[nabs-l] NFB and canes and travel

[Kirt]

Pat,
I've had lots of experience with both styles of cane and I think it boils down entirely too personal preference. I like the rigid NFB cane because it is light, it is longer and I really rely on the metal tip, both for the increased tactile feedback and for the Way that it echoes off of buildings and such when I tap it. That echo is particularly valuable for me, Especially in new/unfamiliar places. The biggest downside to this cane is, of course, it's inability to folder collapse… but I haven't found this to be as big of an issue as some people claim it to be. At most, it's slightly annoying every once in a while, and the canes redeeming qualities more than make up for that in my book. There are also NFB folding (not telescopic) canes which I kind of like every once in a while for those rare occasions, like some amusement parks where storage really can become more than a slight inconvenience. However, if you're happy with the aluminum cane, and if it doesn't hinder your ability to travel wherever you want to go whenever you want to go there, I won't tell you Myway would be better for you just because it works better for me. However, if that's something you can't do efficiently most of the time, or if you are relying on unstable vision to do it, I would strongly encourage you to find a good center where you can learn structure discovery and at least give th Fiberglas straight cane a try it certainly works for me. 
Best,
Kirte

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jan 19, 2014, at 1:49 PM, Patrick Bennet <patrick.bennet807 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Hey everyone,
> 
> I just joined the list. I have some questions about cane travel and I
> hope you might be able to help me with this. Before I ask, I should
> probably explain.
> 
> For years I received instruction in O&M through my school district. I
> was given a folding cane with a standard rolling tip, which seems to
> be pretty commonly ordered by most agencies and districts. I think
> they come from a place in Canada .... but don't quote me on that. That
> is what I've always been used to. They seem decent enough.
> 
> But, I've read some online literature from the NFB about cane travel,
> including structured discovery (as opposed to routes) and a different
> kind of cane you use that is lighter an uses a metal tip. I've also
> heard about something called a rainshine tip. Maybe they are the same
> things.
> 
> Anyway, I've always been taught to hold the cane with the palm of the
> hand over it, with the index finger pointing down the flat side. This
> allows the cane with a roller tip to stay on the ground, also called
> constant contact. Is this not correct? From what I've read on the NFB
> website, your canes have metal tips, which would seem harder to slide
> over rough or cracked areas but would give more feedback. I also read
> somewhere that the grip is supposed to be different. In short, I'm
> wondering what the differences and advantages are. If so, I'd like to
> learn more. I've already read that they are lighter. Do you use them
> or hold them differently with another grip? Can NFB canes take roller
> tips and use constant contact, and if not, why? Is there really that
> much of an advantage to a cane that doesn't fold? I'm curious to learn
> about the differences, because I've never heard about them otherwise.
> 
> Thanks,
> Pat
> 
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