Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Blind people say autonomous cars could transform their lives (technologyreview.com)
submitted by dharmabird67
fastfinge 5 points 6y ago
Yes! Driving is the only thing I miss about sight. If I had a self-driving car, I doubt I'd ever even want the ability to see.
Vaelian -1 points 6y ago
Oh don't say that; vision makes everything so much easier. As blind people we have to constantly find strategies for everything whereas with sight most daily tasks are intuitive and straight forward. I'd give everything I have for just 5% of vision as long as it had good contrast, because with those 5% I'd be able to start from scratch and replace everything.
fastfinge 3 points 6y ago
> Oh don't say that
I was born blind, and thus I can only speak from my personal experience. I have ways of doing everything I want to do, that I don't find to be in any way a hassle, accept for traveling. If I could just drive, even without my sight, I'd have a job that's a hundred times better, because I could get in to work reliably. I could travel to concerts, protests, and anywhere else without it being a 2 hour ordeal. I could buy groceries myself for much less money...I can't take a loaded grocery cart on public transit. I could live where ever I wanted, without having to worry how far out of town it was. Driving would make my quality of life several orders of magnitude better. I can't think of a single other thing sight has to offer me that would improve my life to that extent.
I was born blind, and thus I can only speak from my personal experience. I have ways of doing everything I want to do, that I don't find to be in any way a hassle, accept for traveling. If I could just drive, even without my sight, I'd have a job that's a hundred times better, because I could get in to work reliably. I could travel to concerts, protests, and anywhere else without it being a 2 hour ordeal. I could buy groceries myself for much less money...I can't take a loaded grocery cart on public transit. I could live where ever I wanted, without having to worry how far out of town it was. Driving would make my quality of life several orders of magnitude better. I can't think of a single other thing sight has to offer me that would improve my life to that extent.
Vaelian 1 points 6y ago
I addressed that problem by becoming a digital nomad, sharing flats with college students, and moving wherever and whenever my job required, but back then I had sight. I can't imagine myself navigating unfamiliar places blind.
-shacklebolt- 1 points 6y ago
> I can't imagine myself navigating unfamiliar places blind.
But intellectually, you understand that blind people who have good travel skills (from training and practice) do this all the time, right? In the age of everyone carrying a fairly accurate GPS device in their pockets, it's easier than ever to get around in new (and familiar) places independently as a blind person too.
It takes training and a lot of practice, but it isn't magic. If you put in the work, anyone (above a certain level of intellectual ability) can travel blind.
Are you still receiving O and M instruction? Is (or was) it quality, comprehensive instruction? If you aren't getting training, would you be willing to get more? Or at the least, are you willing to start with asking a sighted friend or family member to shadow you while practicing independent cane travel so you don't have to be anxious about any mistakes?
But intellectually, you understand that blind people who have good travel skills (from training and practice) do this all the time, right? In the age of everyone carrying a fairly accurate GPS device in their pockets, it's easier than ever to get around in new (and familiar) places independently as a blind person too.
It takes training and a lot of practice, but it isn't magic. If you put in the work, anyone (above a certain level of intellectual ability) can travel blind.
Are you still receiving O and M instruction? Is (or was) it quality, comprehensive instruction? If you aren't getting training, would you be willing to get more? Or at the least, are you willing to start with asking a sighted friend or family member to shadow you while practicing independent cane travel so you don't have to be anxious about any mistakes?
fastfinge 1 points 6y ago
It isn't all that bad. And if you get totally lost, you can always ask for help when you get there. It's getting there that's the trickiest part. And self-driving cars will fix that, hopefully soon.
dharmabird67 [OP] 1 points 6y ago
X-posted from /r/selfdrivingcars.
[deleted] 0 points 6y ago
[removed]
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