[nabs-l] canes and water park rides

Mike Freeman k7uij at panix.com
Tue Apr 2 03:08:12 UTC 2013


One of the nuisances of blindness that we cannot expect to be compensated
for IMO. (grin)

Mike


-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sarah
Sent: Monday, April 01, 2013 7:32 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] canes and water park rides

besides, I have had too many experiences where I waited in line for a ride
if need be, and waited 2 hours, then I get up there and they try to say I
can't ride because of my blindness and I might get scared because of the
ride's speed and height.  That happened to me at Disney and the fair.
Because at fairs I can't get immediate boarding passes.
 ----- Original Message -----
From: Kirt Manwaring <kirt.crazydude at gmail.com
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Mon, 1 Apr 2013 20:18:14 -0600
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] canes and water park rides

Sarah,
  I know you're going to get a lot of flack for what you just said, so I'll
do my best to be gentle.  I know each person's situation is different, so
I'm not judging every blind person who chooses to take that extra perk and
cut through line; for all I know, there really is some other disability or
legitimate need for that accommodation with some of us, so farbeit from me
to condemn everyone wholesale for making that choice.  Still, and I feel
very strongly about this, if you are capable of waiting in line with
everybody else, you should.
Period.  In the past, there have been a few times where I've caved in to
family pressure and broken my own rule; I'm not proud of it, I don't always
measure up to my own standards here, but I nevertheless believe very
passionately that we should not take "accommodation"
where we do not need it.  If you had no real need to cut in line, and it
sounds like you didn't if you've been able to wait in long lines before (if
I'm wrong please forgive me), you shouldn't have.  
That's
my opinion, I'm not trying to be harsh because I've certainly skipped in
line a few times before (and invariably felt ashamed afterwords), but
accommodation is only real accommodation if it serves a real need.
 We have enough real needs already to go around taking advantage of things
that just aren't necessary.  Not only is it a waste but it can, if we aren't
careful, send totally the wrong message about blindness.
Our reputation as people who take and take, without giving back, isn't
entirely unjustified.  If we want to be treated equally, we _have_ to have
it both ways.  If we want equal treatment, we have equal responsibility.
Much as this might seem menial, or irrelevant to the larger problems we
face, waiting in lines is a drudgery that we ought to accept cheerfully (or
at least grudgingly) if we really want equal access to amusement parks.  I
think, for many blind people, the attitude which says it's okay to cut in
line even though we could wait like everyone else is indicative of a far,
far larger problem.  I am, of course, referring to the idea that we are
entitled to special treatment and superior, not equal access.  We wouldn't
phrase it that way...but when we're asking for unnecessary extended time for
assignments (I'm not implying that all extended time is unnecessary),
demanding the right to a dedicated person to take our notes for us, begging
rehab for every piece of the newest and greatest technology and, yes,
cutting in lines at amusement parks...isn't that what we're really saying?
Just my humble opinion, take it for what it's worth.
  Best,
Kirt

On 4/1/13, Chris Nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com> wrote:
 So they let you cut through the line with a dog, but not with a cane?
 Interesting.

 Chris

 Chris Nusbaum, Co-Chair
 Public Relations Committee
 Maryland Association of Blind Students
 Phone: (443) 547-2409


 -----Original Message-----
 From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sarah
 Sent: Monday, April 01, 2013 9:40 PM
 To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
 Subject: Re: [nabs-l] canes and water park rides

 Because with my dog, they let me right on, and they watch the dog very
carefully even when someone else is holding it so nobody pets it while
you're on the ride.  With a cane, they will just say "Wait 4 hours like
everyone else."

  ----- Original Message -----
 From: "Chris Nusbaum" <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com
 To: "'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'"
 <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
 Date sent: Mon, 1 Apr 2013 21:26:25 -0400
 Subject: Re: [nabs-l] canes and water park rides

 Sarah,

 Just curious: how is Six Flags more accommodating to a guide dog user than
to a cane user?

 Chris

 Chris Nusbaum, Co-Chair
 Public Relations Committee
 Maryland Association of Blind Students
 Phone: (443) 547-2409


 -----Original Message-----
 From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sarah Meeks
 Sent: Monday, April 01, 2013 7:56 PM
 To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
 Cc: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
 Subject: Re: [nabs-l] canes and water park rides

 My best amusement park experience has always been Six Flags.
 They are very
 accommodating.  There you are more accommodating now that I have a dog.

 Sent from my iPhone

 On Apr 1, 2013, at 11:22 AM, Kaiti Shelton <crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com
 wrote:

  Hi,

  Yay for Disney!  they were by far my best park experience.  I went  twice
as a little kid.  The first time I went I was five or six and my parents
also had a baby in a stroller, so the practice for both me and my sister
was to hold onto our brother's stroller to keep with our parents and not
get lost.  My parents just gave me verbal direction  and were with me the
entire time, so there really wasn't a major need  for a cane.  
When I went
 again as an older kid though, I did have a  folding cane and the Disney
staff was very good about either showing  me tricks to keep it with me or
holding it and then giving it back to  me when I got off, even on water
rides like Splash Mountain and the  Pirates of the Caribbean rides which
start in one place and end at  another.  If you have a folding cane you can
secure it folded with the  loop and then put your wrist through the cane
and  the strap and just  let it hang as you hold onto something.  It won't
flop  around as much  as the telescopic cane.  Also, the holster idea sounds
good,  although  some park personelle at other amusement parks get worried
about  it  coming lose.  Either way, you shouldn't have any problems with
getting  the ride people to bring you your cane at the ride exit.

  By the way, Universal Studios was excellent about working with the  cane
too.  I went there in the same vacation that I went to Disney for  the
second time and they were very accomodating.

  On 4/1/13, Kirt Manwaring <kirt.crazydude at gmail.com> wrote:
  Sophie,
   I'm one of those random oddballs who would probably go alone if I  was
traveling, and there was a really cool theme park near by.
 I
  know it's not for everyone, but occasionally doing those kinds of "social"
  things by myself is fun for me; both to keep my confidence up and to  meet
people that I otherwise wouldn't get to know.
   Anyways, I've taken my straight cane to theme parks no problem, but  I'll
confess I haven't tried a water park with it yet.  A collapsible or  folding
cane seems more reasonable to me there.  On rollercoasters  or big rides
like that, I've almost always just given my straight  cane to the ride
attendant and picked it up when the ride is done,  but those rides usually
start and end at the same place.
 Waterslides
  and things are different though, obviously.
   Basically, I've been reading this thread to see what useful bits I  could
glean from it, as I'll probably be going to a few water parks myself over
the summer.  Maybe this will finally give me the  motivation I need to buy
another collapsible or NFB folding cane.  (I  actually liked mine for the
year or so it lasted, but I used it  sparingly and certainly not as my
primary cane.)  Thanks, all, for  the help and suggewstions.
   Best,
  Kirt

  On 3/31/13, justin williams <justin.williams2 at gmail.com> wrote:
  I would where a belt around my bathing suit, and Use a folding cane  with
a  holster.
  -----Original Message-----
  From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Cindy
Bennett
  Sent: Sunday, March 31, 2013 4:25 PM
  To: National Asociation of Blind Students
  Subject: [nabs-l] canes and water park rides

  Hi everyone,

  This summer, I am going to a water park.  When I go to theme parks, I
typically store my cane somewhere outside the ride area or on the  exit
side  of a roller coaster platform.  However, many water rides  are such
that you  get on the ride in a different location, often  quite a walk away,
from the  place where you get off of the ride.
 My
  cane is too long to fit in many inner tubes, and I doubt that it  would be
a safe thing to bring along especially if it came loose.

  I am wondering if a telescoping cane would be the best for this,  because
I  know that many water rides have shoe holders.  It would  just be
annoying,  because I would have to rely on someone to guide  me back to
these shoe  holders that are often at the entrance of the ride.

  So what are your suggestions for storing a cane during water rides?

  Thanks.



  --
  Cindy Bennett
  Secretary: National Association of Blind Students Legislative
  Coordinator: National Federation of the Blind of Washington

  B.A.  Psychology, UNC Wilmington
  clb5590 at gmail.com

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  --
  Kaiti

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