[nagdu] Telescoping canes

[David Baker]

I have found that over the years the NFB telescoping cane is less useful,
because it actually comes apart if I twist and pull it hard enough to set it
securely in place.  I call it my "Go To Meeting Cane", since it can sit
unobtrusively beside me on a chair or on a table beside me.  I don't find it
useful for travel or even for walking from car to door, however, because of its
tendency to collapse.  

My favorite is a rigid cane from Revolution Technology in California with a
rolling tip.  I have only lost one -- that to a limo driver in NYC who ran over
it while making a turbo-assist, left-hand turn through a gap in traffic.  I have
to admire New Yorker blind and VIP navigators who survive.  I have almost bought
the farm to left turning limo drivers on 3 occasions in NYC during my very
infrequent trips there.

The carbon fibre folding cane that I bought at Lighthouse in San Francisco is
always in my suitcase as a backup and my next best alternative to the rigid
cane.

After reading about RPList friend, Tom Sykora, and his dog, Nectar,  in
Minnesota who were run over by  a pick-up a few weeks ago, I guess there are
rogue drivers everywhere, though.  Nectar is fine, but Tom was critically
injured.

David


-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
David Andrews
Sent: Sunday, December 06, 2009 5:08 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Telescoping canes

With the telescoping canes, they can collapse.  It helps to slightly 
twist the joints after they are extended.  The quickest way to do 
this is to fully and firmly extend the cane, and place a hand at each 
end of the cane.  Then rotate your two hands in opposite directions 
from each other just a bit.  This twists the cane, helping it to stay 
opened a  little better.