[Blindtlk] Grocery shopping, and transportation questions

Gary Wunder GWunder at earthlink.net
Mon Oct 18 14:20:22 UTC 2010 

Hello Mari. I use all kinds of reading devices. Probably my favorite is a no
longer available item called a BookPort. It is probably not the device of
choice for most people nowadays because it has several disadvantages. One is
that it has no speaker. You must use a set of earbuds or some kind of
headphone with it. The second is that it does not play audio books nearly as
well as many of the new players. Instead, it excels at playing books which
have been scanned or typed into the computer. If you like good synthesized
speech and don't mind reading books in this format, then the BookPort is for
you. I like the Victor Reader Stream very much, and I also use the BookSense
Buddy. A friend of mine named Curtis Chong has almost every audio player
made for blind people. I asked him what I thought was a quite reasonable
question, that being which device is your favorite. He couldn't really give
me an answer, because as he pointed out, each device has their own pluses
and minuses, and it all depends on what he wants to do with them. I would
say that you won't have any trouble, no matter which way you go.

Gary 

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Mari Hunziker
Sent: Sunday, October 17, 2010 9:56 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Grocery shopping, and transportation questions

Gary and Dave,
What type of portable reader do you all use. I have been wanting one for
years. I don't know how to read braille, although, I really do wish I did. I
want to read more but I only get to when my kids will allow me to sit on my
front porch swing. I take out a small, easy to carry-up to my nose-book that
I can use my magnifier with. But sadly it takes me so long to read with the
magnifier that I only get about 2-3 pages read if even that much. Do you all
use the Victor Reader Stream? I have been thinking about getting me one.
What is your opinion on that.
Thanks,
Mari Hunziker

On Sun, Oct 17, 2010 at 9:39 PM, David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com> wrote:

> Gary you are right!  I have a long commute, an hour 45 minutes each 
> way.  I skim half a dozen newspapers a day, on my stream, and read an 
> average of a book every day and a half.  I love to read, and wouldn't 
> want to give it up
> -- the commute is the perfect opportunity.
>
> Dave
>
> At 10:14 AM 10/12/2010, you wrote:
>
>> I read a most interesting article several years ago and the thesis 
>> was that many of us would have an easier time with public 
>> transportation, where available, if we would see the time we spend in 
>> transit as a plus rather than a minus. The article noted that many 
>> people who drive long distances to and from work complain about their 
>> inability to read, and yet writing while somebody else does the 
>> driving is a perfect way to have that time. I don't think anything we 
>> can say will do away with the frustration that occurs when we realize 
>> some people can easily run to the store, but for most of us it takes 
>> more planning. Still, I have to tell you that I have been much more 
>> peaceful about late cabs, buses, and airplanes just by having a 
>> portable reader in my pocket.
>>
>> Gary
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org 
>> [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Cindy Handel
>> Sent: Saturday, October 09, 2010 6:44 PM
>> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Grocery shopping, and transportation 
>> questions
>>
>> Yes, it could be said that time is money. But, I don't think they 
>> would accept "time" to pay for groceries!
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> From: "Steve P. Deeley" <stevep.deeley at insightbb.com>
>> Sent: Saturday, October 09, 2010 6:54 PM
>> To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>> 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
>>
>
>                        David Andrews:  dandrews at visi.com Follow me on 
> Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/dandrews920
>
>
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