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

Fri May 13 17:13:26 UTC 2011

Dear All,

I think that there are many levels or degrees of independence and depends 
allot upon just what you are talking about.
Dr. Jernigan said that being independent means that you have the power to do 
and go where you want to go when you want to go there.
I think that this is true, but is modified by the context in which the 
question is being asked.
If you can access and use transit, or have the ability to hire a driver to 
take you where and when to the places you wish to go, are you not just as 
independent as someone who can drive their own car?  What do you gain or 
lose if you can not drive verses needing some one else to drive you?
I think that the biggest thing you lose is convenience, but not your 
independence.
Either way, as long as you have the power over your own destiny, it matters 
very little.
If you could drive yourself, things would be more convenient, but they come 
with pluses and minuses too.
You would have to pay for the car, gas, car insurance, wear and tear on the 
car, taxes on your auto tag, parking and so on.
You could go to places that you could not easily reach by Public 
Transportation or even a hired driver mose likely.
You might be more employable and flexible in where you live and work or 
recreate if you could drive.
Being able to drive would likely be more useful or as useful as being able 
to access the computer was to us  in be more employable and enriching our 
lives with information and content has been.
The ability to drive would , I think very much enrich our lives in ways we 
can only dream about right now.
Until we all have our own little Star Trek transporter belts, that will let 
us travel to any spot instantaneously, there will always be room for 
improvement and new degrees of independence to be had in mobility.
Independence can come in many forms and being able to drive is just one of 
them.  How about having a chip in your head that would connect you with a 
computer data base that can access all of the information in the World. 
Would that not increase your intelligence, ability to do work and give you 
freedoms that we can not even imagine yet.
There are certainly degrees to every thing and independence is just one of 
them.  They will change with time and circumstances as life goes on.
If you want to be more independent, then you must have more power over your 
life and the things in it.  The key is having the power and the most 
important is having the power to be happy in your life.

David Evans, NFBF and GD Jack.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Darian Smith" <dsmithnfb at gmail.com>
To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2011 5:57 PM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] To Drive or not to Drive: that is the question

I think  that I  identify with Mary quite a bit  (with the exception
of having a family, something that factors into  the whole thing).
 I think that the idea of the car brings into questionwhat we've
always  understood as independence, further, what we  find as "true
independence". do we not have that  true independence because  we
can't drive?  or is  it a different type of  independence  than we are
 probably thinking of.
  For sure, who would have really  thought we would see a blind person
drive, how exciting is it, I mean, we all know  it is... but   at the
same time, does  this throw our   long-understood and believed image
of independence into a little bit of question and consideration?
 I don't know if yes or no, but  I thought it would be something
pretty interesting to  ponder and throw around with all of you here.

On 4/29/11, Mari Hunziker <marihunziker at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have been legally blind my entire life. As a teenager and as a young 
> adult
> driving really wasn't that big of a deal to me, mostly because I lived in 
> a
> town that provided great public transportation service. And when I needed 
> to
> go places I seemed to have the gumption to get there on my own or with
> friends. Now as a mom, I would love the opportunity to be able to drive. I
> would love to be able to have the independence to get in my own care and 
> go
> where I needed when I needed. It is difficult to have to ask for rides to
> the grocery store, the mall, the park, etc. I do have a very full life and
> seem to always have a special guardian angel that is more than willing to
> take me and my kids to where we need to go. For example, My daughter is 3
> years old. We found a great friend in her dance class that was so eager 
> and
> happy to take us to and from dance class. It was nice. However, I would 
> love
> to drive. I think it is a very empowering feeling that provides total
> independence.  But whether I drive or not I do feel fulfilled as an
> individual. My life is full and would just be busy with driving my kids 
> and
> their friends to and from places, like the typical soccer mom. I think 
> that
> would be great.
> Mari Hunziker
>
> On Fri, Apr 29, 2011 at 12:30 PM, Darian Smith <dsmithnfb at gmail.com> 
> wrote:
>
>> 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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>
>
>
> --
> *Have A Blessed Day!
> Mari Hunziker
> 512-670-9950 home
> 512-587-1463  cell
> *
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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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