Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Pros vs. cons of the white cane (self.Blind)
submitted 7y ago by EDD_project2
Would any visually-impaired redditors who use the white cane be able to provide me with some opinions on it in terms of effectiveness, comfort, aesthetic/appearance in public, etc- specifically what needs improvement?
We are a group of high school students tasked with creating a solution to a humanitarian problem for an engineering class, and we've been working specifically with problems faced by the blind. Right now we are formulating ideas to try and improve/replace the white cane with more modern technology.
Thank you.
We are a group of high school students tasked with creating a solution to a humanitarian problem for an engineering class, and we've been working specifically with problems faced by the blind. Right now we are formulating ideas to try and improve/replace the white cane with more modern technology.
Thank you.
geoffisblind 3 points
So I started to see the need to use a cane a little over a year ago, I was running into everything and tripping and it was honestly becoming a safety hazard for myself and the people around me.
Overall I like the cane, I definitely prefer it to trying to navigate my way without it. The problems I have with it are mostly design/ quality issues. As /u/Nighthawk321 stated, the tape tends to peal off quickly, especially on the bottom segment of my cane which gets hit a lot. I also find that the joints tend to loosen up after a little bit which is a little weird for me. This is why some people like fixed canes, but I have no clue how I would personally handle carrying around a 60 inch fixed stick in any convenient manner.
I'm not so concerned about things loosening up, canes aren't exactly cheap, but it doesn't break the bank to pick up a new one every once in a while. I like Ambutech canes, depending on the material it's something like $20-$30 USD. I got another one after my old cane started getting loose and just threw the old one in my bag as a spare. I'll probably do that again before the end of this year.
On that note, I like to keep the weight of my canes down, and I am curious to try new materials like fiberglass, carbon fiber, and graphite because they are supposed to be much lighter than the aluminum canes that I am used to. Keeping them lighter is nice because it reduces wrist strain, especially for people like me who walk a lot every day. However the lighter the material, it seems the more the price goes up.
The last piece that bothers me is the tips. I need to change out my tip once every few months because it starts to sharpen up. I use a pencil tip in a two point tap technique and the sharper it gets the more it catches on things. I usually neglect to do this because there is no easy way to buy tips in bulk that I have found and buying several individuals can get expensive (something like $2.65 a tip for the one I like).
In terms of aesthetics they are fine. I don't really look at them needing to be attractive. White canes are very utilitarian for me. I know people who have gotten different colors and styles which I won't do. I understand it can be fun but for me having it white with the red strip at the bottom lets everyone know without a doubt that I am visually impaired. So I'm going to keep it that way.
Really my complaints are only design related. I like navigating on a cane, it is reliable, and it catches pretty much everything if your technique is good and consistent. It can be slow, but it is reliable and that's what I need, it would be nice to go faster though. It doesn't catch things above you like branches which isn't so great, but right now there isn't really a solid solution for that.
I'm kind of resistant to the idea of switching out my cane for an electronic device as some people have suggested could be a possibility. I don't like the idea of trusting my safety to an electronic device that is subject to interference or battery life. The only option that I would consider (and that I'm actually doing) is getting a guide dog. Come June I will replace my cane with a guide dog in day to day use.
I'm going to direct you to some threads where I've gone way in depth on the technology side of mobility in case they are useful to you.
* $1
* $1
Hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions :)
Overall I like the cane, I definitely prefer it to trying to navigate my way without it. The problems I have with it are mostly design/ quality issues. As /u/Nighthawk321 stated, the tape tends to peal off quickly, especially on the bottom segment of my cane which gets hit a lot. I also find that the joints tend to loosen up after a little bit which is a little weird for me. This is why some people like fixed canes, but I have no clue how I would personally handle carrying around a 60 inch fixed stick in any convenient manner.
I'm not so concerned about things loosening up, canes aren't exactly cheap, but it doesn't break the bank to pick up a new one every once in a while. I like Ambutech canes, depending on the material it's something like $20-$30 USD. I got another one after my old cane started getting loose and just threw the old one in my bag as a spare. I'll probably do that again before the end of this year.
On that note, I like to keep the weight of my canes down, and I am curious to try new materials like fiberglass, carbon fiber, and graphite because they are supposed to be much lighter than the aluminum canes that I am used to. Keeping them lighter is nice because it reduces wrist strain, especially for people like me who walk a lot every day. However the lighter the material, it seems the more the price goes up.
The last piece that bothers me is the tips. I need to change out my tip once every few months because it starts to sharpen up. I use a pencil tip in a two point tap technique and the sharper it gets the more it catches on things. I usually neglect to do this because there is no easy way to buy tips in bulk that I have found and buying several individuals can get expensive (something like $2.65 a tip for the one I like).
In terms of aesthetics they are fine. I don't really look at them needing to be attractive. White canes are very utilitarian for me. I know people who have gotten different colors and styles which I won't do. I understand it can be fun but for me having it white with the red strip at the bottom lets everyone know without a doubt that I am visually impaired. So I'm going to keep it that way.
Really my complaints are only design related. I like navigating on a cane, it is reliable, and it catches pretty much everything if your technique is good and consistent. It can be slow, but it is reliable and that's what I need, it would be nice to go faster though. It doesn't catch things above you like branches which isn't so great, but right now there isn't really a solid solution for that.
I'm kind of resistant to the idea of switching out my cane for an electronic device as some people have suggested could be a possibility. I don't like the idea of trusting my safety to an electronic device that is subject to interference or battery life. The only option that I would consider (and that I'm actually doing) is getting a guide dog. Come June I will replace my cane with a guide dog in day to day use.
I'm going to direct you to some threads where I've gone way in depth on the technology side of mobility in case they are useful to you.
* $1
* $1
Hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions :)
EDD_project2 [OP] 1 points
Thank you so much for this! A ton of help!
Nighthawk321 3 points
Interesting project. I have a couple issues with my cane. The first is that the reflective tape on mine begins to peal off after a few months of use. Another problem I find annoying is that since the tip of my cane rolls, a lot of the time dirt and other junk gets jammed in between the rolling part and the piece that holds the rolling part. Hope this helps in some way.
0mgitsrachel 2 points
The only con at all, is that my city has terrible sidewalks and my cane gets caught constantly and if you aren't quick you'll jab yourself in the ribs or tummy. Which I'm sure you can imagine, feels great.
Unuhi 2 points
Aesthetic... Kind of shouldn't matter.
But it can be terrifying using one, at least in the beginning. It feels like everyoneʻs staring at you - amd then not even seeing you but just a person with a disability.
Ambutech and Kustom Kane have some customized color options, and you can also add some charms or do whatever to make your your style.
This can be useful especially for a young person or when you are in a social even so sometimes it can be easier for others to come talk to you :)
In terms of mobility, the best alternative for a cane is a canine.
Iʻm terrible - I use apps like blindsquare and still get lost easily all the time, especially indoors.
It's really odd how building one's map of the city and learning traveling and navigation skills take time.
But it can be terrifying using one, at least in the beginning. It feels like everyoneʻs staring at you - amd then not even seeing you but just a person with a disability.
Ambutech and Kustom Kane have some customized color options, and you can also add some charms or do whatever to make your your style.
This can be useful especially for a young person or when you are in a social even so sometimes it can be easier for others to come talk to you :)
In terms of mobility, the best alternative for a cane is a canine.
Iʻm terrible - I use apps like blindsquare and still get lost easily all the time, especially indoors.
It's really odd how building one's map of the city and learning traveling and navigation skills take time.
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