Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Mobility, Transportation & Independance (self.Blind)
submitted by BeardedJerry
So I just wanted to hear from others your experiences regarding this and maybe some tips to help me be more independent? Its eating at my spirit to sit at home all the time not working just trying to stay out of my head.
As I have said in previous posts. I was born legally blind with Cone-rod dystrophy.
I was a rebelious kid. I was embarrassed to have people pulling me out of class for stuff related to my eyes like mobility training. I managed to learn braille reasonably well but I haven't used it since middle school.
I didn't learn to use a cane or take a bus or travel on my own. All essential skills in order for us to be Independent.
So it's very much my fault. But my family also moved a lot so I didn't really have consistent support. We even moved to the US for a while where I was moved back to 9th grade from 11th.. I dropped out there and still don't have my diploma.
I live in an area that is mostly cut off from the rest of my city. There is one bus that comes by every 2 hours or so.
My mom and sister take me places sometimes but I obviously can't depend on them forever. And that means I have to work around their schedule.
I have some functional vision. Probably a lot more than sighted people would assume when I say that I'm legally blind. But in sunlight I cant see enough to read street signs or bus schedules.
Sometimes I bump into things especially poorly placed signposts on the sidewalk.
I'm also a bit hard at hearing which just kinda makes compensating difficult.
At times it feels like the world was built for right handed sighted people. And I'm neither of those things.
As I have said in previous posts. I was born legally blind with Cone-rod dystrophy.
I was a rebelious kid. I was embarrassed to have people pulling me out of class for stuff related to my eyes like mobility training. I managed to learn braille reasonably well but I haven't used it since middle school.
I didn't learn to use a cane or take a bus or travel on my own. All essential skills in order for us to be Independent.
So it's very much my fault. But my family also moved a lot so I didn't really have consistent support. We even moved to the US for a while where I was moved back to 9th grade from 11th.. I dropped out there and still don't have my diploma.
I live in an area that is mostly cut off from the rest of my city. There is one bus that comes by every 2 hours or so.
My mom and sister take me places sometimes but I obviously can't depend on them forever. And that means I have to work around their schedule.
I have some functional vision. Probably a lot more than sighted people would assume when I say that I'm legally blind. But in sunlight I cant see enough to read street signs or bus schedules.
Sometimes I bump into things especially poorly placed signposts on the sidewalk.
I'm also a bit hard at hearing which just kinda makes compensating difficult.
At times it feels like the world was built for right handed sighted people. And I'm neither of those things.
BandGS88 3 points 5y ago
The first thing I would do is find a place where you can get some training. Once you have the skills to travel on your own, you can work on transportation. I don't know where you live, but you can probably find some resources online.
Prefect316 2 points 5y ago
Find a vocational counselor or the equivalent where you live. They'll help you find the training you need.
Don't let it intimidate you. I've been where you are and as long as you commit to the training, gone will be the days of sitting alone with your thoughts.
PM me if you have any more questions or want tips. Always happy to help someone in the same situation I found myself in.
Don't let it intimidate you. I've been where you are and as long as you commit to the training, gone will be the days of sitting alone with your thoughts.
PM me if you have any more questions or want tips. Always happy to help someone in the same situation I found myself in.
BeardedJerry [OP] 1 points 5y ago
Thank you. I was associated with CNIB (Canadian) but I haven't been in touch with them for a while.
KillerLag 2 points 5y ago
You can contact CNIB at 1-800-563-2642, and they should be able to put you in contact with the local office. Looking at your previous posts, it seems you are in BC. I know one of the O&M instructors in BC, she's pretty cool. You can also use this link to send a message, if it is easier (because of the hearing loss https://bc.visionlossrehab.ca/en/contact-us/ )
If you haven't been in touch with them, you may not be aware that there has been some name changes. The CNIB has split into two parts. The charity side has retained the CNIB name and is sometimes referred to as the Foundation. The rehabilitation side (O&M, ILS, Low Vision and such) is now known as Vision Loss Rehabilitation [Province name]. So in BC, the name would be VLRBC, while in Ontario, it would be called VLRO. In case you are wondering about the different initials when you contact them.
If you haven't been in touch with them, you may not be aware that there has been some name changes. The CNIB has split into two parts. The charity side has retained the CNIB name and is sometimes referred to as the Foundation. The rehabilitation side (O&M, ILS, Low Vision and such) is now known as Vision Loss Rehabilitation [Province name]. So in BC, the name would be VLRBC, while in Ontario, it would be called VLRO. In case you are wondering about the different initials when you contact them.
BeardedJerry [OP] 1 points 5y ago
Thanks for the tip. I wasn't aware of the split.
Sending messages is usually easier for me. Thank you.
Sending messages is usually easier for me. Thank you.
saizai 1 points 5y ago
IMO: get a cane first, O&M second. Figure it out on your own if you have to.
Personally speaking, I have a pretty rare (non-ocular) condition that makes me not fit the usual state law definitions very well, but I still need to use a cane. I was unable to get O&M at all in the US. A blind friend of mine gave me a two-day crash course, but other than that I simply had to figure it out for myself.
There are lots of guides online about the general techniques - shorelining, echolocation, two-tap vs constant contact, listening for parallel vs perpendicular traffic, etc.
As someone w/ hearing issues, you'll probably want to focus more on the constant contact and tactile based techniques (e.g. wind, smell, vibration, foot feel, etc) rather than two-tap and sound (e.g. echolocation), especially if your hearing is worse for high pitch sounds.
You can try having a friend come with you while you're training, especially if you do it blindfolded (which I recommend), just to help ensure you don't hurt yourself.
Don't get me wrong; O&M training is great, and you should do it ASAP if you have access. But don't think you have to wait for someone else to come help you. You don't.
Get a damn cane, get out of the house, and try just walking down the street and back. When you're comfortable with that, figure out the next step you can do, etc.
FWIW, NFB will send you a cane for free if you're in the US. I had an NFB cane for a while. It's... okay. Super light, which is great, but _extremely_ springy, which means it keeps getting stuck in sidewalk cracks and whipping. But it's free and functional and you'll at least start getting a sense of what you want in a cane.
(Mine is an Ambutech folding graphite, white/red, nose height, bungee hook type, with rolling mushroom tip normally and rolling puck for unpaved areas. I love it and use it every day. Your preferences will vary; there is no one best. Training on something generically workable like the NFB cane is good, so you don't waste money on something before you know what'll work best for you.
I've _very_ recently started getting O&M training in the UK, after 2 years of paperwork / doctors here and with a different legal standard than in the US. According to them, I'm fairly advanced based on my self-taught skills, though kinda sucked at a few things like straight line walking which needed more active sighted feedback to correct my habits.)
Personally speaking, I have a pretty rare (non-ocular) condition that makes me not fit the usual state law definitions very well, but I still need to use a cane. I was unable to get O&M at all in the US. A blind friend of mine gave me a two-day crash course, but other than that I simply had to figure it out for myself.
There are lots of guides online about the general techniques - shorelining, echolocation, two-tap vs constant contact, listening for parallel vs perpendicular traffic, etc.
As someone w/ hearing issues, you'll probably want to focus more on the constant contact and tactile based techniques (e.g. wind, smell, vibration, foot feel, etc) rather than two-tap and sound (e.g. echolocation), especially if your hearing is worse for high pitch sounds.
You can try having a friend come with you while you're training, especially if you do it blindfolded (which I recommend), just to help ensure you don't hurt yourself.
Don't get me wrong; O&M training is great, and you should do it ASAP if you have access. But don't think you have to wait for someone else to come help you. You don't.
Get a damn cane, get out of the house, and try just walking down the street and back. When you're comfortable with that, figure out the next step you can do, etc.
FWIW, NFB will send you a cane for free if you're in the US. I had an NFB cane for a while. It's... okay. Super light, which is great, but _extremely_ springy, which means it keeps getting stuck in sidewalk cracks and whipping. But it's free and functional and you'll at least start getting a sense of what you want in a cane.
(Mine is an Ambutech folding graphite, white/red, nose height, bungee hook type, with rolling mushroom tip normally and rolling puck for unpaved areas. I love it and use it every day. Your preferences will vary; there is no one best. Training on something generically workable like the NFB cane is good, so you don't waste money on something before you know what'll work best for you.
I've _very_ recently started getting O&M training in the UK, after 2 years of paperwork / doctors here and with a different legal standard than in the US. According to them, I'm fairly advanced based on my self-taught skills, though kinda sucked at a few things like straight line walking which needed more active sighted feedback to correct my habits.)
estj136 1 points 5y ago
Yeah, training is very important. The cane is absolute or a dog. I travel everywhere, many cities, 3 counties here in California. I am very independent.
Travel skills is essential, learn the basics with an instructors get comfortable with all of them, and then just practice and do it.
Travel skills is essential, learn the basics with an instructors get comfortable with all of them, and then just practice and do it.
BeardedJerry [OP] 1 points 5y ago
That's awesome. I wish I could do that. A friend from Florida wanted me to meet him in and another friend in California last year but I had to decline cause I can't travel independently yet.
That and my passport has expired.
That and my passport has expired.
ScarReincarnated 1 points 5y ago
Go to Lighthouse and Blind Services for training, info, rehab, etc. They can help you a ton, even for College.
That is the downside of not living near the city. There is a huge lack of public transportation. It happened to me when I moved out to Arlington TX with my parents. Big mistake. I came back ALONE to where I was living, Orlando Fl. Central FL has a ton of buses to go everywhere.
So I live alone on an apartment. SSI won’t do so you have to work sadly. You can get section 8 or another type of help for housing but is super hard here in FL.
I have pretty much Glaucoma. 80% Blind (visual field). Legally Blind.
That is the downside of not living near the city. There is a huge lack of public transportation. It happened to me when I moved out to Arlington TX with my parents. Big mistake. I came back ALONE to where I was living, Orlando Fl. Central FL has a ton of buses to go everywhere.
So I live alone on an apartment. SSI won’t do so you have to work sadly. You can get section 8 or another type of help for housing but is super hard here in FL.
I have pretty much Glaucoma. 80% Blind (visual field). Legally Blind.
BeardedJerry [OP] 1 points 5y ago
Thanks for your reply.
I should probably have clarified that I am Canadian living in Canada.
And yeah SSI isn't enough to live on here either. Whenever I think of myself working it's so hard to imagine. I don't know what I can actually do.
CNIB is the organization I have been associated with but they haven't really been involved with me in a few years.
I should probably have clarified that I am Canadian living in Canada.
And yeah SSI isn't enough to live on here either. Whenever I think of myself working it's so hard to imagine. I don't know what I can actually do.
CNIB is the organization I have been associated with but they haven't really been involved with me in a few years.
ScarReincarnated 1 points 5y ago
Well, because I have tunnel vision, the best route to go is work in an office in front of a monitor screen. You can arrange the workplace however you want and manipulate the user interface of the PC. In addition of the many softwares you can use for comfort (screen reader, magnifier, text-to-speech, etc.) Office clerk, data-entry, digital marketing, etc.
There is also so many ways to make money online, from home.
There is also so many ways to make money online, from home.
BeardedJerry [OP] 1 points 5y ago
I don't know what requirements there are for those positions but theyre definitely fitting for me since computer tech has been my focus for a long time. (Again, no formal education)
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