[Blindtlk] cane travel question: trailing or no trailing?

[Chris Nusbaum]

Hi, all.

I have a cane travel question for you.  For a long time, I was 
using a folding cane with a pencil tip along with the trailing 
technique, especially in familiar areas i.e.  home, school, etc.  
After attending the LAW Program, where they took my folding cane 
on the first day and gave me a straight (aka rigid) cane with a 
metal tip that I was required to use during the four days I was 
there, I started to like the straight cane a lot better and came 
back home with one.  I don't think I'll switch back to a folding 
cane unless I have to, by the way.  While I was at the program, 
one of the blind mentors was helping me learn how to use this new 
cane, and in the process told me that he would suggest not 
trailing in hallways (whether they be in familiar or unfamiliar 
areas) and trusting the cane alone.  He then said that I need to 
work on a faster, more confident pace than I have already.  One 
of his reasons for that need of a confident pace, by the way, is 
to "get the girls," LOL.  So I tried not trailing in the hallways 
of the Jernigan Institute building, and it did take some getting 
used to.  After the program, I thought about what he'd said.  
Although I can understand what he's talking about with the 
confident pace, I think I get twice the information when I 
combine trailing with cane technique.  So what do you all think? 
Should I sacrifice the information I get from trailing and just 
try to get more information from the cane, or keep trailing and 
have a little slower pace? Or are there any work-arounds you use 
that keep the confident pace and still trail? Any help would be 
appreciated! Thanks!

Chris Nusbaum

"A loss of sight, never a loss of vision!" (Camp Abilities motto)

--- Sent from my Braille-Note