[nabs-l] Need more help...Navigating The Football Game Saturday

Thu Nov 11 16:57:16 UTC 2010

Kerry, its up to you.  I think you should ask for assistance.
You'll get in fast and safely and be able to enjoy the game.  You don't want 
to spend lots of time figuring things out because by that time the seats are 
filling up.  At big events its easier to get out alone because everyone is 
leaving and you can follow the crowd.  But getting there everyone is rushing 
to find a seat or go the restroom before the event or buying last minute 
tickets. Its chaos!
When I attended a play alone I got help from an usher or someone to my seat. 
They offered to help.  Its okay whatever you choose.  If you have attempted 
to ask people in crowds for directions you know its hard and a chore.  I 
speak from experience.  People are rushing to their seat, talking on a cell 
phone, talking to family or a member of their group, or doing something. 
Its hard to get their attention!
When you finally do they often cannot verbalize directions well and point to 
things.  Sometimes I think its good to do what is efficient and enjoy 
yourself.  You're still independent as long as you are in control of the 
situation  is my opinion.
Ashley
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kerri Kosten" <kerrik2006 at gmail.com>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 11:31 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Need more help...Navigating The Football Game Saturday


> Hi Anjelina and All:
>
> Okay I think I am going to do this...thanks soo much for all the
> encouragment...without it I wouldn't be attempting this...but you all
> are right.
>
> What do you guys think... Should I call the stadium ahead and let them
> know I am blind and that I will be arriving so they can have someone
> waiting who works at the stadium to escort me to my seat (by escort I
> mean guide) or should I truly try it alone and do the whole wandering
> around, asking random people directions?
>
> What do you all think since it's my first time?
>
> I feel a little more comfortable having someone who works there help
> me in but I know wandering around and asking people would help me gain
> more confidence...the only thing is I don't want to get too lost and
> wander too far into the massive parking lot filled with the hardcore
> drunk tailgaters or get the attention of the wrong drunk...at least
> with the person escorting me I could get in safely and quickly...kind
> of like when you ask for assistance at the airport...
>
> Opinions please!
>
> Again thanks!
>
> Kerri
>
> On 11/10/10, Anjelina <anjelinac26 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> I've never been to this type of game, so forgive if my observations are 
>> off
>> the mark. I wouldn't think the game would be overrun by intoxicated 
>> people
>> so early in the day. You might have a few hard-core partiers, but 
>> security
>> would have a riot in their hands if the stadium was filled with rowdy
>> drinkers.
>> Fear is not a bad thing; we just have to keep it in check. I was once 
>> told
>> fear is: false evidence appearing real.
>> I hope you attempt to go to the game. You may gain a bit more confidents,
>> and it's your birthday. You deserve to enjoy yourself.
>>
>> Anjelina
>> Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.
>> Albert Einstein
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Kerri Kosten" <kerrik2006 at gmail.com>
>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 9:00 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Need more help...Navigating The Football Game 
>> Saturday
>>
>>
>>> Hi All!
>>>
>>> Mark, there aren't any blind people around here...so that's not an
>>> option sadly or I would love to use it.
>>>
>>> Taking a self-defense class is a good idea...I will definitely look
>>> into it for the future.
>>>
>>> If this is not a good idea I won't do it but just to be safe would it
>>> be a good idea to call the stadium ahead like tomorrow or Friday and
>>> explain the situation so they can have someone help me?
>>>
>>> Ashley I don't mean have an escort like that following me
>>> everywhere...I just thought to be extra safe to avoid all the drunks
>>> have someone who works at the stadium walk with me to my seat...
>>>
>>> But, you guys are right...what is the worst a drunk will do?
>>>
>>> If they grab me I can scream, blow my whistle, or something like
>>> that...and you guys are right there will be thousands of people
>>> around...it's not like a drunk is going to try to kidnap or rape me or
>>> something right there in front of everybody and I'll be helpless.
>>>
>>> I will definitely have my cell phone. I use the Iphone though which is
>>> touchscreen so you kind of have to unlock it, and touch the screen to
>>> make calls...should I get a simple track phone for this ocasion where
>>> I could literally punch in a number...or is the Iphone which is what I
>>> usually use okay?
>>>
>>> And, I'll definitely make two arrangements of getting home...luckily
>>> fornow my mother and her fiancee live near the stadium (they are
>>> moving) and I plan on taking a cab...I would need to walk out of the
>>> stadium and such but not on any dark streets...if something were to
>>> happen I could call my mom who lives near there, a cab, and I'll
>>> definitely ask ahead of time where the cab could drop me off and pick
>>> me up that would be the closest to the entrance to cut down on
>>> walking.
>>>
>>> The game starts at noon, and should end around 3:30...since I don't
>>> plan on tailgating afterwords it won't be dark...
>>>
>>> I guess when I really think about it...the fear is that I'm  getting
>>> out of my comfort zone...I've gotten lost before and have gone to
>>> plenty of restaurants where I'm just dropped off and I just walk in
>>> before but this is the first time for something major like this...I
>>> won't be able to turn around and go home and it isn't as simple as
>>> just walking inside a building...
>>>
>>> But hey...I've just gotta keep reminding myself...I took two planes
>>> one from Pittsburgh to Atlanta then from Atlanta to Dallas to
>>> convention and back...for this I'm still in Morgantown, in the same
>>> town...so I don't know exactly why I'm so nervous...I want to get over
>>> it though...and you guys are right...what is the worst the drunks can
>>> do?
>>>
>>> Kerri
>>>
>>> On 11/10/10, Mark J. Cadigan <kramc11 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> I don't know if it has been discussed, but what about going with a 
>>>> blind
>>>> friend?
>>>>
>>>> And, don't be scared of drunks and the like. Just stay in crowded 
>>>> areas,
>>>> and
>>>> have a safe way of getting home, a safe way that does not involve 
>>>> walking
>>>>
>>>> on
>>>> dark streets and the like. Preferably a cab or something. The phone is 
>>>> a
>>>> grate idea.
>>>>
>>>> Just for general self defense purposes, learning a self defense or
>>>> strategy
>>>> is a grate idea. But, self defense is 90% mental and 10% physical. You
>>>> can
>>>> take all the classes you want, but, if you are not prepared to use it, 
>>>> it
>>>>
>>>> is
>>>> less than useless.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "Kerri Kosten" <kerrik2006 at gmail.com>
>>>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>; "k-r" <k-r at atlanticbb.net>; "Darren Burton"
>>>> <dburton at afb.net>
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 5:24 PM
>>>> Subject: [nabs-l] Need more help...Navigating The Football Game 
>>>> Saturday
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Hey All:
>>>>>
>>>>> Sorry to post another message about this but I figured I'd change the
>>>>> subject line a little.
>>>>>
>>>>> As most of you know, yesterday I decided to do the basketball game
>>>>> independently and just find a friend for the football game Saturday to
>>>>> be on the safe side with such a massive stadium, parking lot area,
>>>>> tons of steps everywhere, and all the drunks.
>>>>>
>>>>> Well, to make a long story short, I can't find anyone to go with.
>>>>>
>>>>> I honestly don't have very many friends around here. The reasons for
>>>>> this are debatable but I think it comes down to the fact that the
>>>>> sighted people feel sorry for me, and see me as a child and don't want
>>>>> to be "responsible" for me. I don't have that forward-thinking sighted
>>>>> person to go to or that cool friend and there aren't any other blind
>>>>> people around here.
>>>>>
>>>>> I called one of the friends I have Loray...but she is working 
>>>>> Saturday.
>>>>>
>>>>> I posted on Facebook yesterday that I have an extra ticket to go to
>>>>> the game on the 50 yard line but noone responded. I posted another
>>>>> status update earlier today and someone responded asking if I was
>>>>> selling the ticket and how much and they may be interested...I
>>>>> explained the situation, that the ticket wasn't for sale but I was
>>>>> looking for someone to go with because as a female it probably
>>>>> wouldn't be the best idea to go alone with all the drunks. The person
>>>>> agreed, and asked how I was but did not say anything about going to
>>>>> the game with me.
>>>>>
>>>>> My aunt may be going but heres the thing...I want to be careful with
>>>>> who I ask and select to go with. I don't want to just go with someone
>>>>> as a tag-along or invite myself into a group or worst of all have
>>>>> someone feel sorry for the poor blind girl and take her to the game
>>>>> because she doesn't have anyone to go with...and if she doesn't go
>>>>> with me how will she go to the game? Poor thing...then the whole time
>>>>> ask me about where my mother is, and how my mother should be taking
>>>>> me, and so on.
>>>>>
>>>>> It's my birthday...I want to do this and have fun and I want to go
>>>>> with a person who wants to go with me because of me not because they
>>>>> feel sorry for the poor blind girl or the poor blind girl doesn't have
>>>>> anyone else to go with, or the poor blind girl's mother is too busy
>>>>> for her. I try to point out that 'm 23 years old and don't need my
>>>>> mother and they say "I know," but it infuriates me.
>>>>>
>>>>> So, what should I do if I don't end up finding someone to go with?
>>>>>
>>>>> This not getting to do things because of not having people to do
>>>>> things has gone on long enough. As of a couple of months ago I decided
>>>>> enough was enough, and to stop feeling sorry for myself, and that from
>>>>> now on I would do what I wanted when I wanted whether I had people to
>>>>> go with or not.
>>>>>
>>>>> So far, until this football game I've been doing pretty well.
>>>>>
>>>>> I have already missed out on several festivals here and a concert that
>>>>> was held here featuring Maroon 5, Ludacris, and Kris Allen (Maroon 5
>>>>> is one of my favorite artists and I love Ludacris) because of not
>>>>> having people to go with and being afraid to go because of being a
>>>>> female with all the rowdy drunks.
>>>>>
>>>>> I want to show these feel sorry people that I don't need them, and
>>>>> that I do what I want when I want whether they want to take me or not,
>>>>> and that my mother doesn't need to be around...I don't want my
>>>>> birthday to be ruined too and not get to go to something I want
>>>>> because of stupid people!
>>>>>
>>>>> I don't need these people...I'm determined to show them and overcome
>>>>> this...but I want to be safe too and keep what Kimberly said in her
>>>>> message yesterday in mind.
>>>>>
>>>>> If I don't end up finding anybody and have to do it alone would it be
>>>>> best  to do the call ahead, have someone from security help me to my
>>>>> seat then help me out of the stadium afterwords? Would that be safe
>>>>> enough?
>>>>>
>>>>> I love the idea of gong to the stadium to check things out on a day
>>>>> when the fans are not there...but this is the last of two home games
>>>>> so this will most likely be the only football game I go to.
>>>>>
>>>>> I have to pick up my ticket for the basketball game so I definitely
>>>>> will check out that areena but I don't know if I'll get to check out
>>>>> the football stadium before Saturday.
>>>>>
>>>>> What to do?
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks so much,
>>>>>
>>>>> Kerri
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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