Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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How do you navigate around a new city? (self.Blind)
submitted by freeavocadoess
Hi there! Hope this doesn't go against the rules but I'm a low vision college student and I'm pretty interested in getting a masters in urban planning.
Just curious about how completely blind folk navigate a new city. Are there any things that help you, any things you super hate about cities when navigating them?
Just curious about how completely blind folk navigate a new city. Are there any things that help you, any things you super hate about cities when navigating them?
KillerLag 2 points 3y ago
Things that most of my clients hate: Weird intersection layouts (5 street intersections, severely offset streets or streets at weird angles) and streets with extremely similar names (For example, in my city, 220 King Street is 14 kilometers away from 220 King Street West. Or, there is an intersection of Yonge Street and Yonge Blvd.)
Depending on how much my client already knows about the city, they usually want to know their immediate neighbourhood, and how to get to the necessities (groceries, pharmacy, work). From there, it is learning the major roads and the layout of the transit system. I've made some tactile maps for people who are new and don't have a good understanding of how streets are laid out.
Depending on how much my client already knows about the city, they usually want to know their immediate neighbourhood, and how to get to the necessities (groceries, pharmacy, work). From there, it is learning the major roads and the layout of the transit system. I've made some tactile maps for people who are new and don't have a good understanding of how streets are laid out.
DrillInstructorJan 1 points 3y ago
You know that bar on the corner of Bathurst and College...
KillerLag 1 points 3y ago
Sneaky Dee's? I know if it, but I personally haven't gone there before. My wife did when she was younger. :P
DrillInstructorJan 1 points 3y ago
Yeah! The locals all called it "Sneaky Disease."
KillerLag 1 points 3y ago
Heh, yup. My wife calls it that sometimes when we go past. Apparently quite dive-y. Did you stay in TO for long?
freeavocadoess [OP] 1 points 3y ago
Thanks for the input!
Random question but how do you get tactile maps? Do you get it from a supplier, does the company make them, or do you make them yourselves? I've been interested in finding some tactile maps to play around with but don't really know where to look.
Random question but how do you get tactile maps? Do you get it from a supplier, does the company make them, or do you make them yourselves? I've been interested in finding some tactile maps to play around with but don't really know where to look.
KillerLag 1 points 3y ago
I make them myself, with glue, pipe cleaners and other variety of craft material. I've done some experiments with 3D printed maps, but the texture was a bit problematic (not enough differentiation). And depending on the area, there can be too many roads/paths that are irrelevant.
If you are interested, check out a site called Touch Mapper (https://touch-mapper.org/en/). You can enter an address, and it could create the file for you or you have have them print it.
If you are interested, check out a site called Touch Mapper (https://touch-mapper.org/en/). You can enter an address, and it could create the file for you or you have have them print it.
annibear 1 points 3y ago
You can get them formally made, usually from an organization like Lighthouse, or you can make them yourself with some puffy materials of varying textures. I had an informal one of those for my university.
DrillInstructorJan 1 points 3y ago
Uber!
Really though my ability to learn geography is always going to be so limited that it is quite annoying. I find myself just going from place to place and never really getting the feel for a city the way you can if you can see. It's not great. For instance I had been to Los Angeles a few times when I could see, as a kid, but I only really got to know it in adulthood. As a result I know people and places and I love going there, but it's hard to feel like I know the town. Being blind is when every city is just a bunch kerbstones and buildings to enter. I regret that a lot.
Still, it's definitely better now than pre Uber. I keep saying this but I have no idea how blind people operated before the internet.
Really though my ability to learn geography is always going to be so limited that it is quite annoying. I find myself just going from place to place and never really getting the feel for a city the way you can if you can see. It's not great. For instance I had been to Los Angeles a few times when I could see, as a kid, but I only really got to know it in adulthood. As a result I know people and places and I love going there, but it's hard to feel like I know the town. Being blind is when every city is just a bunch kerbstones and buildings to enter. I regret that a lot.
Still, it's definitely better now than pre Uber. I keep saying this but I have no idea how blind people operated before the internet.
afraidofdust 1 points 3y ago
My partner usually starts with O&M lessons for key points, then uses Nearby Explorer to fill in the gaps.
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