[nabs-l] navigating parking lots/open spaces and other travelquestions

Wed Jul 28 17:09:24 UTC 2010

Hello Kerri,

Well first i want to say that nothing that concerns you is too dumb to ask. 
If you do not know then asking is a part of researching your answer. I think 
that you are doing the right thing by asking the members of this list 
because we all have had starting points or rough times which means surely 
someone on this list, including myself, has had similar situations. To get 
to the point of your questions though, I think you have a really good amount 
of information about the parking lot and its' surrounding to navigate it. 
Jewel hit some really good pointers, so take that and what others will say 
to you and choose what best fits your situation and just go for it. If you 
don't do it that fear will always be there, but you will be surprised at 
what you could do if you just got over that fear. Just a few words of 
encouragement.

Go for it!

Best wishes,
Tamika Williams
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kerri Kosten" <kerrik2006 at gmail.com>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2010 9:41 AM
Subject: [nabs-l] navigating parking lots/open spaces and other 
travelquestions

> Hi All!
>
> I hve a few more travel questions I wanted to ask.
>
> First, what is the best way to navigate parking lots and those
> driveways in the parking lots you sometimes have to cross? Cars can
> come in and out of them and there is no landmarks or anything...it's
> just one big open space.
>
> The reason I am asking is because I live in a big apartment complex.
> To take the trash out, you have to go all the way across the parking
> lot. For the most part, the parking lot has a curb along it which I
> can follow with my cane, but there are two places where the curb ends
> and you have to cross this driveway/street like thing (I don't know
> what it's exactly called.) Anyway, there are no landmarks and no
> curb...you have to go straight across it and pick up the curb on the
> other side.
>
> I've been told that cars can come in and out of the driveway things,
> but I imagine it's not too busy. However, it terrifies me that a car
> is going to come while I am crossing and hit me. Do I just make sure
> to listen before crossing and try to cross as fast as I can?
>
> Also, veering is a huge problem for me. I know most blind people can
> not walk in an exact straight line but what is the best way for me to
> cross this driveway and stay as straight as possible so I can catch
> the curb on the other side and not get myself lost? I've read that
> keeping the cane centered like near the middle of the stomach, where
> the belly button is helps. I've also read that walking fast and trying
> to keep your feet straight helps. I was taught at convention how to
> use the two-point touch technique with my palm up, moving only my
> wrist. Is there anything else I can do? It scares me that I'm going to
> get really lost when taking the trash out and end up getting in hthe
> middle of the drive way thingy.
>
> Also, because I didn't know the hotel at convention, like everyone
> else I got very used to getting lost and wandering around and asking
> assistance to get where I wanted. It made me get over my fear of
> getting lost in huge buildings. However, I am still very scared about
> getting lost outdoors. What is the best way to deal with this? Is it
> the same concept as getting lost inside a building...jjust walk
> around, and ask assistance when you hear someone coming? I know this
> will sound very irrational, but I guess in a building you only have so
> much space, so many floors. Outside, you have the whole world...it
> never ends...there is no limit! I hope that doesn't sound too dumb.
> How did you get over fears of getting lost outdoors?
>
> I really want to try taking my own trash out independently but I am
> terrified of veering when crossing that driveway thing, getting hit
> while crossing, or getting really lost and not being able to find the
> building my apartment is in. There are like 10 different buildings,
> and they are building more! There is a pool on one side of the parking
> lot, the trash thing, and a clubhouse...and you have to cross the
> parking lot to get to all of them...so it's a huge open area with the
> various apartment buildings spread out all over.
>
> I could have an orientation and mobility instructor come and help me,
> but there aren't any good ones here and I hate route travel...I know I
> can do this myself if I can get over these silly fears!
>
> And, finally...when you are using your cane and you are in a hallway
> looking for a certain door or just going along a hallway where there
> is a wall on either side with doors along it...do you still use the
> two-point touch technique or do you switch to more of a constant
> contact technique where you slide the cane from side to side?
>
> Thanks so much and hope these questions don't sound too dumb.
>
> Kerri
>
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