private conversations. He should examine his own backyard instead of trying to point fingers publicly. Comments about how someone looks or dresses should not be for public consumption. Issues of personal appearance should be quietly and diplomatically discussed. If he has particular people in mind, he owes those people, and ACB, the courtesy of bringing up such matters in private conversation.
— Jack Hogarth, Denver, Colo.