[Blindtlk] Paratransit Vs. fixed Routes

Mon May 16 16:40:48 UTC 2011

Wow! This is good information. Thank you so much Dave. I don't think we can use it to and from the airport, as we'll also have our daughter and granddaughter, who are not eligible. However, my husband will be needing to get to and from a kidney dialysis center while he is there, so this could prove to be a major help. Thank you so much.

BTW, I have another question that some of you may be able to answer. Do they ever have seminars at conventions for those considering or wanting to explore the possibility of a guidedog? I asked because I have given the matter some thought several times over the years, and have abstained basically because of the uncertainties regarding the responsibilities and the convenience issues that can come up when using a dog. I do realize that they have the NAGDU meetings, but I'm wondering about something that specifically addresses the pros, cons, and actually spends some time laying out the issues to be considered. Of course, I have attended numerous conventions, but have never really thought to check into a seminar relevant to the cane vs. dog issue. Do they every conduct seminars like this?

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 David Evans
Sent: Monday, May 16, 2011 12:21 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Paratransit Vs. fixed Routes

Dear Dianna,

I plan to be in Orlando for the Convention and I will not be hard to find.
As you will discover, I am the crazy guy, in the Florida section, who will 
be blowing that bugle that lets so many people know where to find the 
Florida section and thereby locate the other state sections around it.
My wife and a friend will be staying in the hotel and I will have my guide 
dog Jack with me.
It will be some what of a new experience for me, as it will be my first 
convention after losing all of my vision and my first using a guide dog.
I have good cane skills and I am not afraid to travel anywhere, but I have 
found that I have some problems with dizziness and sometimes lose my space 
awareness now.  That is one reason I use a dog now.  I also tend to curve to 
the left as I walk and Jack helps to keep me going straight.
He can also locate and identify some things at a distance, that I use to 
depend upon my remaining vision to help me with.
He can find doors, elevators, escalators, steps and stairs and learns routes 
very quickly.  I love him and all I have to do is hug and feed him and visit 
the grass a couple of times a day.
It will be interesting to see how it works out at a convention with him.  I 
always just used my cane before.
I will look forward to meeting you there.

By the way, you can have your Para-transit  eligibility faxed to Access 
Links in Orlando and use the service to get around the area while you are 
there.
They can pick you up at the airport, train station or the bus station.  They 
can also take you to many of the attractions and parks there too, places 
such as Disney Village or Universal Studios as examples.
You will have 21 days of service  available to you there if you what to use 
it.  If you stay longer than 21 days, you will need to do an application for 
Access Links service.  the ADA does this to aid Disabled people who sometime 
travel or just go on a vacation and do not plan to stay.  Many of my chapter 
members will be using this to get from the train station to the hotel and 
back.

David Evans, NFBF and GD Jack.
MV Transit Consumer Advocate

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Graves, Diane" <dgraves at icrc.IN.gov>
To: "'Blind Talk Mailing List'" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, May 16, 2011 10:33 AM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Paratransit Vs. fixed Routes

> Hi Dave. Excellently stated. I really enjoy reading your insightful posts.
>
> You know, if you really think about it, there are some cases in which 
> sight is a disability. Those with 20/20 vision, far too often, tend to 
> write people off because of the way they look, the way they dress, and a 
> whole host of other things.  They have a preformed idea about someone 
> before ever being formally introduced. Not only is this really unfair to 
> the person being judged, but it can rob the sighted person doing the 
> judging  of some meaningful friendships and relationships. But... how many 
> sighted people would think of themselves as disabled?
>
> Great points. You and others on the list have certainly inspired me to 
> improve my own self image.
> I really am looking forward to meeting you and some others on the list in 
> Orlando. I am not the most outgoing person by nature, and, when I have 
> attended conventions in the past I have tended to stay in my own little 
> niche, and don't make it a point to step out of my comfort zone and 
> introduce myself to others. I'd really like to put some voices with some 
> of the names that have become so familiar to me.
>
> Blessings,
> 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 David Evans
> Sent: Monday, May 16, 2011 10:15 AM
> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Paratransit Vs. fixed Routes
>
>
> Dear All,
>
> Age is certainly one factor that effects people and their use of Public
> Transportation.
> 74% of
> all Blind people are over the age of 65 years.  That is why some many
> seniors are in our chapters and this number is growing.
> We also know that people who are age 75 have at least one disability and
> those over the age of 82 usually have two or more.
> One of the funny things is that some people do not recognize that they 
> have
> a disability, when they do.
> I do think that this is a good thing as attitude is everything and if you
> think you are disabled you are more likely to think about yourself as 
> being
> disabled and less capable.
> There are some people who wear their disability like a badge and want 
> every
> one around them to know it and cater to them and their problems.
> There are other folks who are disabled and try to hide it or from it and 
> do
> not want to be labeled or recognized as a disabled person.
> Still others are disabled but do not talk about, announce it to the World,
> and quietly just do what they have to do to get along.
> This is why the NFB philosophy is so important in that it teaches us to 
> try
> and think and act as if we do not have a disability, while at the same 
> time
> accepting and recognizing that we have a disability, but that it is no big
> deal and that we are just as good as everyone else, just different like
> there are some people who are left handed, maybe have green eyes or red
> hair.
> We as NFB members must not let ourselves become smug, over confident , 
> cocky
> or take on a feeling of superiority over other people like ourselves.
> As NFB members we are both teachers and pupils at the same time.  We are
> here to learn from others and to teach others what we have learned at the
> same time.
> We are all travelers along the same road.  Some of us are just at 
> different
> points along that road, but we are all trying to get to the same
> destination.
> We must help each other as best we can.  We will learn from and teach each
> of those fellow travelers as we journey down that road.  We should treat
> each one of these travelers as we would wish to be treated.  If we do this
> we will help them and we will, given time change the World in the process.
> My mission in life is not to judge others, but to leave this World in 
> better
> shape than I found it and I could use some help.
>
>
> David Evans, NFBF and GD Jack.
> MV Transit Consumer Advocate
>  ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Nikki Wunderlich" <nikki0222 at gmail.com>
> To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, May 16, 2011 8:03 AM
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Paratransit Vs. fixed Routes
>
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> that is very true. Like I said before. If I had access to the fixed route
>> bus system I'd use it in a hart beat, because it's cheaper than
>> paratransit,
>> but since I'd have to walk a very long block along the high way and cross
>> it, I do not have access to the bus, so I use paratransit, and rely on
>> family and friends to give me a ride when I need one, other wise if the
>> place is close and safe enough to walk to I just walk.
>>
>> sincerely,
>> Nikki Wunderlich
>>
>> On Mon, May 16, 2011 at 2:06 AM, Marsha <marcatony at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi
>>>  Age must certainly also contribute to the choice.  It might be much
>>> easier
>>> for a younger person to make a number of transfers on a fixed route but
>>> an
>>> older person might not be able to do this as easily.
>>>
>>> Marsha
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -- 
>> I thank you for the emails
>> nikki
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>
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