[nagdu] First cane walk!

[Mark J. Cadigan]

Unlike fiberglass canes, I find that aluminum canes tend not to snap when 
you get them jammed in the sidewalk. If anything they might get warped 
somewhat after repeatedly getting jammed into cracks and whatnot.  The 
downside of folding aluminum canes is that they are a lot heavier than the 
fiberglass ones, they give you reduced feedback, and they are comparatively 
expensive. The benefits of the Ambutec folding aluminum canes is that they 
collapse down to a size that you can easily stow away when it is not in use 
and they are coated in a reflective coating that allows drivers to more 
easily see them.

I believe they still make a non folding aluminum cane. This will give better 
feedback than the collapsible ones, but still less than the NFB variety.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gail" <deerskin at oct.net>
To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 5:11 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] First cane walk!


>
>
> So the rigid fiberglass ones are the best? Given how I would get jarred 
> when
> I hit a crack, I would likely break anything less strong at this point.
>
> I think that the rolling marshmallow would be better for our rough country
> sidewalks and streets...the city is really bad at maintaining things. I
> havent tried to go around the block yet-too hot and humid, and I'm not up 
> to
> that long a walk in that yet-but I know from the past that there are 
> lifted
> chunks of the sidewalks with tree roots lifting them, parts where the walk
> is broken, and chunks missing, and on the back of our block, no sidewalk 
> at
> all, and you have to walk in the street till you get to the next street. 
> And
> that sidewalk has a part where its gone totally, and humpy with grass and 
> no
> edges at all.
>
> Gonna be interesting navigating that! <grin>
>
>
>
>
> -------Original Message------- 
>
> From: Mark J. Cadigan
> Date: 6/16/2010 4:03:28 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] First cane walk!
>
> My personal preference of cane is the ambutec 5 part aluminum folding cane
> With a rolling marshmallow tip. I find that it does a good job with not
> Getting itself stuck in cracks in the sidewalk. The downside of such a 
> cane
> Is it gives you less feedback than the NFB variety.
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Gail" <deerskin at oct.net>
> To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 3:14 PM
> Subject: [nagdu] First cane walk!
>
>
>> Hello all!
>>
>> I did it- sort of! Just went out with my long cane for the first time, 
>> for
>
>> a
>> walk up to the corner and back. I was wearing my Cocoon sunglasses, but
>> they
>> are just good sunglasses, not blocking like sleepshades. And I have to 
>> say
>
>> I
>> felt a lot safer, reaching out ahead of me like that, rather than 
>> creeping
>
>> along with both crutches, using the left to check out things as I have 
>> had
>
>> to do. The only thing I didnt like was that the cane has a flat metal tip
>> that scrapes, rattles and catches on everything, even the small line 
>> dents
>
>> they put on side walks for each square of concrete. So I would have
>> several
>> free steps then *BONK*, dead stop on one of those nothing cracks! Of
>> course
>> it showed me well the important cracks, dead bushes sticking out-took me 
>> a
>
>> few moments to figure out what had caught and tangled it, never had that
>> kind of thing stop me on a walk before with my dogs!- but once untangled,
>> I
>> was trundling merrily along again. Went up to the corner, and was trying
>> to
>> figure out what would show me I was AT the corner. It has a curb cut, and
>> is
>> straight in line with the line of travel, so I have to think of how to
>> know
>> its there, with other corners in town.
>>
>> But that was SO cool- instead of creeping, I was able to walk much faster
>> than I have been in a couple years!
>> Have a question- should I change to a rollerball tip? Does it give as 
>> much
>
>> information, without catching on things like normal sidewalk lines? And
>> what
>> size would fit the free canes that the NFB gives out? I've found good
>> prices
>> on tips on Amazon, but dont know what size to choose.
>>
>> Gail
>>
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>
>
>
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