[Blindtlk] Inferiority complexwithdisabilityvsnondisabledsociety

Mon Jun 7 13:26:28 UTC 2010

Dear Duey and All,
Crossing streets is just about the scariest thing we have to do as a Blind 
person.  It is hard, no matter what the size of the street and no matter 
what the traffic level is.
I try to follow the path of lease resistance.  I think about my routes and 
if a crossing is very busy, and there is another crossing nearby that is 
less busy, that will get me across and takes me in the general direction I 
want to go, I use it.
I have some crazy crossings I have to deal with on occasion.
I deal with "round-a-bouts" and a tough intersection where 5 streets come 
together on Federal Highway in east Boca Raton.  There are lights, but 
understanding who moves when , in what order and who can and is turning is 
really tricky, but I do it.
I know the fear that every blind traveler has as I have been hit twice, in 
the distant past.  Both times were from behind, were hit and run and drivers 
were never caught.
Both times were when I was riding a bike, along the edge of the road and 
once was when I had my daughter, age 3 and the time, in a baby seat on the 
back.  I got hurt both times, but not too bad.
I did not even carry a white cane in those days and was still driving a car.

I made no mistakes but the drivers did big time and I am just lucky it was 
not worst.  I still have the mirror that I snapped off the van that hit me 
and my daughter 27 years ago.
I travel because I have to to live my life, which now includes teaching 
travel training to use Public Transportation in the West Palm Beach area.  I 
access, evaluate and recommend what forms of transit a disabled or elderly 
person should use and then teach them how to use it.  This includes 
Para-transit, fixed route bus and our commuter rail service Tri-Rail and 
even Metro-Rail in Miami.
I have used a long White Cane for some 25 years and have just recently 
switched to using a guide dog named Jack from Southeast Guide Dogs.
Jack is my first guide dog and travel with him is different than it was with 
my cane.
I still use my cane some as I don't want my cane skills to get rusty.
I can still use my cane to go everywhere, but Jack does provide a bit of 
grace, speed and dash that I did not have with my cane any longer.
My vision has really gone now and is no longer any help to me at all.  Jack 
has filled the void as he can recognize doors, elevators, escalators, steps 
and stairs, find the appliances in a restroom, and he can follow a person I 
tell him too, like in a crowded restaurant.
He has some advantages and disadvantages.
He is like carrying a suitcase around with me.  I have to find a good place 
to park him everywhere I go.  Some people don't like dogs and the hair they 
drop and some are even afraid of them.
I have learned that I must except his limitations just as much as I had to 
except the limitation of my cane and just deal with them as best as I can.
I love Jack and it is great to travel with him and always have someone to 
talk to and share the fun with.
He is a real "chick magnet" as all of the pretty women just have to come 
over and tell me how gorgeous he is.  I never have to seek out help anymore 
and people are just drawn to us like magic.
I hope that if you are having travel difficulties that you will get some 
training and try to get the best you can.  Your NFB brothers and sisters are 
a great source of information and support for this.
No one should just stay at home m rust and die for lack of the ability to 
travel.
Go out and show the World that we can be a part of it.

David Evans, NFBF and GD Jack.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dewey Bradley" <dewey.bradley at att.net>
To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, June 06, 2010 11:41 PM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Inferiority 
complexwithdisabilityvsnondisabledsociety

> Some intersections really are hard to cross, I am a very good traveler, 
> and
> some times I have trouble with some of them, some times there are just 
> hard
> to do, they may or may not be true in her case.
> And drivers are getting very bad anymore, they are always texting and crap
> like that, and when you have kids, you have to really watch it.
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "David Evans" <drevans at bellsouth.net>
> To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, June 06, 2010 7:45 PM
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Inferiority complex
> withdisabilityvsnondisabledsociety
>
>
>>
>> Dear Mary,
>>
>> I must say that you need some basic O and M instruction in street
>> crossing.
>> As for get a light installed, you need to keep after the traffic
>> department and also your city or County Commissioner as this is a safety
>> issue.
>> Do you use a Long White Cane?  If so where did you go for training.
>> You should contact your State's Division of Blind Services and they will
>> pay for it and other rehab training you need.
>> Don't let the world pass you by.  Time is wasting.
>> Your State's DBS can send you to a training center or even send someone 
>> to
>> your home to help train you to get across that street and allot more.
>> Good luck sweetie!
>>
>> David Evans, NFBF and GD Jack.
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Mari Hunziker" <marihunziker at gmail.com>
>> To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, June 06, 2010 12:43 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Inferiority complex with
>> disabilityvsnondisabledsociety
>>
>>
>>> Gary, I haven't had the STRENGTH to respond to Peter's message. I too,
>>> have
>>> suffered greatly. I used to receive transportation services here in my
>>> city
>>> but a few years ago they built a Park & Ride several miles away. And
>>> because
>>> of it I am no longer in the ADA service area. I have become a burden to
>>> friends, family, and my husband. My kids and I are trapped in our home,
>>> until some generous sameritan drives us to the store, the park, etc. I'm
>>> not
>>> even able to cross the street across from my subdivision. I have
>>> contacted,
>>> TXDOT, Travis County, and the city to have them install safe pedestrian
>>> crossings. They have not taken any action yet. I also was on a committee
>>> to
>>> purchase new park playground equipment for the park near my home. The
>>> board
>>> of my HOA said it would be in by April. It is now June and they still
>>> haven't put any playground equipment in at the park. It makes me sad,
>>> because I do not drive, obviously since I am legally blind. I want to
>>> make a
>>> difference in the world but sometimes feel like Peter, inferior to my
>>> circumstances and environment. It is very frustrating. I want so hard to
>>> be
>>> independent but where I live it is impossible to get anywhere
>>> independently.
>>> I however, am proud of the fact that I can walk to my son's school, to
>>> the
>>> DQ and Taco Bell and Walgreens near the school as well as a few other
>>> places
>>> like the Post Office that are on the same side of the street that my 
>>> home
>>> is
>>> on. How do I get the local governments and other organizations willing 
>>> to
>>> make accommodations so that I may become an independent patron of the
>>> establishments across the street from my subdivision? Oh and by the way,
>>> cabs/taxi's are extremely expensive to call on just to get across the
>>> street. Please help!  Please give me some advise.
>>> Thank you,
>>> Mari
>>>
>>> On Fri, Jun 4, 2010 at 8:21 AM, Gary Wunder <gwunder at earthlink.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Peter, I disagree with your characterization of the notes written to 
>>>> you
>>>> as
>>>> arrogant or conservative.  No one has told you to just go do it
>>>> yourself.
>>>>  People have put their hearts into words for you and in thanks for that
>>>> you
>>>> have told us what a small list we make up and how small minded we are.
>>>>
>>>> Julie wrote to you a wonderfully constructive message.  The same is 
>>>> true
>>>> of
>>>> Steve and Dave and others.  You have to decide whether you are content
>>>> being
>>>> angry and figure out how to channel your anger into something positive.
>>>> If
>>>> you need help convincing Alabama rehab to send you to a Center, we can
>>>> try
>>>> to help.  We can't promise results, but we can promise our best 
>>>> efforts.
>>>>
>>>> If your area has no chapter, then we need you more than ever because
>>>> there
>>>> is hope the NFB isn't offering which you can bring if you will.  If you
>>>> have
>>>> suffered more than most of us, then perhaps you will have more
>>>> compassion
>>>> than we for people who really need you.  Your inspiration may inspire
>>>> them,
>>>> your perseverance may give them strength, and your willingness to give
>>>> some
>>>> of yourself to them will make all of us better.  Are you interested in
>>>> talking about problems and solutions or in just putting us down for
>>>> extending ourselves to you?
>>>>
>>>> Gary
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> blindtlk mailing list
>>>> blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>> blindtlk:
>>>>
>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/marihunziker%40gmail.com
>>>>
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>>
>>
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>>
>>
>>
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>
>
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