[Tall-Corn] Zip lining, go carting and advocacy

[bkpollpeter at gmail.com]

This is very frustrating, and most of us have experienced something along these lines at some point in time. However, I would let them know they are not ADA compliant, and legally, they do have to allow you to participate. 
My husband and I are both blind, and we have not done A rope course, but we recently did wall climbing with another blind family. It was an amazing experience, and no one had a problem with blind people doing it, nor were they weird during the training before we started. There is also never a concern that the two blind couples could not assist and supervise our children. We will definitely go back.
i really caution not using ableist stereotypes as comparisons when dealing with these experiences however. Mentioning that people who use wheelchairs are allowed to do it, and that you have the use of your legs, and therefore should be able to do it, implies that you are better off than someone using a wheelchair, more capable, et cetera. This is ableist and dismissive of those with other disabilities. When we are talking about and dealing with discrimination and ableism, we should be careful that the language we use is not equally offensive and dismissive of others experiences/abilities.
 

Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter )she/hers(
 Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 18, 2021, at 6:38 PM, Terri Wilcox via Tall-Corn <tall-corn at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello,
> 
> When I went back  to Michigan last week, I wanted to go zip lining
> with my family. There was a place that combined multiple zip lines
> with a ropes coarse. A family member bought tickets on Group on. Mom
> called to make sure they would not have a problem with a blind person
> coming to zip line. It took a couple days for the business to call her
> back. The man said there  was no way I could do it. Mom said I was
> adventurous and that they would help me through. The man proceeded to
> yell at her. Mom said he was discriminating, and eventually hung up on
> the man because he would not stop yelling at her. He said how dare she
> say that to him and that they could not let someone in a wheelchair go
> so it made sense that a blind person could not. Mom told him I had
> working legs. Since we were not allowed to go, we tried to get Group
> on to reimburse us. The family decided that if I was not welcome that
> no one would spend their money at that business.
> 
> We also wanted to go go-carting. Several places would not let us go in
> a double cart. There had to be a licensed driver. Another adult would
> not fit in the cart. It was supposed to be an adult and a child. We
> had done this many times before. I got in a cart with another adult so
> that they could drive. How would you have handled these incidents?
> Have any of you gone zip lining recently? Where and when and how much
> was it? Did you have trouble gaining access to the zip line due to
> blindness? Please let me know. It would be fun to go zip lining.
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you very much.
> 
> 
> 
> Terri Wilcox
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from Mail for Windows 10
> 
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