[Ct-nfb] Little known facts about the iconic White Cane

Hamit Campos hamitcampos at gmail.com
Sun Oct 16 03:59:33 UTC 2016


Cool facts. Thing with the last 1 though how would the cop know or whom ever? I mean unless they asked for documentation. Cause Some people can be tricked if you are too good. Neal Ewers a blind man in Wisconson talked once on a review he did of the Olympus LS 7 that he was out and about 1 day and some laydy saw him and said “Look at that man with dark glasses and stuff preteneding to be blind.” When indeed Neal is blind. But see there’s a catch 22 there. Just saying I hope there’s a serious way in the states where it’s Ilegal to use a cane if ya ain’t blind to sort those people out. Cause As that story from Neal shows people can be tricked. That lady that saw Neal cirtenally was.

 

From: CT-NFB [mailto:ct-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Gary Allen via CT-NFB
Sent: Saturday, October 15, 2016 7:58 PM
To: NFB of Connecticut Mailing List <Ct-nfb at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Gary Allen <garyallenct at gmail.com>
Subject: [Ct-nfb] Little known facts about the iconic White Cane

 


10 fascinating facts about the white cane


To celebrate National White Cane Safety Day, here are some little-known facts about the iconic white cane


 

 

 

 

 

 

October 15, 2015

BILL WINTER

Tap tap tap. That’s the sound of independence.

That’s the sound of people with visual impairments around the United States – and all over the world – using a white cane to confidently navigate to work, around their neighborhoods or to wherever their plans take them.

There’s no better day to celebrate the power of the white cane than October 15 – White Cane Safety Day <http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/white-cane-safety-day> .  It’s the day set aside by the federal government to recognize the independence and skill of people who use white canes. It’s also a reminder that laws in all 50 states require drivers to yield the right of way to people with white canes, even when they’re not on a crosswalk.

In honor of White Cane Safety Day, here are 10 quirky facts about the white cane:

1.                 Yes, it’s legal to take a white cane through security at an airport <http://www.tsa.gov/travel/special-procedures> , according to the TSA, but it has to go through the X-ray machine.

2.                 White canes are white because of George A. Bonham <http://www.lionsclubs.org/resources/EN/pdfs/iad413.pdf> . In 1930, Bonham, president of the Peoria Lions Club (Illinois), watched a man who was blind attempting to cross a street. The man’s cane was black and motorists couldn’t see it, so Bonham proposed painting the cane white with a red stripe to make it more noticeable. The idea quickly caught on around the country.

3.                 White canes are going high-tech. Inventors in India <http://assistech.iitd.ernet.in/smartcane.php> , Great Britain <https://www.ultracane.com/> and France <http://handisco.com/en/>  have equipped white canes with ultrasonic devices that detect obstacles up to nine feet away. Vibrations in the cane’s handle warn users of potential hazards in their path.

4.                 The standard technique for using a white cane <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_cane#History>  was pioneered in 1944 by Richard E. Hoover, a World War II veteran rehabilitation specialist. His technique of holding a long cane in the center of the body and swinging it back and forth before each step to detect obstacles is still called the “Hoover Method.”

5.                 Most people who are visually impaired don’t use a white cane. In fact, only an estimated 2 percent <http://www.dsb.wa.gov/resources/dispellingmyths.shtml>  to 8 percent <http://www.whitecaneday.org/canes/>  do. The rest rely on their useable vision, a guide dog or a sighted guide.

6.                 There are actually three different kinds of white canes <https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/blind/whitecane/information.htm> . There’s the standard mobility cane, used to navigate. There’s the support cane, used by people with visual impairments who also have mobility challenges. And there’s the ID cane, a small, foldable cane used by people with partial sight to let others know they have a visual impairment.

7.                 Unless you’re willing to “walk the walk,” you can’t become a certified Orientation & Mobility specialist. O&M specialists teach white cane technique to people who are blind, but to become certified, you must spend at least 120 hours blindfolded <http://www.perkins.org/stories/magazine/oandm-specialists-walk-in-their-students-shoes> , navigating with a white cane.

8.                 Today’s modern, lightweight canes <http://www.visionaware.org/info/everyday-living/essential-skills/an-introduction-to-orientation-and-mobility-skills/what-type-of-cane-should-i-use/1235>  are usually made from aluminum, fiberglass or carbon fiber, and can weigh as little as seven ounces. Some white cane users prefer straight canes, which are more durable, while others prefer collapsible canes, which can be folded and stored more easily.

9.                 White caning can be fun. The Braille Institute sponsors an annual Cane Quest <http://www.brailleinstitute.org/cane-quest-home.html> , where youngsters aged 3-12 compete to quickly and safely navigate a route in their community using their white canes. The contest helps kids master proper white cane techniques and encourages independence.

10.             In some states, it’s illegal for a person who is not legally blind <http://acb.org/whitecane> to use a white cane to gain right-of-way while crossing a street. Get caught in Florida, for example, and you’ll face second-degree misdemeanor charges and up to 60 days in prison. 



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