[blparent] O&M advice (Types of Canes)

[Jo Elizabeth Pinto]

Hi.  I would also like clarification on this issue.  I have two canes, one 
folding and one rigid, that look like they've been to hell and back because 
I got them as a teenager and have never bothered to replace them.  I was 
trained with a short cane, which is at about breast height for me.  I know 
some people use longer ones that are about nose height and that, for some 
reason, the longer canes have come to be associated with the NFB.  For me, 
that association is neither negative nor positive.

I'm not a fast traveler anymore, with dog or cane, since I lost my light 
perception.  That's fine because Sarah is usually with me, and we're in no 
particular hurry.  I like to use my cane tucked up short.  I know some 
people like to have their cane tips way out in front of them, which is none 
of my business, except when I worked at a college where there were a lot of 
blind students and staff, I used to hate getting whacked in the ankles, 
usually several times before I could dodge out of the way, while someone 
with a long cane four feet out in front of their shoes tried to figure out 
what kind of obstacle I was.  My dog learned to spot and give a wide berth 
to the "crazy canes" as I called them, usually with no offense to their 
users.

Either way, I don't see what any of this has to do with being proud or 
embarrassed to be blind.  I'm certainly not embarrassed to be blind at all, 
but I'm not necessarily proud of it either.  To me, it's just a fact about 
me, like the fact that I have long black hair or the fact that I like Peanut 
M&M's better than the plain ones.

Anyway, long spin-up to a short question: Could somebody clarify the idea 
that carrying a certain kind of cane somehow signifies that the user is 
either proud or embarrassed to be blind?

Jo Elizabeth

"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a 
song."  Maya Angelou

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Jennifer Jackson" <jennifersjackson at att.net>
Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2012 11:12 AM
To: "'Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [blparent] O&M advice

> I have never really understood what the kind of white cane I choose to use
> has to do with whether or not I am embarrassed to be blind. I use a cane
> with confidence and have for more than 25 years. I even carried a cane 
> with
> me when I was a dog user because some circumstances where easier to handle
> with a cane even though I over all preferred the speed and ease of 
> movement
> a dog gave me.
>
> I have tried using the longer NFB style cane and keep one for walks here 
> in
> my neighborhood. I do not really like the flat round disk tips though and
> have wondered if I would like the cane better with a different tip.
>
> I find a folding cane to be more convenient and comfortable for a variety 
> of
> reasons. One of these is that I like to put it in my purse to keep it off
> the floor, not to hide it.
>
> I have heard comments before about people using a NFB type cane because 
> they
> are proud to be blind. Perhaps someone can explain what is meant by this. 
> I
> find myself feeling a little insulted by the implication in such comments
> that as I do not use that kind of cane I must be embarrassed by my
> blindness. so perhaps someone can more thoroughly explain what is meant 
> and
> clear this up.
>
> Now, to drag this subject back to parenting. :) I do use my cane as a tool
> with my kids when crossing streets. Once I have us in position to cross, I
> hold my cane out across my kids bodies and often make light contact. This
> way I can put more of my concentration on the traffic without worrying one
> of the kids will step out of position. I find this especially helpful when 
> I
> have one of the kids holding the hand of a child whose hand I am holding. 
> I
> also think that in familiar areas one of the longer canes might have 
> enough
> reach over the top of a stroller to help with navigation. I have never 
> tried
> this though.
>
>
> Jennifer