[blparent] O&M advice

[Robert Shelton]

There are as many opinions about cane preferences as there are cane users,
so understand that this is one person's point of view.

That being said, I really don't like folding canes -- I'm assuming you're
talking about the ones with elastic down the middle which snap together by
themselves.  I also use an NFB free white cane for situations where its
length and its being a solid object isn't an issue.  There are a lot of
technical reasons why NFB's design for this item works well, but mostly it's
the light weight in comparison to length.  You want the capability to touch
points well in front of you, but you also need to be able to "choke up" when
you're in crowded areas.

The folding canes I've seen tend to be a lot heavier for the same length,
and you pretty much have to hold them by the handle, thus no "choke-up"
option for tight spots.

I also have a telescoping cane, purchased from NFB, which offers much the
same advantages and can still be collapsed -- good for sticking in an
airline seat pouch, or in your case, maybe a purse.

-----Original Message-----
From: Jessica Trask [mailto:ashleejessandmark2012 at samobile.net] 
Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2012 10:46 AM
To: blparent at nfbnet.org; blind-talk at nfbnet.org; nfb-new-hampshire at nfbnet.org
Subject: [blparent] O&M advice

Hi Everyone,
I'm a cane user. I've hooked up with one of the Orientation and Mobility
specialists at the New Hampshire Association for the Blind. 
I've met him once and I got a cane from the Free White Cane Program run by
the NFB. It's one of the Solid White Canes and he prefers me not to use it
during our Mobility lessons when we start. He said  he would prefer that I
use a folding cane. I chose the rigid cane because I felt that it would work
a bit better for me to use because the sidewalks and streets where I'm
currently living aren't in the best conditions. In fact, one of the agencies
that we are working with to get our daughter back was actually nice enough
to buy me and my daughters father a Jogger Stroller for the fact I just
mentioned above.