March 20, 2008: Blind Sidewalks

xoxoxoBruce · 03-19-2008, 09:58 PM

Cellarite Kirk Israel, is visiting Japan at the moment, and posting a lot of pictures on his website(The first picture there, may not be safe for work?).

There are many interesting pictures, but I was struck by the pictures of the sidewalk markings for the blind. I stole these two pictures, to show you how they mark the path with straight ribs and intersections with dots.

Uh, thanks Kirk.

Aliantha · 03-19-2008, 10:02 PM

We have those here. They can be a death trap if you're wearing spike heels. We also have noisy walk signals at traffic lights. Do you have those too?

Pearcie (AUS) · 03-20-2008, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aliantha

We have those here. We also have noisy walk signals at traffic lights. Do you have those too?

Not sure where 'here' is Ali but we def have them in Oz. I have one particularly loud signal outside my bedroom window. It's a good 30m away but still keeps me up from time to time. If I were a lighter sleeper I think I would have gone crazy years ago!

deadbeater · 03-22-2008, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aliantha

We have those here. They can be a death trap if you're wearing spike heels. We also have noisy walk signals at traffic lights. Do you have those too?

Noisy, as in VERY loud clicks? Or does it makes some other noise? We get very small clicking noises on our lights in NYC, so the only real noise indicating a light change is the honking of the horns.

HungLikeJesus · 03-19-2008, 10:07 PM

Ah, blind sidewalks. Not those other kind.

Sperlock · 03-19-2008, 10:22 PM

I've seen one of these with the dots and just thought they were for walking on during the icy season.

Happy Monkey · 03-19-2008, 10:41 PM

They put those on some subway stops in DC, at the edge of the tracks. Apparently, if you're not used to them, the way they catch the cane can be startling.

Aliantha · 03-20-2008, 02:41 AM

I'm in Brisbane and I can imagine those noisy things would be very annoying if you were a light sleeper. Glad it's outside your window and not mine.

I haven't seen you around here before that I can remember, so g'day etc. Where abouts are you from?

Sundae · 03-20-2008, 05:14 AM

We have them here (at least the bumpy ones at crossings) and I agree with Ali - it's hell on high heels, especially if a little worse for wear.

On the pavements near Moorfields (big London hospital specialising in sight issues) there are coloured stripes on the pavement (sidewalk) from the Tube station - different stripes lead to different entrances/ departments of the hospital for the partially sighted.

runswithknives · 03-20-2008, 10:50 AM

Yeah, those are far less misleading than the crosswalk's that tell you when to walk.

Cicero · 03-20-2008, 12:00 PM

Great photos!!! Loved them! Now what is Kirk's cellar name? Or is it secret?

Undertoad · 03-20-2008, 12:24 PM

kisrael

beauregaardhooligan · 03-21-2008, 08:41 PM

The raised dots were installed in our city (Greenville, SC) after a local blind woman complained that her seeing eye dog didn't stop at streets where there was no curb. It seems the dog only recognized, and stopped at roads with curbs. The bumps allow her to tell when she is about to cross a street where there is no curb for the dog to recognize.

wolf · 03-21-2008, 10:27 PM

Back in the early 1980s, they redid the sidewalks in town in West Chester, particularly the crossing at Gay and High. For wheelchair access they removed the curbs at the intersections. It was a masterful job, with a very gentle slope to the street.

Unfortunately, blind people never knew when they were crossing the street. I don't know if there were any injuries or near misses, though.

Within a few weeks the brand new crossings were ripped up, and some rough cobblestones were laid in place to mark the edge of the sidewalk and the beginning of possible sudden death. If you've ever tried to cross at Gay and High, you know what I mean.

I believe that Dave Barry (who at the time was a columnist for The Daily Lack o' News) wrote a particularly humorous column about this.

lumberjim · 03-24-2008, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolf

Back in the early 1980s, they redid the sidewalks in town in West Chester, particularly the crossing at Gay and High. For wheelchair access they removed the curbs at the intersections. It was a masterful job, with a very gentle slope to the street.

Unfortunately, blind people never knew when they were crossing the street. I don't know if there were any injuries or near misses, though.

Within a few weeks the brand new crossings were ripped up, and some rough cobblestones were laid in place to mark the edge of the sidewalk and the beginning of possible sudden death. If you've ever tried to cross at Gay and High, you know what I mean.

I believe that Dave Barry (who at the time was a columnist for The Daily Lack o' News) wrote a particularly humorous column about this.

was that the origin of "in West Chester, you go in High, and come out Gay?"

03-19-2008, 09:58 PM	#1
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	March 20, 2008: Blind Sidewalks Cellarite Kirk Israel, is visiting Japan at the moment, and posting a lot of pictures on his website(The first picture there, may not be safe for work?). There are many interesting pictures, but I was struck by the pictures of the sidewalk markings for the blind. I stole these two pictures, to show you how they mark the path with straight ribs and intersections with dots. Uh, thanks Kirk. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

03-19-2008, 10:02 PM	#2
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	We have those here. They can be a death trap if you're wearing spike heels. We also have noisy walk signals at traffic lights. Do you have those too? __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

03-19-2008, 10:07 PM	#5
HungLikeJesus Only looks like a disaster tourist Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: above 7,000 feet Posts: 7,208	Ah, blind sidewalks. Not those other kind. __________________ Keep Your Bodies Off My Lawn SteveDallas's Random Thread Picker.

03-19-2008, 10:22 PM	#6
Sperlock Elite Elitist Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 322	I've seen one of these with the dots and just thought they were for walking on during the icy season. __________________ Every oak tree started out as a couple of nuts who stood their ground. - Anonymous http://informationthreshold.blogspot.com, http://spiritualthreshold.blogspot.com

03-19-2008, 10:41 PM	#7
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	They put those on some subway stops in DC, at the edge of the tracks. Apparently, if you're not used to them, the way they catch the cane can be startling. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

03-20-2008, 02:41 AM	#8
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	I'm in Brisbane and I can imagine those noisy things would be very annoying if you were a light sleeper. Glad it's outside your window and not mine. I haven't seen you around here before that I can remember, so g'day etc. Where abouts are you from? __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

03-20-2008, 05:14 AM	#9
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	We have them here (at least the bumpy ones at crossings) and I agree with Ali - it's hell on high heels, especially if a little worse for wear. On the pavements near Moorfields (big London hospital specialising in sight issues) there are coloured stripes on the pavement (sidewalk) from the Tube station - different stripes lead to different entrances/ departments of the hospital for the partially sighted.

03-20-2008, 10:50 AM	#10
runswithknives syl·la·ble Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Redondo Beach, Ca Posts: 33	Yeah, those are far less misleading than the crosswalk's that tell you when to walk.

03-20-2008, 12:00 PM	#11
Cicero Looking forward to open mic night. Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: New Mexico Posts: 5,148	Great photos!!! Loved them! Now what is Kirk's cellar name? Or is it secret? __________________ Show me a sane man, and I will cure him for you.- Carl Jung

03-20-2008, 12:24 PM	#12
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	kisrael

03-21-2008, 08:41 PM	#13
beauregaardhooligan Elite Elitist Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 323	The raised dots were installed in our city (Greenville, SC) after a local blind woman complained that her seeing eye dog didn't stop at streets where there was no curb. It seems the dog only recognized, and stopped at roads with curbs. The bumps allow her to tell when she is about to cross a street where there is no curb for the dog to recognize.

03-21-2008, 10:27 PM	#14
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	Back in the early 1980s, they redid the sidewalks in town in West Chester, particularly the crossing at Gay and High. For wheelchair access they removed the curbs at the intersections. It was a masterful job, with a very gentle slope to the street. Unfortunately, blind people never knew when they were crossing the street. I don't know if there were any injuries or near misses, though. Within a few weeks the brand new crossings were ripped up, and some rough cobblestones were laid in place to mark the edge of the sidewalk and the beginning of possible sudden death. If you've ever tried to cross at Gay and High, you know what I mean. I believe that Dave Barry (who at the time was a columnist for The Daily Lack o' News) wrote a particularly humorous column about this. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

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