[nabs-l] Using Rolling Bags and Navigating Open Spaces

[Karl Martin Adam]

Elizabeth, I don't know how the rolling bag will affect your 
ballance, but or how it will perform in the snow because I've 
only used them as luggage, but perhaps you might get the type of 
rolling bag that also works as a backpack so when you need your 
hands free or have to walk through snow you can put it on your 
back and then go back to rolling it.  As far as open spaces, the 
best thing to do I find is to use a compas.  The braille ones are 
hard to come by these days, but the voice ones or the iphone app 
can work.  Know what things are on what side of the open space, 
and then you can keep going north or east or whatever.

Hope this helps,
Karl

 ----- Original Message -----
From: Elizabeth Mohnke via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
To: "'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Wed, 13 Jan 2016 11:05:54 -0500
Subject: [nabs-l] Using Rolling Bags and Navigating Open Spaces

Hello All,

I survived my first day of classes after taking some time off to 
deal with
some health issues. I am really interested in this class even 
though I know
it may be a bit of a challenge for me. However, I have some 
questions about
using rolling bags and navigating through large open spaces.

In my hasty preparations for class, I simply through my 
essentials for class
in a tote bag rather than a small bag on wheels. The tote bag was 
empty
while the bag on wheels still has some things in it from when I 
used it over
the holidays. However, after seeing all the snow we got for the 
first day of
classes, I am wondering how easy it might be to use the bag on 
wheels in the
snow. Does anyone on the email list have any experience using a 
bag on
wheels?  How easy is it to maneuver the bag on wheels through the 
snow? I
also have some issues with balance, and I am wondering if using 
the bag on
wheels will make it more difficult for me to keep my balance. How 
will using
the bag on wheels effect my balance? Since I am using a cane in 
one hand
while pulling the bag on wheels with my other hand, this no 
longer leaves me
a free hand to grab a hold of something like when stepping on or 
off the bus
and opening a door. Does anyone have any tips or tricks for using 
a bag on
wheels on a regular basis? I would appreciate any feedback on 
this issue.

But I could also use some advice on navigating through large open 
spaces. My
college recently renovated one of its buildings, and they decided 
to use a
large open floor format that I am having trouble navigating. I 
had someone
show me the layout of the new building this past fall, but this 
was during a
time where there were not a lot of people in it. Now that there 
are lots of
people going in different directions as well as new obstacles 
like tables
and chairs that were not there before, I am having a difficult 
time
navigating through this large open space. If anyone has any tips 
or tricks
on how to navigate through this large open space, I would greatly 
appreciate
hearing from you. There are very few if any permeant landmarks in 
this open
space. I would avoid this building if I could, but it contains 
student
services and the only options for food on campus. I would also 
avoid the
large open space area, but you need to go through it in order to 
get to the
restrooms and elevator. Again, if you have any suggestions as to 
how I might
be able to navigate through this large open space building, I 
would greatly
appreciate hearing from you.

Thanks,
Elizabeth

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