My perspective: Buses and buses

There are buses and then there are buses and for someone who is vision-impaired, I need to keep this in mind whenever I travel.

The city buses are usually a bit narrow with front and back doors for entering and exiting.  The seats in my city are comfortable enough but there are some that face forward, others that face backward, single seats, bench seats, and then double seats.  Then there are the poles for you to hang on to on those crowded days.  Winter travel on these buses is made comfortable and bearable with adequate heating but in the summer the windows need to be opened to let in the fresh air.  There is no air conditioning.

Then there are those buses that travel between cities: from city to city or even province to province.  These are the more comfortable ones because of the length of their trips.  They are equipped with bathrooms at the back of the bus and very comfortable seats.  In the winter they are well heated and during the summer they are adequately air conditioned.  No worries about not being able to find a seat.

These buses are clean, comfortable, and well maintained, just like the city buses.  What is the difference between the two types of buses. you may be asking?

You never have to fight for a seat on the buses that take you from city to city or from province to province.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day. 

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts! www.takeanother5.com

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Waiting on the bus

Well, I have to tell you that waiting on the bus is really no different for me than it is for a sighted person. Whereas a sighted person can see the bus coming, I merely depend on my sense of hearing. There was a time when I could see the bus approaching at close quarters, but no more.

Now I listen for its approach and when it stops I follow other passengers to the door. I use my cane to help me find the door and then I climb aboard along with my fellow passengers. Very often, I receive help from any one of my fellow passengers. Most bus drivers are extremely helpful and they call out the stops as the bus travels and stops. I normally ask them to tell me when they get to my stop and they are always happy to oblige.

In Toronto, there is legislation to ensure that bus stops are announced so all of this helps. I love traveling by bus.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and asking you to go out there and share my words with others. Visit www.nfb.org to learn more.

Which Subway Stop Am I At?

For those with vision, it is not an issue for them to know which stop they are at when traveling on the bus or subway, but for me it is. If I travel by train there is no problem because the conductor announces each stop. Up until a year ago, blind and visually-impaired persons living in Toronto had to depend on several techniques to tell them where they were when traveling by bus or subway but since then -- thanks to the hard and tireless advocacy of David Lepovsky, a blind lawyer -- this has changed.

David had to lobby for over 10 years in order to get the Toronto Transit Commission to implement a system whereby stops along bus and subway routes would be announced. The TTC spent hundreds of thousands of dollars fighting against, David but in the end they lost their case and David prevailed. This case should never have gone this far but I guess the TTC was determined to be stubborn. David prevailed against Goliath.

So, how do blind and visually-impaired persons overcome the challenge of knowing which stop is the correct one for them?

They can count the stops as they travel along. On the subway it is easier as the subway always stops at preset locations, but for a bus it is different because the driver does not always stop at the same location. If there is no one standing at a pre-designated bus stop as the bus approaches, the driver often drives by and moves on to the next stop. If this occurs, it is then difficult for a person without vision to know if a stop has been bypassed or not. Before David won his case, some bus drivers used to announce the stops but those without vision could not always depend on the driver to announce the stops.

Within the last few years, there have been some exciting breakthroughs in the form of talking GPS gadgets for blind and visually-impaired persons. However, they are not cheap and most blind and visually-impaired persons are unable to afford them. There are two specific ones that I am personally aware of and these can help a blind person to plot their route and familiarize themselves with their immediate surroundings. Blind and visually-impaired persons can use these devices to make traveling easier and more enjoyable and they can also become more independent as well. You can learn more about these exciting devices by visiting www.humanware.com.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your accessibility and special needs business consultant wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and spread the word that blind and visually-impaired persons can and do travel around on their own.