[nabs-l] When A Personal Choice Becomes Personal.

[Kaiti Shelton]

Hi,

I've always wondered about this.  I've heard negative things said
about both cane and dog users.  "He uses a cane because he has enough
trouble knowing how to get himself around, he'd never be able to
navigate with a dog."  "She uses a dog because her mobility skills
aren't that great with a cane and her own spatial awareness."  I've
certainly encountered those who were a little turned around with a
cane and were easily confused with directions, but I've also known dog
users who did not have the directional skills to propperly work with a
guide dog in order to get from point A to the desired point B.  Once
at a camp I attended one of the staff got turned around and veered off
the path with her dog and another camper found her confused and had to
help her find her way back onto the road because she didn't even know
which command to give to her dog.

However, just as certainly as what I've just said I've met some great
travelers from both camps.  I've seen a number of phenomenal guide dog
teams, as well as extremely competent cane users who have never used a
dog before.

For me a cane is the best decision for the time being.  I do like the
extra get up and go feeling that I've gotten from when I've taken
"test drives" with guide dogs (and by that I mean held the harness and
walked around a little bit), but at this point in my life I am
comfortable with a cane.  I think sometimes the stereotypes we work so
hard as a collective group of blind people to shirk off get in our own
way.  I'm guilty of this too---I know in the past that I've gotten
annoyed with other blind people for being slow, or for not learning
routes or being able to follow directions as well as others, and I've
learned that you aren't automatically more independent because you
have a guide dog, but it really is a matter of personal choice and
that's all it is.  I think we complicate it way too much.  Both are
valid options for navigating and both have their advantages and
disadvantages.

On 3/23/15, Roanna Bacchus via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hi Darian this is an interesting post.  For me it is my personal
> peference to use a cane.  I preier not to travel under
> sleepshades because Ih ne" traveled with them before.  For me
> personal choice becomes personal preference when I have done the
> choice for a long time.
>
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-- 
Kaiti