[Blindtlk] Inferiority complexwithdisabilityvsnondisabledsociety

Dewey Bradley dewey.bradley at att.net
Tue Jun 8 03:00:45 UTC 2010 

I don't have any travel problems, I was just saying that some intersections 
are hard.
I got my skills from the CCB from other blind folks that do it them selves 
everyday.
I have to go around my whole city, I train people on the bus my self, I have 
to cross a 5 lane highway a block away, it has a light, but you have to 
really hall your butt across it, but I do it.
And yes if I can find a better crossing, then I do use it.
but the whole point is that they are hard crossings out there
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Evans" <drevans at bellsouth.net>
To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, June 07, 2010 8:26 AM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Inferiority 
complexwithdisabilityvsnondisabledsociety


> 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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