[Blindtlk] To Drive or not to Drive: that is the question

Sat Apr 30 15:03:06 UTC 2011

Hello list,

I agree, that where you live may be a big factor on weather you decide to
drive or not. Here in Minnesota, in the twin cities, and the suburbs of the
twin cities, we have something called Metro Mobility, you have to make your
reservations 4 days in advance and you have to qualify to use it, but it's
kind of like a cab in that it picks you up at point A's door, and drops you
off at point B's door, but it is much cheaper than a cab. Also You can ask
them to walk you inside if you do not know the area well, and feel more
confortable doing so. There's also cabs here where I live, all be it more
expencibe to use, still another option for people also depending on where
you live, busses may be an option, for me though, they are not an option,
because the nearest bus stop is over a mile a way, and acrost a very busy
high way. So right now I rely on walking if the place is close enough, and
the weather is decent. If it is not close enough, or is too dangerous to
walk to, or the weather is crappy I rely on family or friends to get me from
place to place, mostly family though. My step mom is wonderful about taking
me places, so is my dad and sister. I'm also in the process of trying to get
metro mobility so I don't have to rely on family so much to get from place
to place. If I get it I will have more freedom, and will be able to go visit
my friends mor easily, as well as do other things on my own that at this
point I can't do. So for me driving is not a big deal, but like I said
before, to some one who lives in the country driving might be a big deal. 

Nikki

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Darian Smith
Sent: Saturday, April 30, 2011 9:30 AM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] To Drive or not to Drive: that is the question

one thing that I think is a bit of a  devideing point in how strongly
one might feel about the matter, is where you live.  If you live in an
area where public transportationis  a major   resource for you, then
maybe drivingis not so much a  big deal.  If you live inchicago, or
D.C. or New York or  the Bay Area, it might even be an advantage to
take public transport.   Assuming  that  everything is equil regarding
cost for  the car for sighted and blind folks, it still may be cheaper
to  travel by public transport and easier not  to  have to worry about
parking, than it would be otherwise. But if you live in rural texas,
mississippi, Montana and the like, the car is probablyway more
advantagious.  So it's interesting the point of views people have. and
how people maydefine independence, full life, and  those sort of
strong statements.

  Darian

On 4/30/11, nikki Wunderlich <nikki0222 at gmail.com> wrote:
> I agree with a lot of the points you mentioned in your email, but I'm just
> looking at it from a financial prospective, and I do not think the cost
will
> go down enough for me to be able to afford a car in my life time, so I
will
> probably always rely on public transportation, family, and friends as well
> as cane travel to get me from point A to point B.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of humberto
> Sent: Friday, April 29, 2011 10:42 PM
> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] To Drive or not to Drive: that is the question
>
> This question, indeed, sparkled a lot of thoughts on me, I would
> like to share a few.
> First, driving a car, and driving for generations, and driving as
> is taken for granted, is part of our lifestyle in America, and is
> part of our American society to have a car and drive. Yes it is
> taken for granted, but people have driven cars for many years,
> and they still do it. Driving a car has become a part of an
> essential part of everything we do about transportation. People
> drive to go to their jobs, to go grocery shopping, to do a trip,
> and pretty much everybody transports by car. Although the gas
> prices are flying now, society is still making arrangements so
> that they can go to work and play, by driving. People are now
> sacrificing their budgets just because they want to be able to
> use their cars and get wherever they want to and keep enjoying
> the freedom of driving.
> Blindness, although is a minority, is, shall be, and one day will
> be, part of the majority. Blind people, must be included into
> society. This means, we must do, as blind people and part of this
> sighted structured world, do what our society, the majority, the
> sighted, can do and, yes do it slightly different with nonvisual
> techniques, but do so just like our society. To this end, blind
> people, as the rest of society, must be able to take the same
> things for granted, and the same opportunities that the sighted
> communities take for granted. This means that if the rest of
> society can drive cars and enjoy the freedom of driving cars, and
> have enjoyed such freedom for many years, we must start thinking
> of possibilities of driving a car that the blind can drive. Look
> how far we've gone in the federation with the Blind Driver
> Challenge, and how the blind driver drove the car in front of
> thousands of people, and in the middle of an * INTERNATIONALLY
> well KNOWN * car race speedway! So, if we've gone this far, we
> can push for more, even more! We can finally be part of society
> and be able to drive, by making this DREAM reality and pushing
> for the legalization of this car, and making it readily available
> to the blind and demonstrating to our sighted, majority society
> that we can do the same things they can do! Blindness shall not
> be left behind, and by making this car available, and by
> equipping a car, with the right technology and interface hardware
> and software, and with the right engineering technology, we can
> drive and enjoy the same freedom they have enjoyed for years and
> will continue to enjoy for years to come.
> So, I hope this sparks some interesting discussions, and hope to
> see you at any NFB convention, and hope my opinions help you, and
> I hope to see you driving around!!!!!!! * smile *
> Cheers,  Humberto
>
>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>>From: Darian Smith <dsmithnfb at gmail.com
>>To: Blind Talk Mailing List <blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>>Date sent: Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:30:00 -0700
>>Subject: [Blindtlk] To Drive or not to Drive: that is the
> question
>
>>I have heard from many, blind and sighted alike that the blind
> being
>>able to drive will be  looked  upon as  something  absolutely
> iconic
>>and life-changing.  Assuming  that this opinion is in fact widely
>>believed,  what do you think this means for us as blind people
> now?
>>Also what does it mean, if we never do  drive? Is this to say
> that our
>>lives  are not full?  Not complete?  And will never be?
>> I'm curious as to your thoughts  on this.
>
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> oa5369%40netzero.net
>
>
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-- 
Darian Smith
Skype: The_Blind_Truth
Windows Live: Lightningrod2010 at live.com
Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/goldengateace

"The purpose of life is a life of purpose.

- Robert Byrne

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