[Blindtlk] Grocery shopping, and transportation questions

Sun Oct 10 01:09:05 UTC 2010

hi, well, it's always a logistical issue, being blind and having to
get stuff done; take it from someone who's lived throughout the world,
sometimes with, sometimes without transit. Anyway, there isn't just
one answer but here are couple of things that have worked for me.  I
like those little carts that fold up. I used to haul laundry in one so
I could herd my kids with one hand, pull the cart with the other, and
swing my cane with the other - oops, that's 3. (jk) I made my kids
hold the cart. The carts are metal, lightweight and easy to maneuver.
I'd place groceries in those bags that are cloth, heavy-duty,
reuseable. Stores are now giving discounts for their use. I agree with
the guy who said "time is money" but I'd think para-transit, often
slow and unreliable can be made to work for us.  Bring a recorded book
or something to write while traveling. I feel lucky to be able to
catch up on writing or reading while wending my way throughout these
villages on my slow way to work.  But, being is a college is a plus.
If you can do the math, figure how much cab fare you'd save and buy
yourself a car. I'm serious; blind people have done this. And hire a
college kids to drive you places; they get money, maybe a trade-off,
and you're using your own vehicle. If you can't swing that purchase,
hire a driver from amongst the ranks of the impoverished college kids
(although they sure have more money now than I ever did), they have
bulletins boards throughout the campus and you can post something
about a job.   If it's too expensive to think of this, work out
something with either cab company or bus company.  Also, tlk to store
mangers about how to manage getting things home.
OK, it's a lot easier giving out advice than living through the
experience, but NFB is the only place i'd go for advice and help.
best of luck.

On 10/10/10, Bryan Schulz <b.schulz at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> the reality of 70% unemployed is that money saved versus extra time spent is
> acceptable.
> lets see you send Kerri significant cab bucks and see if your opinion
> changes.
>
>
> Bryan Schulz
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Steve P. Deeley" <stevep.deeley at insightbb.com>
> To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, October 09, 2010 5:54 PM
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Grocery shopping, and transportation questions
>
>
>> Because you spend a great deal more time on parra-transit.  Time is money!
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Bryan Schulz" <b.schulz at sbcglobal.net>
>> To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Saturday, October 09, 2010 6:37 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Grocery shopping, and transportation questions
>>
>>
>>> if a place is at least a 20 minute drive and by cab would cost about $25
>>> each way and the dor-door or para trans bus is $4, why throw away the
>>> extra
>>> money?
>>>
>>> Bryan Schulz
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Steve P. Deeley" <stevep.deeley at insightbb.com>
>>> To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Saturday, October 09, 2010 5:02 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Grocery shopping, and transportation questions
>>>
>>>
>>>> Get a cab!
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "Kerri Kosten" <kerrik2006 at gmail.com>
>>>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>; "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Friday, October 08, 2010 6:43 PM
>>>> Subject: [Blindtlk] Grocery shopping, and transportation questions
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Hi All:
>>>>>
>>>>> I have some more questions about grocery shopping and transportation.
>>>>> Instead of making two separate posts, I figured I'd just put all my
>>>>> questions in one post...they are somewhat related to each other.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'll start with the grocery shopping questions.
>>>>>
>>>>> In the apartment building I live in, there is no elevator.
>>>>> Unfortunately I live on the third floor, which is up four flights of
>>>>> steps. What is the best way to carry lots of groceries up the steps?
>>>>> Would it be okay, when having lots of groceries to set some of the
>>>>> bags on the floor in the hallway by the door, go up with as much as I
>>>>> can carry, then come back for the rest? Is there any better way to
>>>>> carry groceries than in the plastic bags the grocery bagger puts them
>>>>> in? I've been told about burlap sacks that you can carry on your
>>>>> shoulder...does this reduce the load much? I want to make this as easy
>>>>> as possible.
>>>>>
>>>>> How often do you usually go grocery shopping? When you go, do you just
>>>>> get the things you absolutely need, and keep the load as little as
>>>>> possible or do you usually take advantage of the fact you are at the
>>>>> store and get lots of stuff?
>>>>>
>>>>> My next questions are about transportation. I live in a college town.
>>>>> I guess it's your typical college town. It's big enough to be
>>>>> considered a small city or large town...we have five Krogers, four or
>>>>> more Walmarts...tons of restaurants and bars, two malls...two movie
>>>>> theaters. It isn't a major city though.
>>>>>
>>>>> We do have a bus system but I've never been encouraged to use it. I've
>>>>> just been expected to take cabs everywhere.
>>>>>
>>>>> One of the problems though is that the town is not really a walking
>>>>> town...there are parts of it you can walk in but not very many. When
>>>>> things/places are built, often pedestrian accessibility is left out.
>>>>>
>>>>> There doesn't seem to be any blind people; there is no NFB chapter.
>>>>> So, naturally the majority of the people, including most of the
>>>>> students drive. From what I've read on their website, the bus covers
>>>>> many areas, but usually until only 6 o'clock, unless it's downtown
>>>>> where the students are. I don't live downtown though. Because of this,
>>>>> I find myself having to take cabs almost everywhere. Cabs here are
>>>>> about $5-6 each way. Is this normal for a college town? Is this
>>>>> expensive for a cab?
>>>>>
>>>>> Are my only options to either take the bus when it is available or take
>>>>> cabs?
>>>>>
>>>>> Should I just not worry about the expense and take cabs when and
>>>>> wherever?
>>>>>
>>>>> Is learning to use the bus hard or is it as simple as calling and
>>>>> asking the right questions?
>>>>>
>>>>>>From what I can tell, from where I live, in order to take the bus
>>>>> again since I'm not in the downtown student area I will have to take
>>>>> two buses to get anywhere and it usually takes about two hours. Is
>>>>> this normal for a large town/small city?
>>>>>
>>>>> The closest major city to me is Pittsburgh. There is a bus that goes
>>>>> there twice. In order to take a grayhound bus, or AM track train you
>>>>> have to somehow get to Pittsburgh. Is the bus going twice daily
>>>>> reasonable?
>>>>>
>>>>> For those of you who live in college towns similar to this how do you
>>>>> find a balance between taking cabs, using family and friends, and
>>>>> taking the bus?
>>>>>
>>>>> What is the cost monthly of owning a vehicle compared to taking cabs
>>>>> all the time? I'm sorry to ask this...I've never been told.
>>>>>
>>>>> I guess I am just asking these questions because I want to make sure
>>>>> I'm not getting screwed so to speak. I don't mind taking cabs, but
>>>>> sometimes I feel like I'm just automatically expected to spend the
>>>>> money just because...if you know what I mean by that! I've been told
>>>>> owning a vehicle is several hundreds of dollars a month when the cost
>>>>> of maintaenance, car payments, insurance, and gas is added up but
>>>>> again these have just been from sighted people who don't take cabs. It
>>>>> seems like most other blind people I know don't take cabs unless they
>>>>> absolutely have to and I hate having to do it all the time. In one
>>>>> sense I feel like I'm being told to go ahead, don't worry about it,
>>>>> owning a vehicle is expensive too...but then on the other hand so many
>>>>> blind people don't seem to like doing it. I know each town is
>>>>> different...but if I want to go somewhere and it's after 6 and the bus
>>>>> doesn't go are cabs or family/friends my only options? I've never gone
>>>>> completely broke or run out of money by taking cabs but again...I feel
>>>>> as if I'm getting mixed messages and I want to make sure I'm doing the
>>>>> right/best thing. From where I live you can't walk anywhere as there
>>>>> are several things across the street but it's not actually a street
>>>>> but a major six-lane highway...so walking is out. I'm not married and
>>>>> live alone. Do those of you who live in towns like this find
>>>>> yourselves having to also take cabs more frequently than other blind
>>>>> people? I know my questions seem a little crazy but I thought I'd ask
>>>>> them all in one post.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks so much!
>>>>>
>>>>> Kerri
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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-- 
Kathleen A. Millhoff