[NAGDU] Seeking Feedback Re: Traveling in unfamiliar Areas

Tracy Carcione carcione at access.net
Mon Dec 13 14:45:40 UTC 2021


Hi Diane.
I want to add a couple things about convention I forgot to say.  
Some people choose not to take their dog to convention.  They don't want to
deal with relieving, sniffing, dog distractions, etc.  Or they feel that
their dog may find the crowds with lots of canes too stressful.  It's an
option.
Also, all the larger schools send reps to convention, and graduates can
arrange an appointment to get help with whatever during convention.  Some
people also use it to get a Juno walk or check out another school, if
they're considering switching.  

About GPS:
I use an iPhone.  There are also apps for Android, but I don't know them.  
I use an app called Nearby Explorer.  I've also used BlindSquare.  They both
work similarly.  They tell me what street I'm walking on, what street is
coming up, what direction I'm headed, and nearby points of interest, though
sometimes "nearby" is not actually true.  They don't tell me if a street has
a sidewalk, or if there are traffic signals.  Nearby Explorer can give
directions to a place, but, even when I choose walking directions, it may
tell me to cross a busy street at a place where there is no traffic signal.

It can also be a bit distracting at first.  I used to stop and mess with the
app, getting it started, and my dog would stand there wondering why we
weren't moving.  But now I'm a bit smoother at starting it in a place where
it won't confuse him.  
I mainly use it to tell where I am in an unfamiliar area where I know where
I'm going, generally, and how to get there, but don't know all the street
names or perhaps when I've reached the street I want.

Apple-vis.com is a site for blind iPhone users that has reviews and comments
about accessibility of lots of apps, including GPS.  It's a tremendous
resource.
Tracy


-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Diane Graves via
NAGDU
Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2021 10:00 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Cc: rdgraves2007 at gmail.com
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Seeking Feedback Re: Traveling in unfamiliar Areas

Thank you so much for this Tracy. This is really helpful. Can you explain
how you, as a blind person, use GPS? Is there an app for your phone that is
user friendly for the blind? I guess I always thought GPS consisted of a
bunch of maps and outlines and similar graphics? Which GPS method do you
use?

Thanks so much again,
Diane Graves   

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Tracy Carcione via NAGDU
Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2021 9:24 AM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Seeking Feedback Re: Traveling in unfamiliar Areas

Hi Diane.
I'm sorry your first guide dog experience hasn't been all one might wish,
and especially sorry to hear you had a bad fall.  And yet you have
persevered!  
How is your dog at following?  In large, unfamiliar airports, I usually ask
for help when I'm checking in, or when I arrive at the airport, if I've
checked in on line.  Airports have people whose job it is to help people get
places.  They'll give you a person, and then the dog follows him/her to
where you need to go.  I usually tip the person when we've gotten to the
gate I need.  You can do the same when you get out of the plane, or you can
just follow the crowd, who are all headed down to baggage and outside, same
as you.  If I'm uncertain, I ask someone passing by, and they usually set me
straight.  They may even be headed the same place as I am, so I can follow
them.

Convention hotels are usually very big and somewhat confusing, but there are
lots of people to ask directions from.  There's usually some orientation
info in the agenda too, and I think I remember an orientation walk as one of
the first events, too.  Anyway, I take deep breaths to stay calm, listen up
for clues, ask directions, and always stay patient with my dog, and it all
works out. 

You could practice going new places in your town.  Walk somewhere you
usually don't, for instance.  GPS can be helpful when doing this, though you
still have to pay attention, because it won't tell you if an area has
sidewalks or traffic signals.  But it can be fun.  And I used to do it
without GPS, just remembering how far I'd gone in a direction, so, if I had
to, I could turn around and retrace my route.  It can be fun.

Sometimes, when I'm looking at doing something new or going some place that
sounds complicated, I get all anxious.  Then I do it and it's fine, and I
feel a bit silly for worrying about it, but I also feel joyously free.  "I
was worried, but I did it, and it was good!"  It's empowering.
Tracy


-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Diane Graves via
NAGDU
Sent: Saturday, December 11, 2021 10:56 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Cc: rdgraves2007 at gmail.com
Subject: [NAGDU] Seeking Feedback Re: Traveling in unfamiliar Areas

Good Evening All,

 

I must admit that I am a little hesitant to post this here, as I know there
are many more confident and well seasoned guide dog users in this forum
making me a bit concerned about expressing my vulnerabilities. (smile)
However I am hoping I can get some pointers which will increase my comfort
level as I prepare to travel to the national convention in July.

 

I'll first offer a bit of background, so that you'll have a clear
understanding of my situation. I can't recall whether I have posted this
here before as I am on several groups pertinent to guide dog users, so my
apologies for any redundancies.

 

I didn't decide to transition from cane to dog until I was in my fifties. I
requested home training at the time, because my husband was in poor health,
and I didn't want to be gone for weeks at a time. I now believe that this
was likely a huge mistake for my first dog. I didn't have a good rapport
with the instructor who was sent, as he was very condescending and
intimidating from the start. Suffice it to say, I probably didn't get the
intensity of training that I needed.

 

My girl and I have been together for going on five years now, and the
learning curve has been slow. We've made progress, but, for the most part,
we have traveled in areas  which are familiar to me. We did experience a
pretty severe fall, a couple of months into our relationship, which I now
think was largely my own fault. I think she was trying to worn me of some
steps that I wasn't aware of, and I wasn't picking up on the cue. That did
little to increase my confidence, and so there is a fear that still lingers
in unfamiliar environments. I have not traveled with her in large airports,
or unfamiliar cities. Mostly we travel to and from work and to the
occasional restaurant and/or medical appointment.

Izzo is a big "sniffer" and is easily distracted by other dogs and people.
Putting the gentle leader on her almost makes things worse. She hates it and
will begin rubbing her face on me and everything else in her reach trying to
get it off.

 

I am really anxious about traveling to the convention in New Orleans this
summer and keeping us both safe. I would appreciate any pointers or feedback
on how I might best prepare for this, and increase my level of competence.

 

Thanks In Advance,

Diane Graves

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