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

[Carly Mihalakis]

Evening, Rona,

Extremely well said!
I used to be one of those cunty blind people who would grow impatiant 
with some blind people's slowness, lack of skill. then, a fitting 
event happened in which  I became brain damaged and a slow, 
awkwardness  set in.
CarAt 08:32 PM 3/24/2015, Kaiti Shelton via nabs-l wrote:
>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.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > nabs-l mailing list
> > nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> > nabs-l:
> > 
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/crazy4clarinet104%40gmail.com
> >
>
>
>--
>Kaiti
>
>_______________________________________________
>nabs-l mailing list
>nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nabs-l:
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/carlymih%40comcast.net