[Blindtlk] "Its not safe for someone who can't see"

Thu Jul 28 14:09:42 UTC 2011

Why would a guide dog have anything to do with it.

I went swimming at the Rosen Shingle by myself, I had the dog to get me to the pool area, and I always do this where ever I go, I put the dog on a tie down, it was under a nice shaded table where I was near the pool, took my cane out of my bag, found the steps of the pool, put the cane where I would find it when I got out of the pool, and went swimming.

Anyway, this is some mobility techniques that I taught myself.

I have a client who is going to Israel on a tour, and they called me yesterday after realizing that he is blind, not like he wasn't blind when I booked him 2 months ago, they asked if he had a guide dog, I said no, I also said that I was blind and had told them that before.

I said the client is very confident about traveling and has traveled many times outside the country. They said that I never said if he needed anything special, I said he was blind, and didn't need anything, I asked and he said no, so there was nothing to tell the tour company.

As I tell everyone whether it is with my travel business or anything else, ask never assume I need any assistance.

My husband who is sighted learned the hard way, since he when he attends the National or State Conventions he volunteers a lot, so he has learned not to grab people or assume anything, if someone needs something they will let him know.

Leading the Way in Independent Travel!

Cheryl Echevarria
http://www.echevarriatravel.com<http://www.echevarriatravel.com/>
631-456-5394
reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com>

Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel CST-1018299-10

Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Absolute Cruise & Travel, Inc.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Gary Wunder<mailto:GWunder at earthlink.net> 
  To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'<mailto:blindtlk at nfbnet.org> 
  Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2011 10:00 AM
  Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] "Its not safe for someone who can't see"

  Penny. You aren't alone. This is good and bad. The positive side of not
  being alone is that there are many of us willing to help you. The down side
  is that we get things like this thrown at us all the time. Yesterday we got
  a call from a woman in St. Louis whose apartment complex doesn't want to
  give her a key to the swimming pool area because "she doesn't have a
  service/seeing dog," and without one they can't figure out whether letting
  her in the pool is safe. Oh my, always something to work on.

  Gary

  -----Original Message-----
  From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org<mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org> [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
  Behalf Of Penny Duffy
  Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2011 8:49 AM
  To: Blind Talk Mailing List
  Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] "Its not safe for someone who can't see"

  Thank you everyone.  I thought I had posted this in blindkid and not here
  but I like your imput too.  It actually is good.  I wanted to say the reason
  I mentioned my daughter was blind was because I was excited.  It seemed like
  a perfect class.
  On Jul 28, 2011 9:41 AM, "Graves, Diane" <dgraves at icrc.in.gov<mailto:dgraves at icrc.in.gov>> wrote:
  > Penny,
  >
  > (big hugs) First of all, you should never feel that you are over reacting
  if someone implies that your Abby is unwelcome, or less competent than any
  other child. I completely understand how you feel. Keep in mind that this is
  coming from a person who is very much driven by her emotions, (smile) but I
  will try to step back here and offer a constructive response.
  >
  > You might simply have responded to the artist that Abby's blindness made
  no difference in her ability, and that she was no more unsafe than any other
  child. She just has to employ different techniques to compensate for her
  loss of vision. You've already said that the artist was "odd," so who knows
  what she would have said or done. But, it is also my understanding that she
  wasn't in charge of the enrollments and didn't necessarily have veto power.
  >
  > I understand that you are no longer interested in the class, but if you
  were, I would then go enroll Abby in the class, take her, and try to educate
  by example. If you were turned away, I would then go to a local Civil Rights
  agency and file a complaint with them. As a remedy to that complaint you
  might request that the employees of the park and the administrators undergo
  some education regarding such discrimination and stereotypes.
  >
  > There is just so much I want to say here... If you enrolled Abby in the
  class and weren't sure whether she would be accepted, you might just prepare
  her a little bit. Just talk with her a little bit about the fact that many
  people don't understand that blindness doesn't mean that she is less
  capable, and that they might have these prejudices and might not want her to
  try. Emphasize the fact that these perceptions are wrong, and that people
  sometimes need to be educated, and held accountable when they refuse to be
  educated. Unfortunately she'll meet with this ignorance throughout her life,
  and will need to understand how to handle it, while holding her head up high
  and not letting it stop her. Do you know what I mean?
  >
  > Even if you don't want to have her take the class now, you might still
  call the park administrators, let them know what happened, and find out
  whether this is actually the attitude of the facility, or whether it was
  just the odd artist talking off the top of her head. I think the park needs
  to know that this happened, and that it wasn't acceptable.
  >
  > 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> [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
  Behalf Of Penny Duffy
  > Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2011 9:11 PM
  > To: Blind Talk Mailing List
  > Subject: [Blindtlk] "Its not safe for someone who can't see"
  >
  > I am still very upset over this but I want to know what a good response
  > would be.
  >
  > Today I had a wonderful visit to an historic site that is part of the
  > National Park service with my son Sam. My daughter Abby who is blind is
  > away this week at the Perkins School. There was an artist in residence
  > there. She was a little odd but i heard her mention that they where having
  > a class there for children . the children would make casts of their hands.
  > It seemed like a great activity for Abby.
  >
  > The artist didn't know if there was space or if they where even having the
  > class (due to no enrollment) really she didn't know anything (there is a
  > number you call to make reservations) When I mentioned my daughter who is
  > blind would really love to go to this class she told me she would NOT
  > recommend it. That it was unsafe for blind person and said but your son is
  > welcome to take part if there is space and its sill going on. I should
  have
  > responded right away I should have went right to visitor center and
  > complained. I was shocked. I am still shocked. The only reason I didn't
  > talk to someone there is the day was about my son Sam and having an "Abby
  > Free" day. That and honestly I was so taken back by what happened. I spoke
  > with Sam in the car so he understood that what was said was WRONG.
  >
  > I really don't feel this artist was projecting official national park
  policy
  > but she is still an employee of the park so she should have just not said
  > anything. I would never have mentioned Abby's blindness when making
  > reservations because I would have seen it has irrelevant. If its safe for
  a
  > sighted child 6 to 11 then it would be safe to a blind child 6 to 11. We
  are
  > talking about an art class not driving a car over a single lane bridge
  over
  > glass.
  >
  > We are not really interested in the class anymore (we have a lot of stuff
  > going on) I am just really upset over comments by this artist. I have
  never
  > had any one say Abby couldn't do anything. I know there was people who
  > thought that but no one ever pretty much implied "Your child is not
  welcome"
  > Mind you I am only been dealing with Abby being blind for a year.
  >
  > I feel I should say something. I just don't know what is a proper response
  > and what is me over reacting.
  > --
  > --Penny
  > ----------
  > Adventures with Abby - visionfora.blogspot.com
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