[nabs-l] cane travel trip 2

[Ashley Bramlett]

Hi Jim,

I totally agree!  As I said before mobility wasn't a strength.  What I meant 
was really that orientation wasn't a strength.  I don't have a good sense of 
direction and don't form mental maps.
Mobility is the easier part.  But orientation
is harder to master.  Its made with the sighted in mind with signs and other 
visual cues.  Still it can be done.
Use your cane to feel what's around you and pay attention to what you're 
hearing.  In a neighborhood there's not much traffic, especially at night so 
if that's where you're walking it might not provide much sound cues.  Try to 
find tactile landmarks near your home.  Is there something distinct like a 
hill or fence?
I agree that large parking lots are a pain.  I haven't found a solution for 
them either.  Wheel chair accessible
curbs are challenging as you said because its flat and harder to tell you're 
in the street.  A clue for me was hearing cars if they're there.   Also, as 
you use the cane more, you may be able to feel the difference in the cane. 
Streets are black asfault where as sidewalks are concrete of a different 
matterial.  So the street feels different.  Its hard to describe, but 
there's a slight difference.  Sometimes I notice it, others I don't.
I'm like you in that I use my vision in the day time but cannot at night. 
But I have less vision so I combine visual info with my cane and other 
senses.
I found that when walking at night, I used my memory of the layout to stay 
oriented and nonvisual cues.  For instance my campus was hilly.  So the 
slope of the sidewalk in some areas was a good clue.    There were benches 
by some buildings and outdoor tables  by the student union.  These were 
landmarks I could use with or with out vision.  I'm glad it worked out for 
me since lots of activities occurred at night.  I trusted my cane and went 
on my way.  I think its great you're trying hard.  Don't tell your new O and 
M instructor though.  She may not like that.  Hopefully when you do get a 
lesson it will be beneficial.

Ashley


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Reed" <jim275_2 at yahoo.com>
To: "MAB List" <mt-blind at nfbnet.org>; "NABS mail list" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, June 12, 2009 3:15 AM
Subject: [nabs-l] cane travel trip 2


Hey all,
The mobility part is easy, its the orientation part that is going to be hard 
to master. I decided to wear my sunglasses at night to make it more 
challenging, I think sunglasses are a good compramize to sleepshades at 
night, at least for now while Im trying to learn the basics. With the 
sunglasses on, I got turned around once, and then overshot my house by two 
blocks. When I got lost I took off my sunglasses and was able to find my 
way. I'm still trying to figure out how I got turned around the first time. 
I ended up heading west when I wanted to go east. I realized my mistake when 
I was walking past my gym in the wrong direction. If I hadn't passed the 
gym, I'd be one county over by now. Oh, by the way, large parking lots are a 
pain as well. As are streets without sidewalks. and very large sidewalks. 
and wheel chair accessable curbs that allow you to breeze into the street 
without knowing your in the street until you run into the curb on the other
 side (I was on quiet residential streets with no traffic at midnight, I was 
safe).

I did get nervous when I heard some people somewhere near me; a cane make 
you an awfully big target. I'm a big guy, its not often I feel vulnerable.

Thanks,
Jim

"From compromise and things half done,
Keep me with stern and stubborn pride,
And when at last the fight is won,
... Keep me still unsatisfied." --Louis Untermeyer



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