[IL-Talk] Where do people get a license to put their hands on us?

[Deborah Kent Stein]

We might all benefit from learning the techniques taught in the One-Touch
training. As I understand it, the training is intended to help us if we're
faced with an aggressor, but it could also be extremely useful in dealing
with misguided and potentially dangerous "helpers." 

Debbie


-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Steve
Hastalis via IL-Talk
Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2022 10:19 AM
To: 'NFB of Illinois Mailing List' <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Steve Hastalis <steve.hastalis at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [IL-Talk] Where do people get a license to put their hands on
us?

Hi, Leslie,

Your report about people who meant well by grabbing your arm, but whose
kindness could have caused a casualty, reminded me of some injuries I
experienced in my travels.

Bob Lessne served as the head mobility instructor at the Illinois Visually
Handicapped Institute (IVHI), now the Illinois Center for Rehabilitation and
Education (ICRE). I was a student at IVHI during the summer of 1964, when I
was twelve years old. At that time the agency was in its last year of
operation at 1900 South Marshall Boulevard in Chicago.  I would like to
share with you some of Dr. Lessne's instruction and methodology.

One morning Dr. Lessne worked with me to develop a response to someone who
grabs my arm. To demonstrate, he grabbed me as I might be grabbed by a
"helpful" stranger on the street. He explained that a person's natural
response when this happens is to tense up. "If you're tense," he warned,
"the person can push you. Don't let the person take control of your body.
Let your arm hang loose. That way you can buy some time."

He repeated this exercise several times, but whenever he seized my arm I had
difficulty responding as he instructed. Moreover, I did not fully understand
his point. I did not say so, but I thought, "What's he doing? He's crazy!"
but I did not say what I was thinking.

Ten years later I fully understood his concern. Twice within a year I had
two ill-fated travel experiences that illustrated Dr. Lessne's point. On two
occasions as I stepped down from Chicago area commuter trains, people
panicked and grabbed me by the arm. In the first instance someone took hold
of me from behind. As a result my feet could not reach the platform from the
bottom step of the train car. I fell face first onto the platform with my
feet under the train. In the second instance someone stepped in front of me
and grabbed my hand that held my cane, lifting it so high that I could not
reach the steps with my cane tip. I knew there was broken concrete on this
particular platform, but without the help of my cane I could not tell where
it was. I jumped down from the bottom step of the train car and landed with
my right foot precisely on the broken concrete. I sprained my ankle badly
and fell over backward next to the train. In both instances, I got off these
commuter trains miles from their terminals. I knew, therefore, that I had
only seconds to get myself clear of the train before it would proceed. 

Years later. I had two bad experiences when I alighted from excursion
trains, one in Atlanta, Georgia and the other in Boone, Iowa. In both
incidents, someone grabbed my arm hard, causing me to slide down the steep
stairs of the train car.

In another time and place, someone grabbed me from behind, as I stepped onto
an escalator. By definition, the escalator moved me forward, while the
person who grabs me from behind, helds me back.

This is a potentially serious issue, especially when we need our range of
motion for our bodies to function safely and competently. Some people accept
our wishes, while others get upset and accuse us of being "to independent."
This is an ongoing public education process. Fortunately, many people talk
to us without making physical contact. We have a compelling interest to
maintain our personal safety. Leslie, I hope you're OK.

Cordially,

Steve Hastalis

-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Leslie Hamric
via IL-Talk
Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2022 11:54 AM
To: Iltalk <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Leslie Hamric <lhamric930 at comcast.net>
Subject: [IL-Talk] Where do people get a license to put their hands on us?

Good morning Federationists. Today I was going to an eye doctor appointment.
And from the door of the building to the elevator, and then up to the
office, I had a total of three people grab my arm. Of course, they thought
they were helping when they really weren't. So I decided to try a new
approach. Instead of saying, please don't grab, I said, please don't grab
it's not safe. You should see how they back off when they hear the words
it's not safe. And then, of course, each one got all apologetic. So, of
course, I did some educating and then they got it. And then, when I got down
the elevator back to the main entrance, a fourth person said, can I help you
and they grab my arm. So I started the process all over again. All we ask
for as blind people is an assumption of competence. Where did the cited
people get off thinking that they can just put their hands on us? I wish I
knew. But until then, I will keep educating.

Leslie Hamric
Cello and Braille Music Teacher
Board member of National Federation of the Blind Performing Arts Division

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