[NFB-DB] Traveling in Noisy Environments

[Kerri Kosten]

Hi:

I would also say in crowded or noisy environments to really use your
voice and ask for directions or any help you may need.

If you have a street crossing sign you can also use that to get
people's attention.

I do not have a guide dog. When I was in training I got to try working
with a guide dog but found I hated it. I don't feel a guide dog is for
me.

Hope this helps!
Kerri

On 3/16/22, Lisa Ferris via NFB-DB <nfb-db at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hi, Misty,
>
> One of the main ways I have worked with limited hearing is to use a guide
> dog. A guide dog not only helps with the usual stuff, but can cue you in on
> environmental ambiance and be a bit of a safeguard against not hearing a
> car, for instance. Also, many people don’t realize that a lot of accessible
> pedestrian signals are tactile. These are not everywhere, but are becoming
> more common. If you feel the arrow button to push for a walk signal and
> leave your hand on it, , these will vibrate when it’s your turn to walk. I
> have incorporated more tactile cues in my travels. For example, I often have
> to cross a light rail track. I use a combination of checking real time train
> arrivals, touching the fence near the track, and my guide dog to cross the
> tracks safely. The fence vibrates in a particular way when the train is
> near. If you use hearing aids, be sure to tell your audiologist that you
> want to prioritize sound location, some are better at this that others.
> Also, do not use any type of automated switching of hearing aid programming.
> Trying to cross a street and suddenly having your hearing aids switch
> programs on you can completely throw you off. Pay attention to your tactile
> environmental clues. My husband is hearing/blind and can use a lot of
> echolocation that I can’t. But he also misses so many tactile clues that I
> pick up on. Like changes in wind pressure, the grade or texture of a
> sidewalk, the mist from a fountain, the vibration of a fence, etc. the way I
> kind of learned these was to take walks with my dog around my neighborhood
> with no hearing aids (which for me is pretty deaf) each morning. In crowds,
> be assertive and use your voice to ask questions, don’t “pretend” to hear.
> These are a few suggestions that have worked for me, I hope they help you as
> well.
>
> Lisa Ferris
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>> On Mar 16, 2022, at 6:17 AM, Misty Kienzynski via NFB-DB
>> <nfb-db at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> NFB-DB mailing list
> NFB-DB at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org
>