Chapter 10: International Practice
Summary
The information in this chapter is based primarily on visits made by Janet Barlow and Billie Louise Bentzen during 2001 to four countries whose use of APS has been long term, extensive, systematic, and positively accepted by blind pedestrians and traffic engineers.
Many other countries have a long history of using Accessible Pedestrian Signals. This chapter is not an attempt to review all international experience.
Information gathered
During trips to Japan, Sweden, Australia, and Denmark, the authors met with traffic engineers, orientation and mobility specialists, APS manufacturers and representatives of consumer groups to discuss accessible pedestrian signals. Installations were observed and photographed. At times Barlow and Bentzen, both of whom have unimpaired vision, traveled under blindfold and crossed unfamiliar intersections using typical orientation and mobility techniques and the accessible signals.
Chapter contents
This chapter summarizes information gathered during visits to the following countries: