[nagdu] Question about crossing streets - hope this is guide dog related

[Tracy Carcione]

I have heard that, in England, guide dog users also carry a short white ID
cane, and wave it when they come to an intersection, especially a
complicated intersection.  It gives the drivers two clues that the
pedestrian is blind.
It's an interesting idea, although I like to have a hand free, so wouldn't
really want to hold a cane and work my dog, under most circumstances.
Tracy

> Hi Marilyn,
>
> I absolutely believe this.  In fact, as I transition to a new guide, I am
> using a white cane in the meantime, and ironically, have had this exact
> concept really jump out at me.  In fact, I am offered more assistance when
> using the white cane than I have ever with a guide.
>
> Steve
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of marilyn
> Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2012 11:42 AM
> To: nagdu
> Subject: [nagdu] Question about crossing streets - hope this is guide dog
> related
>
> Hi All,
> yesterday I had a day off from work so I went to a library where  there
> was
> a guest speak there from the National Helen Keller Center who teaches
> mobility. He did a power point presentation and told us that when a blind
> or
> blind/deaf person tries crossing a street the driver pays more attention
> to
> a cane user than to a guide dog user. We were told they did some research
> in
> Maryland, Minnesota and I forgot the other state. They did suburbs and
> city.
> the man doing the presentation who can see and still drives a car did the
> research. he told us he has glaucoma. He said he dressed in regular street
> clothing , put dark glasses on and used a cane, then a flag and then held
> his hand up to stop traffic to cross.
> They had a grant to do this study. I told him since every day I cross
> streets with my guide dog and have had close calls I would have been
> killed
> with a cane. My dog didn't go across until it was safe even if I give the
> forward command. I was told that a guide dog team was killed last year
> because the dog went forward and the person had a hearing problem besides
> being blind. I told him I cannot comment on what happened to this person
> because pedestrians who can see are hit by cars every day.
> My question is do you think people who drive cars pay more attention to a
> cane user when your trying to cross a street or do people pay attention to
> a
> guide dog user?
> I asked why a study wasn't done about guide dog users crossing streets and
> was told there wasn't a grant for that study since more people use canes
> than dogs.
> Marilyn and Anna
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