[nabs-l] some more questions...

[Anmol Bhatia]

One more thing I ment to mention: this would also go for any situations where there is a croud.
Anmol
I seldom think about my limitations, and they never make me sad. Perhaps there is just a touch of yearning at times; but it is vague, like a breeze among flowers.
Hellen Keller


--- On Sun, 8/15/10, Kerri Kosten <kerrik2006 at gmail.com> wrote:

> From: Kerri Kosten <kerrik2006 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] some more questions...
> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Date: Sunday, August 15, 2010, 2:20 AM
> Hi All!
> 
> Wow, awesome responses!
> 
> Thanks a ton...this helps clear up the issue so much for
> me!
> 
> Just one more question though. In her message, Arielle said
> she often
> bases whether she follows someone or takes their arm by
> whether she
> will likely be going to the same place or traveling the
> same route
> again.
> 
> What about if you are just going to a restaurant?
> 
> Often, I go out to eat with my family. They park, we get
> out of the
> car, then it's just a matter of walking to where the door
> is, and then
> going to the seat in the restaurant. Usually, I just let
> Mom guide
> me...but in a situation like this, should I be using my
> cane? It's not
> necessarily a place I'll be going to again or a lot, but
> it's another
> situation where I could be using my cane and getting more
> practice.
> However, again I don't want to cause trouble or be extreme.
> So, what
> do you usually do in situations where you just have to go
> from a
> vehicle, to the door, then to a seat?
> 
> Kerri
> 
> On 8/14/10, Jewel S. <herekittykat2 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > I had a similar problem with getting lost and having
> someone guide me
> > to find my way...the next time, I got just as lost!
> This is what I
> > started doing.
> >
> > Me: Man, I'm lost...I don't recognize anything around
> me.
> > Good Person: Can I help you find something?
> > Me: Yea, I'm looking for <address>. Can you tell
> me what address I'm at?
> > GP: You're at <number>. You need to go down the
> street to your left
> > and you'll find the place you're looking for.
> > Me: Thank you. Are there any plants, stairs, or other
> features that
> > will tell me that I'm there?
> > GP: Yea, they have two big crepe myrtles out front and
> the building
> > has six steps to the front door.
> > Me: Thank you!
> >
> > Then I walk there, and when I find two crepe myrtles
> and a building
> > with six steps, I am 99 percent likely to have the
> right building.
> >
> > Another method I've used is "Are you going that way? I
> would be
> > grateful if you'd let me walk with you." Then I walk
> beside them and
> > talk while I walk (I talk too much), and watch out for
> landmarks. I
> > have to pay attention to where I'm going because I'm
> following, but at
> > the same time, I don't have to try to remember
> directions (I have a
> > bad memory).
> >
> > For following, I have a bit of a cheat in my favour. I
> can ee some
> > colours, so if the person is wearing a bright coloured
> shirt, such a
> > construction worker's orange vest or a pretty pink
> shirt, I just keep
> > the pink or orange blob in my sight and follow that.
> If you don't have
> > colour vision, use scent and/or sound. For example, at
> the bank today
> > there was a lady with high heels that made it very
> easy to follow her,
> > and I have a friend who wears very distinct
> cologne...as long as I can
> > smell his cologne, I know he's not far away. If I'm
> not sure where
> > someone is, I'll ask. For example, while my boyfriend
> and I are out, I
> > might say "Hey, Mike." and he'll say "Yea?" or "Here."
> and I'll know
> > exactly where he is based on his voice. This works
> better with people
> > you know well, because they'll know that you're just
> asking for some
> > audio feedback.
> >
> > Hope that helps,
> > Jewel
> >
> > On 8/14/10, Arielle Silverman <nabs.president at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >> Hi Kerri,
> >>
> >> It'll be obvious when your tip needs changing
> because you'll hear a
> >> noise like a piece of metal dropping on the ground
> while you are
> >> walking, and then your cane will stick on
> everything and won't give
> >> you nearly as much feedback. If you have a lot of
> extra tips, you can
> >> change them as soon as you start to notice
> scratches on your tip, but
> >> if you want to be more economical, you can wait
> until the ring falls
> >> off.
> >>
> >> Regarding getting help when lost, if I'm getting
> help from a stranger,
> >> I'll almost always follow behind them instead of
> taking their arm, not
> >> only so I can know where we're going, but also
> because I don't know
> >> the person and don't want to be led somewhere I
> don't want to go
> >> without realizing it. If I'm walking with someone
> I know and trust,
> >> then a key factor in the decision is "is this a
> route I'll likely be
> >> taking again?" If so, then I'll want to follow
> behind them using my
> >> cane so I can really be aware of where we're going
> and be able to
> >> remember the route for later trips. Most people
> will understand and
> >> not be offended if you say "I'd like to just
> follow you so I can
> >> remember how to get here next time". If it's not
> someplace I'm likely
> >> to go back to again, then the decision really
> depends on my mood, how
> >> crowded the place is, whether I want to be
> carrying something in my
> >> non-cane hand (which makes sighted guide
> inconvenient), etc. If it's a
> >> good friend they should be understanding that you
> might move a little
> >> slower or more awkwardly without holding their arm
> but that the
> >> practice and confidence is good for you.
> >>
> >> Arielle
> >>
> >> On 8/14/10, Anmol Bhatia <anmolpbhatia at yahoo.com>
> wrote:
> >>> Kerri,
> >>> When you do let someone guide, try to mentally
> remember the directions as
> >>> you are walking. Basically don't just let them
> guide but try to follow
> >>> along
> >>> the directions as you are walking. You have
> the right idea of traveling
> >>> independently "practice practice practice".
> After all practice makes
> >>> perfect.
> >>> Anmol
> >>> I seldom think about my limitations, and they
> never make me sad. Perhaps
> >>> there is just a touch of yearning at times;
> but it is vague, like a
> >>> breeze
> >>> among flowers.
> >>> Hellen Keller
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> --- On Sat, 8/14/10, Kerri Kosten <kerrik2006 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> From: Kerri Kosten <kerrik2006 at gmail.com>
> >>>> Subject: [nabs-l] some more questions...
> >>>> To: "National Association of Blind
> Students mailing list"
> >>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> >>>> Date: Saturday, August 14, 2010, 6:28 PM
> >>>> Hi All!!
> >>>>
> >>>> I have some more questions!
> >>>>
> >>>> First, I have decided to get a braille
> watch. My friend has
> >>>> a Seko
> >>>> watch which she says is very good, but I
> can't find it in
> >>>> the NFB
> >>>> Independence market. She told me that they
> have stopped
> >>>> making this
> >>>> kind of watch. When I looked at the
> watches online in the
> >>>> independence
> >>>> market there were like three different
> ones ranging in
> >>>> price from $45
> >>>> to like $60-something. I am pretty sure
> they were all in
> >>>> the Quartz
> >>>> brand...so I was wondering what the
> differences between
> >>>> different
> >>>> braille watches are and which one you
> recomend I get that
> >>>> is still
> >>>> being made today lol! I looked at my
> friends watch at
> >>>> convention and
> >>>> she told me how to read time on it so I
> should do fine in
> >>>> that area.
> >>>>
> >>>> How do you know when your cane tip needs
> changed? I've been
> >>>> told when
> >>>> the ring falls off. What does this mean?
> What ring? I got a
> >>>> free white
> >>>> cane from the NFB in January so it came
> with a tip already
> >>>> on it. I
> >>>> bought five tips during convention and
> have been told how
> >>>> to put them
> >>>> on. The reason I am asking about this is I
> am noticing my
> >>>> tip is
> >>>> scratched. It is still on but it's
> scratched. It's starting
> >>>> to
> >>>> stick...it doesn't feel as smooth when I
> tap...it feels
> >>>> more rough
> >>>> somehow...if that makes sense! Does this
> mean it's wearing
> >>>> down? If
> >>>> so, how much should you let it wear down
> before changing
> >>>> it?
> >>>>
> >>>> Also I want to make sure I know how to
> change
> >>>> properly...you basically
> >>>> twist the tip off where the rubber
> is...and then to put the
> >>>> new tip on
> >>>> you just stick the hole of the new tip
> onto the cane...is
> >>>> that right?
> >>>> Is it pretty easy/straightforward or is
> there anything else
> >>>> I should
> >>>> know? Is it hard to get the new tip on or
> does it fit onto
> >>>> the cane
> >>>> easily? Is the old tip hard to twist off?
> When putting the
> >>>> new tip on,
> >>>> do you have to twist it or anything like
> that? I just want
> >>>> to make
> >>>> sure so I'm not left with a cane I can't
> put a new tip on
> >>>> lol!
> >>>>
> >>>> A few weeks ago, I posted about navigating
> outside, getting
> >>>> lost, and
> >>>> going through parking lots. Last week, I
> decided to try
> >>>> going to the
> >>>> dumpster. It went okay, but not the best.
> When I got to the
> >>>> open
> >>>> driveway you have to cross, I tried to
> center my cane and
> >>>> go straight.
> >>>> I must've really veered horribly because I
> ended up hitting
> >>>> either a
> >>>> gate or fence that I had never seen
> before. Someone helped
> >>>> me to the
> >>>> trash (I was going the right way but was
> on the wrong
> >>>> side), and I
> >>>> just had them guide me back to my building
> but I want to
> >>>> try it again
> >>>> and to improve so had some questions.
> First, is there
> >>>> anything more I
> >>>> could do to correct my veering? I tried to
> center my cane
> >>>> and walked
> >>>> faster though I know I could've walked
> faster than I was.
> >>>> I've read
> >>>> that an arc that is even from side to side
> keeps a person
> >>>> from veering
> >>>> to one side or the other. I read how you
> can measure your
> >>>> arc by
> >>>> standing at a doorjamb and tapping the
> cane from side to
> >>>> side making
> >>>> sure the cane hits each side of the
> doorjamb. I also read
> >>>> that it
> >>>> needs to be about shoulder to shoulder.
> So, I stood at my
> >>>> doorjamb and
> >>>> tried tapping my cane from one side to the
> other. Then, I
> >>>> put my cane
> >>>> in front of my right shoulder, tapped it,
> then tried
> >>>> tapping in front
> >>>> of my other shoulder. I noticed that in
> both instances my
> >>>> arc became
> >>>> much much wider. I also noticed I had to
> kind of
> >>>> strain...like it felt
> >>>> as if it was too wide. Basically, it
> didn't feel natural
> >>>> somehow...Is
> >>>> this feeling normal when first starting
> out? The reason I
> >>>> am asking
> >>>> these questions is because the more
> practice I get with my
> >>>> cane, the
> >>>> better, faster, and more efficient I will
> become. Is there
> >>>> anything
> >>>> else I can try to maybe keep from veering
> so much?
> >>>>
> >>>> Since I am not yet in training, and
> haven't had much
> >>>> practice with a
> >>>> cane and am very slow and clearly need all
> the practice I
> >>>> can get,
> >>>> when going out when should I take an arm
> and when should I
> >>>> use the
> >>>> cane? I know this question always brings
> up much debate and
> >>>> I've been
> >>>> told it's up to me, but when you haven't
> had training
> >>>> what's up to me
> >>>> isn't always the best because I need
> practice, practice,
> >>>> practice. I
> >>>> know that if I am in a very very noisy
> place or I want to
> >>>> talk to
> >>>> someone/carry on a conversation taking an
> arm is probably
> >>>> better but
> >>>> other than those situations should I be
> using the cane on
> >>>> my own? Ever
> >>>> since convention, when taking someones
> arm, I always use my
> >>>> cane on
> >>>> the other side which is nice but that
> isn't helping me
> >>>> gain
> >>>> confidence, gain trust, and walk faster
> with the cane. Is
> >>>> it hard from
> >>>> the sighted persons perspective to follow
> or walk beside
> >>>> them? The
> >>>> main reason I end up taking an arm so much
> is I don't want
> >>>> to put the
> >>>> sighted person in an uncomfortable
> situation or irritate
> >>>> them...
> >>>>
> >>>> Also,when I am trying to go somewhere,
> such as the
> >>>> dumpster,and I end
> >>>> up getting lost, when a sighted person
> asks if I need help,
> >>>> should I
> >>>> either follow/walk beside them, or get
> directions and use
> >>>> my cane or
> >>>> let them guide me? The reason I am asking
> this is because
> >>>> too many
> >>>> times I have gotten lost when trying to go
> somewhere. When
> >>>> someone
> >>>> assists me, I end up letting them guide
> me, and then the
> >>>> next time I
> >>>> have no idea where to go because I was
> just guided. At
> >>>> convention, by
> >>>> the end of the week, I still had no idea
> of even which
> >>>> direction to go
> >>>> because I was pretty much just guided all
> the time and I
> >>>> have a very
> >>>> hard time of knowing where to go if I
> don't use my cane on
> >>>> my own.
> >>>>
> >>>> I am very sorry to bring this up, or if I
> offend anyone. I
> >>>> think once
> >>>> you've had training, you just know you can
> do whatever, so
> >>>> this kind
> >>>> of thing doesn't matter but for someone
> just starting
> >>>> out...I need
> >>>> practice, practice, practice. And what is
> always easiest or
> >>>> just
> >>>> leaving it up to me isn't always the best
> for me because I
> >>>> don't want
> >>>> to put the sighted person in an
> uncomfortable situation.
> >>>> But, if I am
> >>>> guided all the time I don't get that
> practice I need!
> >>>>
> >>>> The few times I have used my cane on my
> own and either
> >>>> gotten
> >>>> directions, or followed someone, I have
> done very very
> >>>> well. It gives
> >>>> me a little sense of pride, motivates me
> to use my cane
> >>>> more, and
> >>>> makes it so I actually like using my cane!
> For example, my
> >>>> apartment
> >>>> complex has a pool. You have to walk a
> little to get to the
> >>>> pool. My
> >>>> parents live nearby, and like to come to
> the pool
> >>>> sometimes. They
> >>>> called me, and I walked to the pool using
> my cane all on my
> >>>> own. My
> >>>> parents were sitting all the way across
> the pool from the
> >>>> gate at a
> >>>> picnic table. Instead of getting up to
> guide me, my mothers
> >>>> fiancae
> >>>> just gave me directions. He told me to
> keep these poles on
> >>>> my left
> >>>> side, and soon enough I came to the picnic
> table where they
> >>>> were
> >>>> sitting. Because of how I used my cane, I
> successfully told
> >>>> him just
> >>>> like that how to reverse and get back to
> the gate all the
> >>>> way across
> >>>> the pool! I wouldn't have been able to do
> that if I had
> >>>> been guided.
> >>>>
> >>>> I know this is a very long, detailed
> message and I know
> >>>> I've rambled a
> >>>> bit...but I wanted to give an example of
> what I am trying
> >>>> to ask and
> >>>> why I am asking these questions!
> >>>>
> >>>> Thanks so much!
> >>>> Kerri
> >>>>
> >>>>
> _______________________________________________
> >>>> nabs-l mailing list
> >>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> >>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
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> or get your
> >>>> account info for nabs-l:
> >>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/anmolpbhatia%40yahoo.com
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> _______________________________________________
> >>> nabs-l mailing list
> >>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
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> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> Arielle Silverman
> >> President, National Association of Blind Students
> >> Phone:  602-502-2255
> >> Email:
> >> nabs.president at gmail.com
> >> Website:
> >> www.nabslink.org
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> nabs-l mailing list
> >> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> >> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
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> >> nabs-l:
> >> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/herekittykat2%40gmail.com
> >>
> >
> >
> > --
> > ~Jewel
> > Check out my blog about accessibility for the blind!
> > Treasure Chest for the Blind: http://blindtreasurechest.blogspot.com
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > nabs-l mailing list
> > nabs-l at nfbnet.org
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> >
> 
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