[nabs-l] transportation in your area

Thu May 28 01:36:16 UTC 2009

That's a great idea. I have a Braille Lite and as I learn new routes I  
used to write them down. I've gotten out of the habit but it's a good  
one to get into and keep up.
Quoting Serena <serenacucco at verizon.net>:

> One thing I'd add: take notes about your routes, so you won't have to
> remember everything.
>
> Serena
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: <sarah.jevnikar at utoronto.ca>
> To: <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 4:56 PM
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] transportation in your area
>
>
>> Hi Ginny,
>> Good to see you on this list! We're both on the Real-Eyes one too ...
>> it's good you've been trained in white cane travel. Is there any   
>> way  that the same trainer who taught you these skills can also   
>> teach you  routes on campus?
>>
>> If possible, see if a friend can walk with you to the destinations   
>> you want. Get them to describe things to you - the layout, certain   
>>  landmarks, the number of driveways from point a to point b, etc.   
>> This  will help engrain the route into your mind. Then walk with   
>> them by  your side without saying anything. Try the route again and  
>>  see how you do. Create a signal (a hand wave or something) to let   
>> them know if you  feel lost. This way you'll be able to try the   
>> route alone but also  will have someone there if things go wrong.   
>> Get feedback. If there's  one area where you get confused most, get  
>>  suggestions about why and  how you can fix it. Also, challenge   
>> yourself. If you get confused,  retrace your steps until you're   
>> back where you felt comfortable. Try  again and see what happens.   
>> Also, know other buildings or streets you  have to pass or cross on  
>>  your way to a destination. That way, if you  ask someone where you  
>>  are and they say "Main Street" or "just in front  of the chemistry  
>>  building" you'll have a better sense of where you're  at.
>>
>> I know that's quite long, and I'm sure there are things I'm    
>> forgetting, but try it out and let us know how it goes.
>> I hope this helps.
>> Sarah
>>
>>
>> Quoting V Nork <ginisd at sbcglobal.net>:
>>
>>> Hello everyone, My name is Ginnie , and I am fairly new to the list.
>>> My degree, in psychology and journalism, is a bachelor's degree that is
>>> about twenty years old now.  I received all my education  when my
>>> eyesight was perfect , so the experience of attending college as a
>>> person who is currently totally blind is of course another world.  I am
>>> hoping to get a masters degree or a certificate .  I would love it if
>>> some of you on the list could share your experiences with personal
>>> transportation, in a sense. That is, what strategies do you use to walk
>>> safely to classrooms, the library, the bookstore, etcetera?  I am sure
>>> there is a huge range of personal stories out there.  For me, just
>>> walking around campus with my cane involves a huge hassle factor, which
>>> can be overwhelming when I want to branch out from the handful of
>>> places I know how to get to.  I am in California, and on my campus you
>>> are expected to fend for yourself in getting around which seems crazy
>>> since this is a huge urban campus with a Disabled Student Services and
>>> Programs office.  This  lack of help is in contrast to another campus
>>> only a dozen miles away which actually provides golf carts to transport
>>> blind students to classes.  I have been trained extensively in white
>>> cane travel, and still I am on a campus that sometimes feels, despite
>>> my fairly good skills,  like a bewildering maze.  It is a school built
>>> on terraces, with lots of stairs and different levels.  There is a
>>> sparse population at times, so there is not always someone to ask, say,
>>> am I on track for the library?  What I would like is just to have some
>>> help initially developing a route to a classroom, and after that just
>>> going on my own with my cane .  Funds from the Department of
>>> Rehabilitation for mobility trainers can be  quite limited..  I have
>>> yet to go to the library independently after several semesters, since I
>>> do not yet know how to get there.  Years ago, when budgets in the state
>>> were fatter, there were mobility aides to help blind students at my
>>> school.  Don't misunderstand me, despite a slight balance problem which
>>> complicates things r for me a bit, I love walking with the cane at my
>>> own pace under my own steam.  It just seems that I would like more of
>>> my energy to go into academics, and not  into worrying about how to
>>> plan routes .  Anyway, as a newcomer to the list, I know there  are
>>> lots of thoughtful persons among you,and I am curious to hear what your
>>> campus mobility has been like.   Ginnie
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "alena roberts"
>>> <alena.roberts2282 at gmail.com>
>>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"   
>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Friday, May 22, 2009 3:25 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] transportation in your area
>>>
>>>
>>>> Ashley,
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for coming up with the new topic. In my city, public transit is
>>>> decent. the buses go pretty much everywhere in town and the drivers
>>>> are very nice. One of the great things about our buses is that they
>>>> have an automated system that actually tells you every stop, not just
>>>> the major ones. This makes my riding experience so much better because
>>>> I know when to pull the cord for my stop. My one complaint is that
>>>> because Corvallis is small, and my ruite is so large, my bus only
>>>> comes once an hour. Other than that I am pretty happy with the bus
>>>> system here. I look forward to hearing more people's experiences.
>>>>
>>>> Alena
>>>>
>>>> On 5/22/09, Ashley  Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>> Let's have a more productive topic than rehashing ACB/NFB frictions. I've
>>>>> got one.
>>>>>
>>>>> How is the transportation in your area?  Say where you go to   
>>>>> school as that
>>>>> makes a difference.  If you're in a metropolitian area its   
>>>>> probably decent.
>>>>> How about near your home?  If you have transportation, is it   
>>>>> adaquate? Are
>>>>> bus drivers accomodating by calling out bus stops upon request?  Are they
>>>>> helpful in giving directions to find seats if you want it?
>>>>>
>>>>> For me, its pretty decent at school.  I'm near DC, in northern va. When I
>>>>> attended the large state school George Mason University, GMU was  
>>>>>  great. The
>>>>> CUE bus came to GMU and went around the city and to the Vienna   
>>>>> metro. Metro
>>>>> Buses were just across the street from the college.
>>>>> At Marymount in Arlington, the school shuttle bus went to Ballston metro.
>>>>> That's our subway.  From there you could take the metro, get   
>>>>> Art(arlington)
>>>>> buses, many metro buses, or walk to many shops and restaurants.  Ruby
>>>>> Tuesday, IHOP, a pizza place, and Chevy's were just a few accessible.
>>>>> At home there are not sidewalks and metro buses are not accessible to us.
>>>>> So I have not done much public transit travel.  I did some on   
>>>>> mobility and
>>>>> when I lived at MU since I had access to them.
>>>>>
>>>>> In my limited experience, metro is good.  Other customers are   
>>>>> friendly and
>>>>> happily answer my questions as to what line to go on as there is no
>>>>> accessible way to know you're in front of an orange or blue train; they
>>>>> share the same track.  Drivers announce stops on buses although many now
>>>>> have talking systems announcing major stops automatically.
>>>>> On a crowded bus or subway as I'm departing its helpful that most of the
>>>>> riders move out of the way so I can have a clear path and exit before the
>>>>> door closes.  Especially on metro rail, subway, you have a   
>>>>> limited time to
>>>>> exit until the door shuts and you miss your stop.
>>>>> On metro rail drivers announce stops, but if I can't hear them due to low
>>>>> voice or something, I count stops or ask fellow passengers.
>>>>>
>>>>> Metro service is better during the day time as with all public transit
>>>>> services.  On weekends its infrequent.  Some lines do not run and others
>>>>> only run a bus once an hour.
>>>>>
>>>>> So those are my thoughts.
>>>>> Ashley
>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -- 
>>>> Alena Roberts
>>>> Blog: http://www.blindgal.com/
>>>>
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