[nagdu] Test Walk?

Fri Feb 3 19:23:05 UTC 2012

I walk about 10 blocks to work.  I've worked at the same place for over 
3 years.  Before that I would walk in that same direction to get to the 
post office, grocery store, bank etc.  I have no clue what all the 
street names are in between here and there. It hasn't seemed to affect 
my ability to get to the things I want to get to.  I honestly have 
little inclination to know those street names.

Here when you ask where something is or directions to get there, people 
don't tell you street names.  They'll give you directions like, "across 
the street from Walgreens"  or "down by the hardware store"  or my 
favorite "it's next to the old drugstore building".  That drug store 
might have been there 20 years ago, but somehow it still lives on in 
memory.

My husband has lived in this tiny town for his entire life.  When I 
first moved here, I'd ask him street names to try to          piece 
together a mental map for myself.  He doesn't know the street names.  We 
had to get out the phone book so he could look at the city map for the 
street names.  Since then I've given up on the names and embraced the 
local culture.

My motto:  if it works, then it works.

Julie

On 2/3/2012 10:32 AM, Doug Parisian wrote:
> I differ as to the opinion that streets matter all that much.  I am a 
> wilful rover and often walk in places where I know none of the street 
> names and have done such routes several times.  My cues as to where to 
> turn come from other environmental/orientation clues--traffic sounds, 
> sidewalk and road condition and texture, surround consistent smells 
> and sounds, time of day combined with direction of sun and/or wind, 
> etc etc etc.
>
> Doug: I make this noise by rubbing my hind legs together.
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Larry D. Keeler" 
> <lkeeler at comcast.net>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, February 03, 2012 9:41 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Test Walk?
>
>
>> Sure, the streets matter!  Also, finding the bus and following your 
>> dogs cues matter.
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC)" 
>> <REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com>
>> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog 
>> Users'" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Friday, February 03, 2012 8:55 AM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Test Walk?
>>
>>
>>> Do the streets matter or are you graded on how well you and your dog 
>>> work?
>>> The way it's described here, it almost sounds like you're graded on 
>>> your ability to follow a route, not to think and problem solve.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>>> Behalf Of loriandleo
>>> Sent: Friday, February 03, 2012 12:30 AM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Test Walk?
>>>
>>> Hi Nicole,
>>>
>>> Yes Pilot has a test walk or achievement walk that the student and 
>>> dog must
>>> walkand pass at the end of training to be able to go home with your 
>>> dog. The
>>> trainers will usually go over a  route that the student and dog have 
>>> already
>>> walked the night before they actually will do the walk the next 
>>> morning.
>>> After the trainer has gone over the route the student can study the 
>>> route
>>> that night so that the student is ready to do the walk the next 
>>> morning. The
>>> walk starts at the school and the student and dog will walk the 
>>> assigned
>>> route and walk to a certain bus  stop and catch a bus and take it 
>>> downtown
>>> Columbus and get off at I think it's Long and High Street if I'm 
>>> remembering
>>> right. So get off the bus at Long and High street turn left and walk 
>>> down
>>> High Street to the corner of Long Stree. Turn left and cross over High
>>> Street. Once you have crossed over high Street and made your way to 
>>> the up
>>> curb turn left and walk down High Street. You'll have to cross over 
>>> at least
>>> three streets and they are called State Street, Brodwayand I don't 
>>> remember
>>> the other names of the Streets right off hand. Anyways you end up 
>>> walking
>>> back down high street and crossing  three streets or so and then 
>>> making a
>>> right turn into a certain store which I can't remember the name 
>>> again since
>>> it's been so long since I've walked this route Anyways, once in the 
>>> store
>>> you have to purchase something then walk back out of the store and turn
>>> right walking back down High Street to the desanated bus stop and 
>>> waiting to
>>> catch a bus back to the school. Then you get off the bus  at the 
>>> desanated
>>> bus stop and walk back to the school.
>>>
>>> The main thing the trainers want to see is that the handler and dog 
>>> are safe
>>> when out walking.
>>>
>>> Those of you who went to Pilot can you fill in the names of the 
>>> Streets I
>>> missed or forgot.  It's been a long time since I've walk this route 
>>> and now
>>> that I'm no longer with Pilot Dogs I forgot some of the names of the
>>> Streets.
>>> Take care.
>>>
>>> Lori and theGipper
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
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