[Blindtlk] new NFB canes

David Evans drevans at bellsouth.net
Mon Jul 25 16:45:49 UTC 2011 

Dear Dianne,

The way we got the cane lengths that are used today came about from the 
sheltered work shops of the 1930's.
The sighted supervisors did not like long canes because they were tripping 
over them in the work shops.
They made the workers use shorter canes just so the sighted supervisors 
would not be tripping over them.
They decided that the right length was from the for up to the middle of the 
breast bone and this was the gage that was used for decades.
Now we often use canes that come up to the nose, eye brows or top of the 
head.
You can travel faster with a longer cane as it is reaching out farther and 
thereby gives you more stopping distance and warning of objects in your way, 
like those pesky old sighted supervisors.

David Evans, NFBF and GD Jack.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Graves, Diane" <dgraves at icrc.IN.gov>
To: "'Blind Talk Mailing List'" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, July 25, 2011 10:38 AM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] new NFB canes


Okay, let me rephrase that. The longer canes make me feel much more secure, 
as the shorter canes don't give me enough warning/reaction time. In my 
opinion, yes, the shorter canes are a bit dangerous. But, people must do and 
are entitled to do what works for them.



Diane Graves
Civil Rights Specialist
Indiana Civil Rights Commission
Alternative Dispute Resolutions Unit
317-232-2647

"It is service that measures success."
George Washington Carver

Confidentiality Notice: This E-mail transmission may contain confidential 
and/or legally privileged information intended only for the individual or 
entity(ies)
named in the E-mail address. If you are not the intended recipient, be 
advised that any unauthorized disclosure, copying, distribution, or acting 
in reliance
upon the contents of this E-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have 
received this E-mail transmission in error, please reply to sender to 
arrange for the return and proper delivery of the transmission. 
Subsequently, delete the message from your system immediately.

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
Behalf Of Kelby Carlson
Sent: Monday, July 25, 2011 10:19 AM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] new NFB canes

I don't know that I would call it dangerous.  I'm a college
student, and I have both types of canes.  Each works well in
different situations, though I refer the shorter cne (though I am
taller.) I don't think it's necessary to label a difference in
preference as dangerous.  Has someone been demonstrably injured
because their cane was too short?

 ----- Original Message -----
From: "Graves, Diane" <dgraves at icrc.IN.gov
To: "'Blind Talk Mailing List'" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Mon, 25 Jul 2011 10:15:49 -0400
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] new NFB canes

Hi Guys,

I am about 61 inches tall, and my cane is almost as tall as I am.
I like the 57/59 inch lengths.  I don't know that it actually
helps me walk faster, as others have indicated, but I think it
gives me more confidence, as I get more coverage.  It allows me
to detect steps and curbs more quickly.  I like the longer canes.

When I was in mobility training back in Junior high school in the
70s, my instructor said that the appropriate length of a cane was
just at the sternum line.  This now seems like an incredibly
short, dangerous lengths to me.


Diane Graves
Civil Rights Specialist
Indiana Civil Rights Commission
Alternative Dispute Resolutions Unit
317-232-2647

"It is service that measures success."
George Washington Carver

Confidentiality Notice: This E-mail transmission may contain
confidential and/or legally privileged information intended only
for the individual or entity(ies)
named in the E-mail address.  If you are not the intended
recipient, be advised that any unauthorized disclosure, copying,
distribution, or acting in reliance
upon the contents of this E-mail is strictly prohibited.  If you
have received this E-mail transmission in error, please reply to
sender to arrange for the return and proper delivery of the
transmission.  Subsequently, delete the message from your system
immediately.

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kelby Carlson
Sent: Sunday, July 24, 2011 5:25 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] new NFB canes

I must be unusual on this list.  I have a longer 63 inch cane
that I use (I'm around 5 10) but I really don't have a problem
using my shorter collapsible cane.  There are advantages and
disadvantages to each, and I get a little irritated when people
imply that the long canes are the only good kind for us taller
people.

 ----- Original Message -----
From: Brice Smith <brsmith2424 at gmail.com
To: Blind Talk Mailing List <blindtlk at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Sun, 24 Jul 2011 17:16:07 -0400
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] new NFB canes

Hi Darian and Jewel,

Thank you for the information.  I don't understand why cane
lengths are
so short everywhere.  If the average male stands 69.2 inches tall
(according to the National Center for Health Statistics), you
would
think a 61-inch tall cane would be inadequate for many people.
Given
that the NFB in particular advocates cane lengths longer than
other
organizations, I'm surprised that only a few of there models get
into
the 67/69 inch range.  Ambutech's models go to 64 which is
decent, but
sort of uncommon as many carriers and models stop at around 60 at
most.  We're not all tiny ...*grin*

On 7/24/11, Darian Smith <dsmithnfb at gmail.com> wrote:
 Hello All,
   Brice, I believe that the folding cane only goes up to  61
inches at
 the present time.  They also have a new straight cane, though I
do not
 know much about it.

   Best,
   Darian

 On 7/24/11, Jewel <herekittykat2 at gmail.com> wrote:
 Hey Brice,
 I have a new telescoping cane and so far I have not had much
trouble
 with it.  It collapses sometimes, but I think that's more due to
me not
 tightening it properly than the cane not being reliable.  I love
it so
 far all in all.

 You heard right that there is a new folding cane.  I saw it, but
have
 not tried it personally.

 !Jewel

 On 7/24/11, Brice Smith <brsmith2424 at gmail.com> wrote:
 Hi,

 I've heard that the NFB just introduced a new type of carbon
fiber
 folding cane at the convention in Orlando.  Their online store
doesn't
 yet list them, however, and I'm wondering if I heard correctly.
Has
 anyone tried this new cane, and if so, what did you think? Also,
how
 does it compare to the new telescoping canes I heard they
recently
 came out with earlier this year? I've previously read on this
list
 that the new telescoping canes are better built and designed to
stand
 more wear and tear than the old ones which were fairly
unreliable.

 -Thanks

 _______________________________________________
 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/herekit
tykat2%40gmail.com


 _______________________________________________
 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/dsmithn
fb%40gmail.com



 --
 Darian Smith

 "My secret?  See it, and stay focused on it."

 - Shaquille O'Neal

 _______________________________________________
 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/brsmith
2424%40gmail.com


_______________________________________________
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/kelbyca
rlson%40gmail.com



_______________________________________________
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/kelbyca
rlson%40gmail.com



_______________________________________________
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/drevans%40bellsouth.net

More information about the BlindTlk mailing list