[Blindtlk] new NFB canes

Tue Jul 26 05:11:25 UTC 2011

As a matter of fact, yes.  If your cane is too short for the pace you 
are moving, you can injure yourself, and many have done it.  The 
usual traditional O&M instructor response is that if you’re moving so 
fast that your sternum-height cane does not protect you, then you are 
trying to move too fast.  It’s dangerous for a blind person to move 
too fast, so you should either shorten your stride or walk slower.  
If you really want to move that fast, get a guide dog.

You can imagine my prepared response for any O&M instructor who would 
dare say that to me!  I live in an urban setting, and moving at a 
good clip (no faster than the average younger guide dog user) can 
mean the difference between getting on it or waiting for the next 
one.  Or between being able to cross this intersection right now or 
having to wait as long as three minutes in some places.

My natural stride is about 34 inches.  As such, I move pretty fast 
even I’m not in a hurry, almost too fast for a sternum-high cane.  
When I am in a hurry, I figure I can either move at an "unsafe speed" 
with a short cane, or get a cane that’s long enough to make that kind 
of movement no longer unsafe.

And you all me well enough by now that you can imagine what I mean 
when I say woe be it to any so-called "professional" sightie who 
wants to try and tell me that I MUST use a shorter cane (and 
consequently slow down so that it’s safe) OR get a dog.  If any of 
'em are foolish enough to try, we should sell tickets as a fund 
raising effort.  *grin*

Joseph - KF7QZC

On Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 09:19:27AM -0500, Kelby Carlson wrote:
>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
>
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>-----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
>
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>
>--
>Darian Smith
>
>?My secret?  See it, and stay focused on it.?
>
>? Shaquille O'Neal
>
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