Too Quiet Quiet Cars

The following story appeared on KSL channel 5 on the issue of Quiet Cars... click HERE for the story.

First, I must say that KSL did a great job with this story! However, I encourage you to go to the website and check out the public comments section of the story...

I am truly OUTRAGED, DISGUSTED, FURIOUS, SADDENED and COMPLETELY DISAPPOINTED with some people right now! MANY of the comments made on KSL.com are mis-informed, cruel and downright DIS-RESPECTFUL to blind people in general. To say I was SHOCKED at how un-educated people really are would be an understatement!

Here are but a few of the worst of the worst (these are word-for-word, nothing taken out of context) comments posted on KSL.com. My personal comments to each are in another color below...mind you it took a lot for me to keep this "reader friend" (don't worry it's rated PG).

"Any sound you hear required power to create the sound. So this is a waste of energy.
How about PEOPLE LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE THEY CROSS THE STREET???"
-Looking both ways before you cross the street isn't a problem...UNLESS YOU'RE BLIND (idiot)

"Blind people should not be crossing busy streets unaided; I'm sorry they're blind, life sucks but this is why it's called a "disability"."

-I personally REFUSE to hire a personal walking guide to go with me everywhere...my life also far from sucks...sorry yours does!"

"The problem is that if we said that about every group with some disability and every task they wanted to do, we'd never get anything done. No, in this case the number of blind people crossing roads is pretty small, so rather than make a lot of people spend extra money and deal with extra noise ALL the time for something that might happen every few months at most would be unreasonable. How about if we place the burden of being equipped on the disabled person instead. I mean, if they want to be able to walk unaided across streets, shouldn't they be responsible for any additional inconveniences for it? When I want to do something I don't expect everyone to bend over backwards for me, and I would expect the same courtesy from others."

-First off, there a lot more than "a few" blind people crossing streets everyday. Second, it is blind people's responsibility to receive good training and be confident traveler's, but all the training in the world can't help me hear a car that is SILENT. Third, I have NEVER asked the environment to be adapted for me, ever, but a silent car is NOT something I can just adapt to, it's impossible to hear!" Fourth, adding a small source of sound to a Hybrid car would not be that expensive, truly.

" I understand that some people have had a close call...but seriously, how many people have had close calls with regular cars/trucks that snuck up on them? SOUNDS LIKE PRIUS ENVY TO ME!!!!"

-Prius envy, totally, I'm so wanting one of those cars for my won...blind people are just jealous!

"Don't our crosswalks beep for the blind people?"

-Crosswalks "beep" in some places, only highly populated areas, so in other areas you cross when it's quiet...see the problem!?!

"Please, auto makers, keep your cars as quiet as possible. Deaf people can't hear your cars, blind and deaf people can't hear your cars, don't make them louder and more annoying to everyone just so blind-only people can hear them better. Look at the larger picture. "

-Don't worry about us blind people, it's no big deal if it's just a "few" of us who get killed!"

MY FAVORITES:

"Bumper suits for the Blind... and I would give them a good crash-helmet too!
-I got my bubble wrap all ready to go for tomorrow!

"I personally don't think blind people should be driving, and the deaf will not hear it either way"

-Finally, one I agree with, blind people should indeed not be driving, especially a quiet car!!

"Well, at least we know that you can have fun creeping up on the blind at 3 MPH. "

-Get a life!!

"I got the lesson in Kindergarten. Look Left, then right, then left. Then cross. If you're so stupid you can't LOOK for cars around you then you have more serious problems then getting hit by a quiet car. And the blind should be using crosswalks or have a partner."

-Let's see who has the serious problem, asking blind people to look left and right, please go get help!

"Part of being disabled is to accept the limitations that go along with the disability and quit expecting to jack up the cost of everything in society to solve a problem with little return. We can't keep re-inventing everything to satisfy a tiny group of individuals. "

-Limitations I can except but as far as little return, I think my life is more than a LITTLE return. We're also not asking anyone to re-invent anything...Hybrids are great, we're only asking for a small thing.

"Gosh- there are thousands of deaf people who are still alive because they look both ways and always sure that the car is going to stop at the crosswalk before venturing across. Why don't you guys learn how to be deaf and use your eyes to watch for traffic? Forget the ears/hearing.... and learn to use your eyes! If that doesn't work, then you need to have your eyes checked!"

-GENIUS! If I would have only thought of that, just use my eyes, what was I thinking make this so complicated!

Is there a place to nominate the world's DUMBEST people anywhere? I have some nominee's!