Blind and Visually Impaired Community
↑
13
↓
Increasing White/Blind Cane Awareness? (self.Blind)
submitted by Chaserly
So it has come to my attention that the general public has no idea what our canes signify. I’m speaking specifically in NYC (and I assume it happens other places too).
People will literally walk right in front of you and you’ll wack them with your cane (if you have to go through grand central station good luck to you).
I’ve also had people try to talk to me from across the room (without saying my name) or ask me directions or ask me if I’ve “seen” something (I always joke, “definitely haven’t seen it lol”).
And I stand with my cane (red tip) and I tilt my head down a bit just so they can get the idea, but still I’ll hear a random “hi!” From across the room and it’s for me.
I’m not really ranting, its actually pretty funny... Not being able to see is something I joke about a lot. I wonder if people are just uninformed about the meaning of white canes.
TLDR: Does the public need to be more informed about what a white cane means?
People will literally walk right in front of you and you’ll wack them with your cane (if you have to go through grand central station good luck to you).
I’ve also had people try to talk to me from across the room (without saying my name) or ask me directions or ask me if I’ve “seen” something (I always joke, “definitely haven’t seen it lol”).
And I stand with my cane (red tip) and I tilt my head down a bit just so they can get the idea, but still I’ll hear a random “hi!” From across the room and it’s for me.
I’m not really ranting, its actually pretty funny... Not being able to see is something I joke about a lot. I wonder if people are just uninformed about the meaning of white canes.
TLDR: Does the public need to be more informed about what a white cane means?
noaimpara 5 points 4y ago
I live in Paris and in the metro, the cane basically turns me into Moses to split the sea of people in half so I can walk right through them. But for some reason people insist on asking me directions sometimes haha
bradley22 1 points 4y ago
I live in London and have had one woman ask me for directions in the train station.
Chaserly [OP] 1 points 4y ago
I love when people ask me directions. It’s funny.
bradley22 1 points 4y ago
It can be.
vwlsmssng 4 points 4y ago
I have to come to the defence of the "sighties" here.
All people have habits which dominate our behaviour. Most things we do without thinking them through first. We'd be stumbling at every step or utterance if we overthought everything.
So when people talk to you without realising you can't see their gaze and body language, this isn't them being bad, they just need to learn new habits. Someone I know has been spending the last year at their new job "training" their co-workers to introduce themselves each time they meet, and other relevant habits.
Other things everyone does is use "sight" metaphors in speech: "will you look at that!", "I see what you mean.", etc. Stevie Wonder sang $1.
Now your first point about white canes, many people not knowing what they are for, I see a lot of people who know what they are for but they just don't recognise it until they are nearly tripping over it. Perhaps some public education would help. Meanwhile, as you're in NYC you could try some $1 (Video description: two men, one tall and handsome (Jon Voight playing Joe Buck), one short and limping (Dustin Hoffman playing "Ratso" Rizzo) walking through NYC when they cross a road in front of a yellow cab that has to stop suddenly to avoid hitting them.)
All people have habits which dominate our behaviour. Most things we do without thinking them through first. We'd be stumbling at every step or utterance if we overthought everything.
So when people talk to you without realising you can't see their gaze and body language, this isn't them being bad, they just need to learn new habits. Someone I know has been spending the last year at their new job "training" their co-workers to introduce themselves each time they meet, and other relevant habits.
Other things everyone does is use "sight" metaphors in speech: "will you look at that!", "I see what you mean.", etc. Stevie Wonder sang $1.
Now your first point about white canes, many people not knowing what they are for, I see a lot of people who know what they are for but they just don't recognise it until they are nearly tripping over it. Perhaps some public education would help. Meanwhile, as you're in NYC you could try some $1 (Video description: two men, one tall and handsome (Jon Voight playing Joe Buck), one short and limping (Dustin Hoffman playing "Ratso" Rizzo) walking through NYC when they cross a road in front of a yellow cab that has to stop suddenly to avoid hitting them.)
ABlindManPlays 3 points 4y ago
This wouldn't be as much of an issue if they gave us lightsabers.
Chaserly [OP] 3 points 4y ago
Imagine if they lit up! That’d be epic at night.
KillerLag 1 points 4y ago
Most white canes do have a reflective layer, so they do stand out at night.
bscross32 2 points 4y ago
Here's my question, do sighted people learn about the cane's function during their driver's education? Because, if not, they definitely should.
Chaserly [OP] 2 points 4y ago
Lol I’m sure they don’t. Because Monday - Friday on my way to work It’s pretty much guaranteed that I’ll have a near hit from s car.
On my way home, however, I feel much safer.
On my way home, however, I feel much safer.
So_Motarded 1 points 4y ago
Technically, yes. But, like many items on the driving test, it gets forgotten within a year. I remember there being a question on mine regarding how animals in a truck bed are allowed to be secured, but that was ten years ago, and I couldn't tell you what the answer was.
skycaster15 1 points 3y ago
I am located in North Carolina and I have had instances where I've had my cane and almost been hit by a car and instances where I didn't have it and w as almost hit.
One of my blind friends was on an O&M lesson in Downton Raleigh and a lady waled up to her and the instructor and handed her $20 said "god bless you" and walked away.
I was the president of a service to others type of club at my community college and I put on a blind museum the entire week of white cane day to educate people in my community about the technology we use, braille and the white cane. I even had a mini event where I blind folded a bunch of people and made them walk around with a cane. It was super fun!!
One of my blind friends was on an O&M lesson in Downton Raleigh and a lady waled up to her and the instructor and handed her $20 said "god bless you" and walked away.
I was the president of a service to others type of club at my community college and I put on a blind museum the entire week of white cane day to educate people in my community about the technology we use, braille and the white cane. I even had a mini event where I blind folded a bunch of people and made them walk around with a cane. It was super fun!!
aaronespinozaca 1 points 4y ago
Everyone who's ever seen me knows what my cane does and what it is for.
This nonprofit website is run by volunteers.
Please contribute if you can. Thank you!
Our mission is to provide everyone with access to large-
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
©2023 HumbleCat Inc • HumbleCat is a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Michigan, USA.