[Glutton]

I know the same equipment in Salt Lake drove me nuts whenever I was there. Though it was a surprise to see it was the sight impaired people here who are upset by this.

[MetalMorph]

I'm just curious how they're going to hear the signals over all the other ambient racket that is to be expected in an urban setting. Those beepers would have to be pretty dang loud to make a difference.

[TXBubba]

Guess my question is how will the beep let them know which way is okay to cross? I mean, will the beep say it is okay to cross the street on your left or your right? I don't think giving a directional like North or South would help. What if two blind people are trying to cross intersecting streets at the same time? Which beep should they listen to? Not being blind I can see how all the beeps could drive me mad over time. My car drives me insane half the time because it continues it's alarms even after I put on the seatbelt.

[Cicero]

The main intersection in Montpelier, Vermont, makes a chirping bird noise when the walk signals go on. This article makes me realize it must have been designed for blind people. I thought it was just some kind of typical Vermont eccentricity.

[Vidalia]

Honk, honk!, tires a skiddin', then the awful thumpety thump thump..."Gee, what was that?" "It was the brother and sister protesters you just let off... you put the truck in Reverse..."

[Maximum Leader]

>undercut a blind person's abilities in the eyes of others

Ahh this is the crux of the problem. This is the same argument that "differently abled" activists use to argue against deaf children getting cochlar implants. Anything that helps disabled people out is seen as weakening the group (and naturally the group's self-appointed "leaders").

Frankly, its the same mentality that civil rights welfare hustlers have when conservatives offer solutions to get welfare mothers off the dole and into a job.

[monkeyshine]

Those intersection beeps are annoying! Like the self-check out counter in the grocery store keeps saying "scan your item" over and over, and then "place the item in the bag" over and over -- it's like... OK, I get it now!!!

Here's a novel approach. How about the blind listen for the traffic? When the cars stop moving, they can cross.