[nabs-l] Need Some Encouragement/Some Travel Questions...

[Ashley Bramlett]

Kerri,
I think Cindy had some excellent points.
I wanted to add a little more and respond to these questions.

Is anybody else on this list also a route traveler or who has to stick
primarily to someone showing them where something is first?
Does anyone on here have to use a local mobility instructor to show
them where things are? If so, what was your experience?


My response:
I have not been to a nfb center and don't plan to but I might try an out of 
state center.
However, as I have spatial challenges, I anticipate always needing guidance 
in mapping out routes I'll do over and over, no matter how much training I 
have. To some extent, I think I will be a route traveler for sake of my 
sanity and time. Discovering new ways takes more time and I feel that going 
unfamiliar places outdoors is scary. I mean, you have the whole world out 
there. Sure I'd go out and stroll around if I had the time and knew it was a 
fairly safe area. But if I need to get to say, a doctor's office, I'm not 
going around to figure out what is around it. I'd probably follow a route 
that someone showed me or gave me directions to. For me, I believe route 
travel would be the fastest and less nerve racking thing.

Sighted people use routes too. They often take the same route to go to work 
or the same store all the time.
So, learning a route to work or a grocery store is fine, nothing wrong with 
that.
I would use a reliable friend or family member, or if that doesn't work I'd 
ask a mobility instructor.
Many instructors  will let you discover more and problem solve. If you 
intend to do a route over and over, having a mobility instructor assist in 
orientation is helpful. Do you know how you learn best? If writing down 
directions helps you remember it, then either you or the instructor can do 
that. If you learn well with maps, your O&M instructor can make a map of the 
area.

I have used the O&M service from our vr agency, dept for the blind and 
vision impaired or DBVI.
All instructors but one were fine.
I mentioned my O&M growing up last email; my instruction growing up was real 
route based and I was not encouraged to problem solve and did not analyze 
intersections.
However, as an adult, I have had more success. The worst part of O&M was the 
frequency. I received it a few times per month in my community; they have 
too many to serve to teach you more consistently.
Instruction was more helpful. I feel that instructors were more open to 
teaching me what I needed and how I learned best. The downside was one of 
them told me to rely too much on my vision.
I was shown techniques to ride our WMATA subway system called the metro. The 
instructor explained the layouts of different types of stations and gave me 
a braille guide of stations which shows which line stations are on.
She told me to listen for our stop and if I could not hear it, I'd ask 
someone which stop we were at. She told me that most times color lines 
alternated, but to be sure of the color, I'd have to ask someone.
She had me interact with the public and fellow riders just as I would do 
alone. I had to take responsibility for finding the right train and getting 
off it and out of the station. I also learned more about crossing streets 
including pressing buttons to activate those pedestrian walk signs. She also 
oriented me to college. There is more, but those are highlights. I was also 
shown how to use the metro to go to a few internships.
If you want more info on this, I can explain.

So to answer your questions, yes and yes. I have done mostly routes, and I 
have used agency O&M instruction.
I don't think all problems disappear after training. If O&M is a hard skill 
for you, it will always be that way. But you can still travel, just may need 
you use other ways.

I also wanted to add something about sighted people. You said sighted people 
don't
have to be shown anything. I believe that is inaccurate. Sighted people use 
guidance too. Some have better spatial memories than others just as blind 
people do.
Its just not obvious because sighted people see maps which represent miles 
of space on paper. They also see signs.
Sighted people might have a friend show them where building y or x is.
They might go out and find it  if they know the general area and then read 
numbers to locate a specific address.
My mom has gone out to find places before she has appointments so she knows 
where it is in order to find it quickly with time pressure.
Sighted people also ask for directions a lot in new environments.
So while they may not have as much hands on guidance as us, they certainly 
use some guidance.
Its via maps or verbal directions or computer directions. Also sighted and 
blind people can use GPS which is almost like someone showing you where 
building y is because GPS gives you turn by turn directions.
Its not like all sighted people know where everything is and just take off 
and go. No, not at the beginning at least. They have to use tools to help 
them out too.

How is the public transit in your area? II f its bad, I hope you can move 
soon to be more independent.
Meanwhile remember other ways to travel and don't be so hard on yourself.
You could use paratransit if that exists. You could use taxis. You might be 
able to get a driver from a community club to drop you off somewhere like a 
strip mall while you shop. Check with the lions clubs; then take your driver 
out to lunch or something as payment.

Could you take a taxi to that dollar store you mentioned? I know cabs are 
expensive, but once in a while you might be able to afford it.
It sounds like you feel trapped and I know how that can e. When I was at 
college, I used the campus shuttle to get to the metro station and from 
there I went to the mall or nearby restaurants. When I came home, I missed 
the freedom I had; I cannot walk to a bus stop as it’s a dangerous busy road 
with no sidewalks. I can use paratransit and taxis though.
I think you'll be fine. Just try and get out as much as possible so you can 
practice your skills.
HTH,
Ashley

-----Original Message----- 
From: Kerri Kosten
Sent: Tuesday, November 26, 2013 3:26 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: [nabs-l] Need Some Encouragement/Some Travel Questions...

Hi Everyone:

I hope it's okay for me to post this. I have debated for a long time
whether to post about this but I feel like everyone else is allowed to
post on topics such as family issues and other things so I figured I'd
post my frustrations.
I really just want some encouragement, and to know whether I am the
only one going through this.
I am totally blind, and in addition to my blindness I have severe
hearing loss. I can hear sounds and can communicate with people and
such, but I can't tell which direction sounds are coming from.
Basically, my hearing really affects my travel.
Last year, I graduated from the Louisiana Center for The Blind. I
really enjoyed it, and I really enjoyed cane travel class. I enjoy
using my cane and traveling.
Anyway, because of my hearing loss, and the fact I am not that great
at mental mapping, I did a lot of routes in training. My instructor
told me when I returned home if someone (anyone) showed me where to go
around my area I'd be okay.
To make a long story short, I returned home and things didn't happen
as they were supposed to.
I guess I just feel frustrated because I don't feel like I get to use
my cane that much. Sure, I can go to the mall, or a game or somewhere
indoors and to get directions from people but where I am not getting
much practice is outdoors like walking from city block to block and
crossing streets.
Another thing that frustrates me is when I do finally get someone to
show me something I love it because I get to really use my cane and
then I have to wait a week or more to be able to go out there again.
For example, there is a Dollar General store located across the street
from me. The problem is first though that this particular street is
extremely busy. I am unable to cross busy streets or lighted
intersections without assistance because of my hearing loss. I
arranged for someone to help me cross the street. However, I forgot
one thing. This dollar general has a huge parking lot that is open and
has no landmarks and I can't hear the echos from the building.
I had a friend on Saturday walk with me to the dollar General just to
try to map it out and see how big the parking lot was. With this
friend, I was able to use my braille compass, and work on mental
mapping and such just like I was taught in training. Well, my friend
can't help me again for another week or so.
I just wish I got to work on the things such as using my braille
compass, and mental mapping, and really using my cane like I was in
training more often. It really brings me down when I get to do this
type of thing for a day, and then I can't do it for another week or
more.
I guess I just wondered am I the only one in this situation?
I know on this list nobody else likely has hearing loss but is there
anyone else who doesn't get to go out and travel much?
Have any of you been to training and then afterwords not really been
able to do as much afterwords?
Is anybody else on this list also a route traveler or who has to stick
primarily to someone showing them where something is first?
Does anyone on here have to use a local mobility instructor to show
them where things are? If so, what was your experience?
As I said, I hope it's okay for me to post this. I usually try not to
post rants, or negative threads, but I just feel
frustrated/discouraged sometimes because I feel like I am the only
one. It seems like everyone else who graduates from NFB centers are
able to get right out there and travel completely independently
without having to depend on anyone to show them anything. Everyone
around here is sighted, and so drives, and I guess sometimes I just
feel like I am the only one who struggles with travel. I feel like
with sighted people they don't have to be shown anything, or are
limited in where they can drive. It seems like everyone else who
graduates from NFB centers are able to just use their hearing to
travel everywhere. I guess sometimes I just feel
frustrated/discouraged because I feel like I am the only one and so
wondered if others were also in a similar situation where you struggle
with travel or don't get to get out there and use your cane that much.
Thanks, and this is the only negative post from me I promise!,
Kerri

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