July 2008 Issue

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From Alan Downing, Phoenix, AZ:

So there I was minding my own business swilling down beer last July when my Snap-on tools sales rep Erick Gano, who is also one of my best friends, called me on the phone.

He asked, "What are you doing on Labor Day weekend?"

I replied, "Nothing that I can think of at the moment. Why?"

He said, "Good, because I entered you in a demolition derby on September 2nd." He continued, "Are you game?"

I replied, "Hell, yes!"

The demolition derby would be held in Flagstaff, AZ, as part of the annual Coconino County fair. It would be held Sunday afternoon of Labor Day weekend following the main derby and would be for blind drivers only. (By way of background, I lost my sight to bilateral glaucoma at the age of three, and was 56 at the time of these events.) The drivers would wear helmets connected to radios, and each would be directed by a spotter in the pits. The spotters would have a radio and headset tuned to a dedicated frequency matching that of the driver's radio. Erick would be my spotter.

The fellow in Flagstaff who has organized this event for several years called me three or four days later to fill me in on the specifics. I asked about the communication arrangements. He explained that he thought he could borrow helmets from sighted derby participants from the earlier main events. He also claimed that some guy from a local radio shop was supposed to be there to connect the helmets to radios that he would also hopefully provide. I told him not to worry about my gear, as I'd take care of it myself. I suggested that he just worry about the other entrants' needs. I didn't like the sound of what he was saying, and figured this might be an opportunity to gain a competitive advantage over the other drivers. If I had a good performing communication package and they didn't, that could be a real plus for me.

To determine what my helmet communication options were, I called my friend Kay Sedgwick, who owns Performance Radios in Acton, CA. Kay sells and services racing radios and also modifies helmets for NASCAR drivers so that they can communicate with their pit crews.

Basically she installs a miniature noise-cancelling boom mike in the helmet along with various jacks to hook up to earpieces and to the radio as well as to a push-to-talk button that is Velcroed to the steering wheel for easy access. The radio in turn sits in a hardened aluminum and heavily padded case that is securely attached to the car's roll cage.

Now, not wishing for this caper to get overly expensive, I had decided that I wouldn't buy a NASCAR helmet because they cost several thousand dollars apiece. I figured that a motorcycle helmet would be considerably cheaper, perhaps in the neighborhood of $200, work just as well, and therefore represent a more rational option. So I asked Kay if she knew anything about modifying motorcycle helmets to accomplish the same purpose. She indicated that she had modified only a few motorcycle helmets over the years, and that they had been all Arai models. Arai, which I had never heard of, is a maker of high-end motorcycle helmets. One compelling feature of Arai helmets is that they have easily removable snap-in internal padding, which facilitates easy installation of the boom mike and jacks. Many manufacturers incorporate glued-in padding, which is much harder to work with.

After speaking with Kay about the situation, I called around Phoenix and located a motorcycle shop that carried the Arai line. I asked about pricing and availability. They wanted to know what kind of motorcycle I owned and what kind of riding I normally do. I told them I don't own one or ride.

Naturally, they asked me why I wanted an expensive motorcycle helmet. I replied, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you!"

So I went over to the motorcycle shop, where I met a very knowledgeable salesperson named Ashley who helped me with my helmet selection. When she heard my tale, she exclaimed, "Awesome! I want to go there, too!"

Ashley sold me a fancy Arai carbon-fiber and Kevlar model with a clear full-face shield for $800 plus tax. As a back-up, I also picked up a dark-smoked shield at a bargain $60. (When I was a kid, a decent motorcycle didn't cost $800.)

Next, my friend Ken van Leer and I took the helmet over to Acton to have Kay modify it and to make ear moulds for my custom ear pieces. The ear pieces, which were actually produced from moulds in Florida by a hearing aid outfit, along with the necessary wiring harness and connectors, cost another grand or so. I then bought two Motorola HT-1250 UHF walkie-talkies on the Internet for a cool $1,500 plus shipping. To program Motorola radios of this type, it is necessary to have a programming cable to connect the radio to a computer and software to program it. The frequency channels that the radio uses, along with many other parameters, must be programmed. The radio cannot operate without being set up or programmed first. The cable and programming software cost about $450.

Finally, off to Flagstaff Erick, his wife Kristi, their dogs and kids and I went the Friday of Labor Day weekend. About 30 miles south of Flagstaff, we hit a humongous mountain lion on 117. Did I mention that the demolition derby was sponsored by the Lions Club of Flagstaff? We were going about 70 mph in Erick's pickup at the time. We were also towing a 40-foot-long triple-axle toy hauler full of beer, dirt bikes, quads and a Jeep. I suppose that I should have considered this incident to be a bad omen and gone home before something untoward happened. We wasted an hour waiting for the state police to come and take a report.

Five hours after departing Phoenix, mostly due to unspeakable holiday weekend traffic, we arrived in Flagstaff. The usual travel time between Phoenix and Flagstaff is about two hours. I got a really nice hotel room for the three-day weekend that cost me another $600, not including food and beer. I should add in fairness that they gave me a $30 discount for being a member of AAA.

All of our efforts were about to pay off. I figured that we were on a roll. Wrong!

On the day of the event, I was given a real beater, a 1974 Olds Cutlass. The jalopy had a dead battery and wouldn't idle because the red-hot engine had seized up multiple times during several prior heats. I was instructed to keep my right foot planted on the floor full time so that I wouldn't have to worry about the car stalling. Stalling would have meant the end of the game because of the dead battery.

With a flashy Snap-on T-shirt on my back, my "gold plated" helmet on my head, fireproof gloves on my hands, and the radio all hooked up and tested, off I went at full throttle with a Snap-on guy (not Erick) still sitting on the beater's hood. He was on the hood because he had assisted me with buckling in and hooking up the various cables.

Finally, after repeated screams, the spotter got my attention over the communication link. I threw the beast into neutral to allow him to jump off before I killed him. I hit the brakes but the brake pedal joined the gas pedal on the floor--no brakes! He escaped with mere seconds to spare. Though I didn't know it at the time, the crowd thought that it was a real hoot to have the poor guy about to be squashed like a bug. I understand that they were sorely disappointed when he actually bailed.

Off I went again and immediately hit the first guy's car head-on. Since the factory seat belt wasn't sufficient for this kind of activity, I was thrown forward and hit my chest on the steering wheel. I knocked the wind out of myself. Somehow I got back into the action again and hit the next car head-on at full throttle. Sadly, I don't remember anything much about the second impact or what immediately followed.

I don't know how much time elapsed, but I woke up with the paramedics trying to pull me out of the car through the windshield. At the ER, a chest X-ray was taken. After examining the film, the ER doctor came in to tell me to prepare myself to undergo immediate aorta repair surgery. Something apparently looked like a tear on the film to him and to the on-duty radiologist. The doctor also indicated that it would be necessary to immediately perform a high-resolution CT scan to get a better view of things before surgery. The problem was that I am highly allergic to iodine-based contrast dyes of the type used in CT scans.

When I raised the matter with him, he calmly said, "That is too bad, but we need to do it anyway, this is serious business." We settled on a plan of attack to prepare me for the scan with a cocktail of six or seven drugs to limit any eventual allergic reaction. After administering the magic cocktail via IV, I was wheeled into the X-ray room. The ER staff, which included a nurse and several technicians, also joined the party so that they could respond quickly with the crash cart if I went into shock from the dye.

It turned out that my aorta wasn't damaged after all. I only had torn ligaments and tissues as well as cracked ribs. Not bad in the grand scheme of things, I suppose.

The doctor said, "Don't ever do this again, but if you must, please let me know so that I can be there to see it."

I told him that I could have used him at the track this time around. He also advised me to go to a skateboard shop before my next attempt and buy a chest protector and wrist guards.

I said to him, "Don't you have to be high on drugs to go to such stores?"

He chuckled, "Any blind guy that enters a demolition derby must already be high on drugs." He definitely had a point.

It took about four months for my chest to get back to near normal. Originally I couldn't even roll over in bed or breathe without experiencing excruciating pain--and that was with heavy doses of pain meds.

What makes guys do crazy things like this anyway? At least the total cost didn't get out of hand. Right! Now I have perhaps $4,000 invested in a nice helmet and related communications equipment for the next time I try. Funny thing is that this whole adventure sounded much more appealing back in July than it did by mid-September!

It is my intention to enter another derby at some point in the not-too-distant future. However, when I eventually do, we will build the car ourselves and incorporate an appropriate racing harness that will keep me in the seat. A chest protector and wrist guards are also musts. You can bet that the car will have a new battery as well as a motor that will idle and properly operating brakes. The helmet and associated communications gear worked perfectly, so I won't have to worry about that aspect of the plan. I'm thinking that Ashley will want to participate. We have kept in contact since she sold me the helmet. She is very supportive of my interest in doing this sort of thing again.

Done right, it could be a real blast!

From Colleen Roth, Northwood, OH:

I think that residential schools for the blind are appropriate for some blind people for some or all of their schooling. This depends on the schools available in the community, willingness of parents to take an active role in helping their child at home, and the residential school the child will attend. I was blessed with the opportunity to attend Catholic schools in Toledo, except first and sixth grades. My first-grade year was spent in a self-contained class for the blind in a public school. The school for the blind in Columbus was overwhelming and I hated it. I felt that the students did not act appropriately. I went home every weekend. I went there to learn typing in sixth grade. Looking back on that experience, I am glad I went to the school. I made some friends and can now understand the experiences other blind people have had. Each situation needs to be considered when deciding where a child should attend school.

From Laurie Pettis, Fitzgerald, GA:

I am so thankful for my time growing up in a school for the blind. I'm grateful for the musical foundation that Mr. Hayes gave us. Oh, there were times when we had our problems, such as quirky housemothers, some of whom I thought would have made good Dickens characters. I'm glad I stayed as a boarding student because the day students missed all the fun and activities we had at night, including cheerleading, ballet, ballroom dancing and many musical opportunities. I hope we can think of ourselves as a community and a family that we can be thankful for what God gives us.

From Ken Stewart, Warwick, NY:

The Washington Post reporter who authored "Why We Pay Without a Whimper" in the April issue of the Ziegler overlooked a major determinant of how Americans feel about various forms of taxation. I call that the "flag factor," how noticeable the tax is to the payer. His wonderment over the lack of angst every April 15th reveals he does not realize that more than 70 percent of filers get a refund. So, those taxpayers feel good when they receive that check, not being "flagged" to the fact that the refund check is actually Uncle Sam returning money borrowed during the tax year without any interest being paid to the lender, the taxpayer. Similarly, when a sales tax is paid in small increments every day at store cash registers, the flag is down low also. Many states depend heavily on sales tax revenues because it is a form of taxation that is relatively inconspicuous. And, of course, it taxes outsiders more than locals in tourist areas. In contrast, the third major form of state and local taxation has its flag waving high. That large property tax bill arrives once a year, all together and very conspicuous. No surprise property taxes are a favorite Boogey Man for pandering politicians, too. Most taxpayers don't realize that property taxes have two advantages over sales and income taxes. It is the fairest and the cheapest to collect. Sales taxes take the largest proportion of income from the poorest segment of our population. Property taxes hit heavily those who have the greatest property wealth, and it is difficult to hide that wealth. So, there is much less cheating with property taxes than with income taxes. Further, property-tax collection requires much less governmental overhead than those other forms of taxation.

From Don League, Cayce, SC:

I know that most of you don't know Vince Reed. He was a blind piano tuner who also had a wood shop in Greenville, SC. I got to know him during the last few years of his life, and I'm thankful for his friendship. He is already missed; he went to be with the Lord April 29th at age 83. Vince is originally from Pennsylvania. Some people with Internet access might enjoy seeing a cinema project about Vince by a Bob Jones University student. This film, which was shown at Vince's funeral, was shot in the late '80s or early '90s. Visit www.shotbyhunter.com/tours/VinceReed/.

From Mike Lantz, Miami Beach, FL:

I have a lot to say about Joybubbles, who I knew since Tropical Elementary School in Miami, FL. As time went on, we kind of drifted apart, but then I spoke to him a few years ago when he was running the phone number for Glen Houser's World of Radio in Oklahoma. Joe--his given name--would call me up and play legendary 93KHA from Los Angeles back when they were a Top 40 radio station. I always wondered how he did that unique and creative stuff over the phone. Joe was very good in math, and he loved working with numbers and with phones back when he was a small child.
In response to Steven Webb in Arizona, Joe had a brilliant mind and he was trying to reach out. Unfortunately, I think a lot of people just did not understand or did not want to relate to him. He might not have done the right thing with the phone companies, but at that time it was a whole different thing that he invented, and lots of people were intrigued with his ideas and what he had to say. He was just trying to be creative in his own way. I once asked him how he came up with Joybubbles. He said he liked telling stories to little kids, and joy and bubbles made him feel good. I think he was trying to bring out the little kid in himself. I will always miss him and wish I got to know him better.
In response to Ayn Apelman: I appreciate where she is coming from about this whole situation and that she does feel remorse. I think it's kind of sad that blind people tend to say if one blind person does one thing one way, and lots of people can't accept the way something is being done, then that person is ruining it for every other blind person. I think that blind people have to realize that there are different ways of doing things. Unfortunately, too many blind people criticize each other when they don't know what another blind person is doing. It's important to learn from and help each other. Joybubbles had lots of problems and needed lots of help, but society did not understand him. He had a lot going for him--including a very creative mind--even though he may have used it incorrectly. I'm not going to judge him, and I'll always remember him very well.

From Gwen Beavers, Charlottesville, VA:

Are you aware that the National Federation of the Blind got a bill passed by Congress to allow us to have a coin minted commemorating Louis Braille's 200th birthday? We are getting a $4 million grant from the government, and then we must raise $4 million more in matching funds. This money should be raised by the sale of these coins. These funds are to be used for the promotion of braille. The remainder not sold will be melted down Dec. 31, 2009.

From Katrina Wright, Atlanta, GA:

I would like to get some feedback on a couple of things. First, I've been noticing lately that many blind people employed by disability and other social-service agencies keep their jobs seemingly forever. Unfortunately, some of those in that situation remain employed long after losing touch with the people they are supposed to help. I think that there should be a time limit on how long people can work in certain places--especially if they are disabled. The reality is that jobs are hard to come by. Why should one disabled person whose fitness for his job is declining get to clog the same channels many others might be much more suited for? Those of us who are young and disabled, for example, need experience and might bring more to the table than the person who has been somewhere for 20 years and feels like he or she has nothing more to prove.

Second, in light of recent national media coverage of alleged police misconduct, I wonder what criteria must be met in order to become a law-enforcement officer. I had to undergo all kinds of sometimes invasive and unnecessary tests in order to qualify for state vocational rehabilitation services. It seems to me that potential police officers don't have it nearly so tough. If they did, perhaps some of the bad apples among them would be rooted out before getting the chance to abuse their authority. If the standards can't be higher, what does that say about us?

The last thing I wanted to touch upon briefly is something I've noticed in Pen Pals lately: a tendency to seek out connections specifically with people from Westernized places. It bothers me a little because I don't think companionship possibilities should be limited. I challenge all Ziegler readers to work on being more open. One should never turn away from people who live differently or have more soul than stuff to offer. We, after all, owe each other the same courtesies we often insist others owe us.

From Amelia Skipper, Fayetteville, NC:

Thank you to the editor for his very interesting and informative letters each month. I certainly never realized that there are so many agencies and groups involved in bringing literature and information to blind and visually impaired folks. I enjoy the magazine as a whole and always look forward to its coming to my door. I found the article in March about the most unwanted inventions humorous and thought-provoking. It set me to think about the inventions I appreciate most, as well as those I feel I could do without. For instance, having learned braille as a first-grader at the school for the blind at Bathgate, ND, I have found many uses for it. Being a medical transcriptionist for many years in a hospital, I made my own dictionary. Also, I have taught braille to newly blinded persons and have transcribed into braille assignments of blind students attending public school. Working with braille has been a great joy to me.

Now, concerning inventions that to me seem counterproductive, mention is made of the saddle stylus. Also, the points on some of the newer styluses don't make very good dots. Mention might also be made of some of the slates that can be purchased from our aids and appliances catalogues (with the prong on the upper half pointing down). These do not offer a good way of getting the paper in because there is no guideline like those in the older slates where the prong points upward.

From Jay Williams, Marietta, GA:

My hobby is collecting and resuscitating old manual typewriters. A collector friend sent me a fabulous link to a description of the kleidograph, built in 1894, for embossing New York Point. His Web site gives a fairly detailed description of this machine. If any of you has one hidden away somewhere, either hang on to it or ship it to me. These are mighty rare machines. The link is www.antiquetypewriters.com/collection/index-kleidograph.htm.

From John Barros, Corcoran, CA:

Thanks to Ziegler readers for their great response to my request for help in the February issue. I would like to thank everyone for making it possible for me to continue to bring art to the disabled and elderly here in my world.