“Alleviate anxiety of unfamiliar places, more confidence, more self-esteem,
independence, enhance my ability to function at maximum, safer travel,
reduce my family's fear & anxiety.”
Comments were parsed and sorted based on naturally occurring categories
(for this breakdown, see APPENDIX 21 : Categorization of RIAS Affect
on Travel Behavior ).
Table 4. 7
Effect of RIAS on Perceived Travel Behavior
“If Talking Signs (R) were installed citywide on transit,
intersections, signs and buildings, how would they affect your travel?”
|
Category
|
30 subjects
|
|
Improves mental state
|
46
|
|
More efficient travel
|
32
|
|
Travel more often
|
22
|
|
Increases independence
|
20
|
|
Travel to more places
|
20
|
|
Increases spatial orientation
|
12
|
The 30 subjects made a total of 46 comments that were categorized as
“improves mental state.” Little research has been done on the
affect of mental attitude on travel for the blind. The present
research shows that this is a very strong deterrent to independent living
and also strongly supports the installation of RIAS to reduce stress
and cognitive overload for the vision-impaired user. Thirteen
people used the word “confident” to describe how they felt when using
the system. This shows that regular methods of travel for this
group contribute to a lack of confidence that can lead to avoiding trips
and denying access to urban situations. Safety, security, and feelings
of self-esteem were also mentioned many times.
Other comments dealt with feelings of a lack of fear, frustration, anxiety,
stress, and inhibitions to travel. One subject said “would have
more fun,” and another said RIAS “would make travel much more interesting.”
Another person mentioned that the system would “reduce my family's
fear & anxiety,” and another said that travel with RIAS was “not
boring.” Many subjects mentioned to the researcher how wonderful
it was to experience this relaxation in their mental tasks and attitudes.
Having this much effect on peoples’ attitude shows the power of
added environmental cues, and allows insight into the daily life of this
population.
Another 20 comments were made that specified “increased independence.”
The words ‘independent’ or ‘independence’ were used 12 times,
four people said they “didn’t have to ask,” and four more mentioned they
didn’t have to rely on others or sighted guides, need assistance, or
“gave me freedom.”
A category called “more efficient travel” had 32 responses.
There were many comments that reflected that RIAS reduced travel times and
made tasks easier or simpler and more “efficient.” Comments were
made to the effect that they didn’t have to remember so much detail and
on how the system gave them access to information; one person said “get
info in timely fashion,” and another reported, “learn city faster.”
One person said, “wouldn't hesitate to travel.” These comments
show the hesitation and extra work involved in blind navigation.
Even the most independent of blind travelers has to do much pre-planning
to effectively travel in new environments. Even more time-consuming
is the fact that they also might have to practice a trip before attempting
it to arrive at the desired time. People made comments on this
aspect by saying, “wouldn't be late so often,” “wouldn't have to preplan
as much,” “wouldn't have to practice before going,” and from a
blind salesman who made many house calls to new locations, “travel time
cut in half.” These 32 comments on how RIAS makes travel efficient
show how the addition of identity and direction cues affects their daily
life. They also draw attention to travel as it exists today; that
it is not efficient and wastes much time and energy, and that accommodations
still need to be made to increase access.
A previous section reported on subjects’ trip making behavior, and the
effects of additional cues were also validated in this question; 22 comments
were made to the effect that they would “travel more often.”
Subjects used the word “more” 18 times, indicating how RIAS would affect
their travel. One teacher said “I could be an example for my students
to travel more.” Several others mentioned how travel would be “more
spontaneous,” which indicates they would travel more. Another
subject said “makes me want to go out much more,” and another said “increase
desire to travel.” These data leave little doubt that vision impairment
restricts travel and that auditory spatial cues can greatly help overcome
this impedance. How better to achieve the goals of the ADA than
by actually making it possible for people to travel more and thereby
have more equal access to all that life and the urban environment has
to offer?
In addition to those 22 who said they would travel more often, another
20 made comments that were categorized as “travel to more places.”
They mentioned things like “broaden my horizons” and “could comparison
shop,” in addition to many general comments about “more places” and new
or unfamiliar places. One subject said “could go to 20-30 more
places per year.” The effect of RIAS on employment was also mentioned
here. One person said “could get jobs in wider area,” and another
said “more options for jobs and housing.” Others indicated that
their activity space would be “larger” or “wider,” and that they could
“make more complicated trips” and would be “willing to use multiple modes
of transit.”
Another 12 comments were made that were categorized as “increase spatial
orientation.” They mentioned how it helped them know where they
were, added certainty to their awareness, and would help them from getting
lost, or, if lost, to know how and where to go.
4.4.3. Summary of Subject’s Comments on the
Effects of RIAS
In Chapter 3, evidence of what respondents said in three open-ended questions
about their perception on how the addition of information and directional
cues would affect their travel during three specific travel tasks: street
crossings, navigating a transit terminal, and making mode transfers was
presented. This chapter reported on perceptions of how these cues
would affect their travel in general. Their responses to these
four questions fall into three major categories: positive comments
on use at specific tasks and locations, positive attitudes about
how RIAS affects trip behavior, and comments about a perceived
improved mental state attributed to the use of these additional environmental
cues and information. The summary, Table 4.8 , enables one to
see how strongly people with vision impairments feel about limits to
access that they face whenever they attempt a trip. In addition,
their positive comments give strong support to the belief that the environment
itself causes many of these problems and that the addition of environmental
cues, such as information, location identity, and direction, can overcome
current limitations to access caused by lack of vision. The large
number of responses in each of these three categories identifies potential
problems and concerns facing independent blind travelers and their access
to the built environment.
Table 4. 8 Summary of Comments from
Four Open-Ended Questions
| |
Street
|
Terminal
|
Transfers
|
Affect Travel
|
Total
|
|
Tasks and Locations
|
127
|
100
|
90
|
12
|
329
|
|
Mental Attitude
|
9
|
77
|
51
|
66
|
203
|
|
Trip Behavior
|
10
|
0
|
35
|
74
|
119
|
|
Total
|
146
|
177
|
176
|
152
|
651
|
Consider the following points when examining this summary: