[nagdu] working a dog in New York City

Tracy Carcione carcione at access.net
Thu Jun 26 15:31:41 UTC 2014 

Broadway is the original Indian trail in and out of Manhattan, which is why 
it runs at a diagonal.  It runs all the way up to Albany.  Every time it 
crosses an avenue, it creates a "square"--Times Square, Herald Square, Union 
Square...and Columbus Circle.  The squares are extra-wide crossings.  I try 
to avoid them if possible, and cross Broadway a couple blocks up or down 
from the square, where the crossings are more ordinary.
Tracy

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Buddy Brannan via nagdu" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
To: "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net>; "NAGDU Mailing List,the National 
Association of Guide Dog Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2014 11:22 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] working a dog in New York City


When i was in New York on my visit to the UN this past December, I got all 
kinds of turned around in the area around Broadway and 42nd/43rd/5th Avenue 
and all that noise. Broadway just totally screws the whole nice grid system 
of streets. But what got me was when there was a huge crowd standing at the 
corner, Leno would go around the crowd and keep going, and I wouldn’t 
notice, so we’d end up on a different street entirely. We finally worked out 
that that was happening, though not after a lot of confusion. But for going 
from small town Erie to the big ol’ New York hustle and bustle, he handled 
it like a trooper.

On Jun 26, 2014, at 11:16 AM, Tracy Carcione via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> 
wrote:

> Hi Marsha.
> Oh yeah, we've gotten traffic checks from bicycles many times.  The only 
> advice I can give is follow your dog, give him lots of encouragement, if 
> he needs it, and be ready to stop or dodge on a dime.  And be ready for 
> anything.
> I remember, on one of my first walks in New York, my dog swung out about 5 
> feet from his line of travel, then cut back in.  I asked my friend what he 
> thought that was about, and he said the dog had probably walked around 
> someone lying on the sidewalk.  You never know.
> When Ben was younger, he would sometimes get confused and go out of the 
> crosswalk if we were crossing and a huge crowd of people were coming 
> towards us.  Now, he refuses to leave the crosswalk, which is good, but 
> sometimes there's no where to go with the crowd coming at us.  Once, a 
> cell phone idiot smashed right into me, because there was nowhere for Ben 
> to move without going out of the crosswalk.  I wish the collision had made 
> the fool drop his phone, so I could have stomped on it.  He didn't even 
> say sorry.
>
> My last dog, Echo, needed lots of encouragement in the City.  Sometimes, 
> she would stop after a crossing and turn sideways, as if to say she wasn't 
> going on until she got some pats to restart her engine.
> Ben finds a lot of pats and happy talk distracting, but he needs a quick 
> pat after crossing, and earns many Good Boys.
> Tracy
>
>  ----- Original Message ----- 
>  From: Marsha Drenth
>  To: Tracy Carcione
>  Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2014 9:52 AM
>  Subject: working a dog in New York City
>
>
>  hi Tracy and all  who live  or work in the New York city area,
>  Do you guys have any pointers for working a dog in New York City? I have 
> changed the subject line of this thread to reflect the subject. for 
> example yesterday, I was walking through New York City on my normal route 
> from Penn Station to the Port Authority. On the way there  are many street 
> crossings. While crossing one of the streets, a bicycler cut in front of 
> us. The bicycler ran  the red light. But was not watching formy guide and 
> I. Luckily someone stopped me before we were hit by the bicycler. Of 
> course I know that this is going to happen. My guide did a perfect job in 
> every other way. Of course this would've have been during rush hour 
> traffic and commuting. Just any ideas and or tips or tricks would be 
> greatly appreciated.
>  Thank you!
>
>  Marsha drenth
>  email: marsha.drenth at gmail.com
>  Sent with my IPhone
>  Please note that this email communication has been sent using my iPhone. 
> As such, I may have used dictation and had made attempts to mitigate 
> errors. Please do not be hesitant to ask for clarification as necessary.
>
>  On Jun 25, 2014, at 8:43 AM, "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net> 
> wrote:
>
>
>    Hi Marsha.
>    Oh yah, the groups standing in the middle of the sidewalk, or, better 
> yet, all over the corner when I'm trying to get out of the street!  I 
> think they're called tourists.  "Look Marge, there's a really tall 
> building!"  Oh well, gotta love tourists.
>    Yesterday, we encountered a crazy person sitting on the subway stairs, 
> who screamed at me for almost stepping on her.  Ben was trying to lead me 
> around her, while still keeping me close enough so I could reach the stair 
> rail. A guide dog's life is not easy, in the big City.
>    At least we didn't encounter any aggressive dogs.
>    Tracy
>
>      ----- Original Message ----- 
>      From: Marsha Drenth
>      To: Tracy Carcione ; NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of 
> Guide Dog Users
>      Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2014 3:43 PM
>      Subject: Re: [nagdu] Zombies
>
>
>      Tracy, I don't really encounter the cell phone zombies. I get more 
> people just standing in the middle of the sidewalk. For example yesterday 
> traveling from the Port Authority, to Penn station, there were probably 12 
> groups of people just standing in the middle of the sidewalk, who knows 
> what they are doing. And even yesterday, while doing that route, there was 
> a homeless guy with a pitbull on the corner, that was not leashed that 
> went after my guide. It was a bit of a scary moment. Luckily we were able 
> to walk past and someone grabbed the dog before it attacked my guide. 
> Traveling in New York City in the summer is a bit crazy. Perhaps that's 
> just my experience.
>
>      Marsha drenth
>      email: marsha.drenth at gmail.com
>      Sent with my IPhone
>      Please note that this email communication has been sent using my 
> iPhone. As such, I may have used dictation and had made attempts to 
> mitigate errors. Please do not be hesitant to ask for clarification as 
> necessary.
>
>      On Jun 24, 2014, at 1:03 PM, Tracy Carcione via nagdu 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
>
>        I swear New York is getting even worse.
>        I just got back from lunch.  In about a 6-block round trip, at 
> least 3
>        people walked straight at us, making Ben have to dodge or stop in 
> his
>        tracks.  I bet it was the phone zombies, so intent on their silly 
> device
>        they have no clue about what's around them in the here and now.
>        I was hoping I could get somewhat less of a city dog, one who 
> wasn't
>        rather bored in the town where I live, but still OK in the City. 
> But the
>        City is getting so stupid, I may have to give up that hope.
>        Tracy
>
>
>
>
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