[Nfbf-l] [NFBF-Leaders] White Cane Opinion Piece in Florida Today

[kaye zimpher]

Great post Camille!
We read it before the beginning of our white cane event today. Everyone 
found it very fitting.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Denise via Nfbf-l" <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
To: "NFB of Florida List for Leaders" <nfbf-leaders at nfbnet.org>
Cc: "Denise" <valkemadenise at aol.com>; "NFB of Florida Internet Mailing List" 
<nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2018 9:13 AM
Subject: Re: [Nfbf-l] [NFBF-Leaders] White Cane Opinion Piece in Florida 
Today


> We have White Cane Safety Day once a year, but I live it every single day. 
> The day celebrates the achievements of people who are blind or visually 
> impaired and will happen Monday this year.
>
> I lost my vision in 2005 due to diabetic retinopathy. I am a student at 
> Eastern Florida State College and hope to go to law school once I have 
> finished a bachelor’s degree. I would like to go into disability rights 
> because I have realized that misconceptions about blindness keep many 
> blind and low-vision people as second-class citizens.
> As a totally blind person, I have experienced many different things 
> navigating our streets. I think it is important to explain to the sighted 
> what it is like to use a cane.
> I live on Wickham Road, about a mile from Eastern Florida State College. I 
> have lived in the area for about eight years. I walk to many places along 
> Wickham Road and will say that I have been lucky. While training to use my 
> white cane, I was nervous, like I think most people with no eyesight would 
> be, trying to learn to walk with a cane on a busy street.
>
> I use a cane with a rolling tip on the end. This is so the tip can slide 
> over cracks or the natural dips between sections of sidewalk. With my 
> cane, I can tell the difference between concrete, asphalt, tile or most 
> other surfaces. I swing my cane from shoulder to shoulder and can detect 
> obstacles in my path (including cars). The cane will let me know if I am 
> too close to a curb or whether I have moved on to grass or dirt.
> Many of our sidewalks need to be fixed. Too often, I trip on sidewalks 
> where the pavement is raised or uneven. I have broken two canes getting it 
> caught on the sidewalk; some of Wickham Road needs improvement.
> Parking lots and street crossings are perhaps the most stomach-tightening. 
> I have found ways to get around walking through a parking lot without a 
> sighted guide (this is when a blind/low-vision person holds the sighted 
> person above the elbow to walk). But drivers are not paying attention when 
> they enter/exit a parking lot or a parking space.
>
> Even with a sighted guide, I have nearly been hit by people backing out of 
> parking spaces.
> Crossing the street is even more treacherous. Most intersections have an 
> audible “ped head” so we can find the button to cross the street. However, 
> nearly all of them lack the audible voice telling when it is safe to cross 
> or to wait. This is important because all the new, quiet cars make it 
> difficult for the blind to hear when they can safely cross. None of that 
> matters when a driver is not paying attention.
> Once, while crossing Post Road at Wickham, I smacked right into a car 
> turning left onto Wickham to go north. He pulled into the crosswalk in 
> anticipation of making his left turn. Also, at that intersection, a lady 
> wanted to turn right onto Post, so she started to turn, waiting for a 
> break in the traffic going east. However, it was my turn to cross Post and 
> she nearly ran me over because she was not paying attention.
> This is how many blind and low-vision people are injured or killed each 
> year when walking or crossing the street. Drivers are not paying 
> attention.
> Our lack of eyesight does not excuse a driver’s lack of insight.
> It all comes down to paying attention — on White Cane Day, and every day.
> Our lack of eyesight does not excuse a driver’s lack of insight.
> It all comes down to paying attention — on White Cane Day, and every day.
> Camille Tate, a Melbourne resident, is president of the Space Coast 
> Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind and a member of the board 
> of directors of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida. She 
> serves as a disabled representative to the local coordinating board for 
> the transportation disadvantaged.
>
>
>
>
>
>> On Oct 12, 2018, at 10:49 PM, Camille Tate via NFBF-Leaders 
>> <nfbf-leaders at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> Greetings Florida:
>>
>> In light of White Cane Day on October 15, I’d like to share an opinion 
>> piece I wrote for our local newspaper. It was published this morning on 
>> their website.
>>
>> https://www.floridatoday.com/story/opinion/2018/10/12/heres-how-blind-person-gets-around-brevard/1612956002/
>>
>>
>> Sincerely,
>> Camille Tate
>>
>> President, Melbourne Space Coast Chapter, National Federation of the 
>> Blind, FL
>>
>> Board of Directors, National Federation of the Blind, FL
>>
>> Email: ctate2076 at att.net
>>
>> Phone: 321 372 4899
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