Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Be My Eyes (self.Blind)
submitted by MitziMS13
Hi everyone,
Tomorrow is going to be the one year anniversary of when I installed the Be My Eyes app.
I’ve had 2 successful calls, several that I wasn’t quick enough for and someone else answered before me, and a handful where I completely missed the notification coming through at the time of the call. It’s nice to know that so many people are out there willing to help (with more volunteers signed up than visually impaired).
I know this has been mentioned here before but a (quick/surface) search showed me that it hasn’t been mentioned for a while, so I just wanted to spread the word again about this app being out there for anyone who needs it.
Please don’t be shy to make a call using Be My Eyes! No matter how simple the task may be. Even though it might be for something minor, I personally am more than happy (and even excited) when the call comes though and I’m sure others are too.
Tomorrow is going to be the one year anniversary of when I installed the Be My Eyes app.
I’ve had 2 successful calls, several that I wasn’t quick enough for and someone else answered before me, and a handful where I completely missed the notification coming through at the time of the call. It’s nice to know that so many people are out there willing to help (with more volunteers signed up than visually impaired).
I know this has been mentioned here before but a (quick/surface) search showed me that it hasn’t been mentioned for a while, so I just wanted to spread the word again about this app being out there for anyone who needs it.
Please don’t be shy to make a call using Be My Eyes! No matter how simple the task may be. Even though it might be for something minor, I personally am more than happy (and even excited) when the call comes though and I’m sure others are too.
scaram0uche 10 points 3y ago
I've never been contacted on Be My Eyes in all the years with it but I have been on BeSpecular as a sighted person.
BeSpecular hasn't been updated in 4 years and all my attempts to contact the developers have failed. Some are easy - naming a face wash or asking for their blood pressure number.
I've been unable to block weird/creepy users and reporting abuse is probably a dead end. Someone has multiple accounts under different names requesting descriptions of teens and children, some are headshots of child actors and others are screenshots from videos of children cry or laughing. They ask for things to be described like shaking or crying and send links to videos (luckily
unclickable).
If anyone on here has more direct contact info for BeSpecular's developers, like a personal or current work email, please let me know.
BeSpecular hasn't been updated in 4 years and all my attempts to contact the developers have failed. Some are easy - naming a face wash or asking for their blood pressure number.
I've been unable to block weird/creepy users and reporting abuse is probably a dead end. Someone has multiple accounts under different names requesting descriptions of teens and children, some are headshots of child actors and others are screenshots from videos of children cry or laughing. They ask for things to be described like shaking or crying and send links to videos (luckily
unclickable).
If anyone on here has more direct contact info for BeSpecular's developers, like a personal or current work email, please let me know.
unknown_xe 3 points 3y ago
Regarding Be My Eyes. I would find myself nit receiving any calls. However, once I open the app on my iPhone, I suddenly start receiving multiple calls over the next few days/weeks. It's happened like 4 times now. I'm not sure if this is an intentional feature to weed out inactive volunteers or not... But yeah, thought I'd let you know.
[deleted] 1 points 3y ago
You do have to keep going into the app every so often try going in once a month to show activity.
scaram0uche 1 points 3y ago
Bespecular has similar issues of not alerting unless opened recently - so I try to open both every few days.
Sudsy613 2 points 3y ago
Sorry to hear about the BS you’ve had to deal with as a cited volunteer on BeSpecular.
I actually prefer that one over BeMyEyes/Aira and use it on a daily basis, sometimes multiple times per day.
Thanks for what you do. :)
PS, as far as the notification issue, I stopped receiving them on the user end a couple months back too.
I actually prefer that one over BeMyEyes/Aira and use it on a daily basis, sometimes multiple times per day.
Thanks for what you do. :)
PS, as far as the notification issue, I stopped receiving them on the user end a couple months back too.
lesterhill162 1 points 3y ago
Just goes to show that ANYBODY can be a creep, lol. Sorry they had you caught up in their sick-kicks.
CloudyBeep 2 points 3y ago
It may have been a sighted person, though I do agree that blind people can be creeps as we saw on this subreddit a few weeks ago.
MitziMS13 [OP] 1 points 3y ago
Oh wow. I’m sure there are people out there who abuse any type of service like this and it’s a shame. The two calls I had on Be My Eyes were legitimate and from very nice people.
scaram0uche 2 points 3y ago
I get plenty of normal requests on BeSpecular too but there seems to be 1 person abusing it. I've reviewed the app on Google Play, emailed the contact address, and even sent a LinkedIn connect request with a message about it to one of the developers! I don't want to quit helping others but it needs some moderation.
bradley22 0 points 3y ago
The app is very old so I doubt you’ll hear anything from the devs.
Pickleweede 4 points 3y ago
Be My Eyes is hilarious and embarrassing at the same time.
"Can you please tell me what these coins are?"
"Sure. Can you please move the phone up a little? I can only give you sock advice at the moment. Your left one is green and the right one is grey."
"Thank you! So what are these coins?"
"That looks like .... is that ... I think thats a 500 yen coin!"
\*proceed to spend 20 minutes talking about Asian travel\*.
​
or my best experience to date, while sitting at the doctors clinic filling in pre-appointment forms.
"Hi, please help me fill in this medical form. I can kind of write, but I cant read it at all"
\*finishes top portion with name, DOB etc. now onto information\*
"When was your last... er.. menstrual cycle?"
\*lady sitting near me\* "thats a bit rude to ask, int it?!"
"oh, he's helping me fill in this form because of my eyes - it was on the \*whatever date I said\*"
\*lady sitting near me\* "OOoh that were our Jamie's birthday"
\*lady next to her\* "OOoOh weren't that a great day? Couldn't believe it when - blah blah blah"
The guy on Be My Eyes is now laughing his ass off, telling me I should have worn earphones.
"Can you please tell me what these coins are?"
"Sure. Can you please move the phone up a little? I can only give you sock advice at the moment. Your left one is green and the right one is grey."
"Thank you! So what are these coins?"
"That looks like .... is that ... I think thats a 500 yen coin!"
\*proceed to spend 20 minutes talking about Asian travel\*.
​
or my best experience to date, while sitting at the doctors clinic filling in pre-appointment forms.
"Hi, please help me fill in this medical form. I can kind of write, but I cant read it at all"
\*finishes top portion with name, DOB etc. now onto information\*
"When was your last... er.. menstrual cycle?"
\*lady sitting near me\* "thats a bit rude to ask, int it?!"
"oh, he's helping me fill in this form because of my eyes - it was on the \*whatever date I said\*"
\*lady sitting near me\* "OOoh that were our Jamie's birthday"
\*lady next to her\* "OOoOh weren't that a great day? Couldn't believe it when - blah blah blah"
The guy on Be My Eyes is now laughing his ass off, telling me I should have worn earphones.
MitziMS13 [OP] 1 points 3y ago
That’s funny!
I remember my first successful call, I was so excited to be the tiniest bit helpful... and when the call ended I was amazed that it took 45 minutes to properly heat up a burrito. He couldn’t see the package, I could but surely thought I must be reading it wrong. He said “no, that sounds right!” Not much experience on my end heating up burritos before. lol
I remember my first successful call, I was so excited to be the tiniest bit helpful... and when the call ended I was amazed that it took 45 minutes to properly heat up a burrito. He couldn’t see the package, I could but surely thought I must be reading it wrong. He said “no, that sounds right!” Not much experience on my end heating up burritos before. lol
[deleted] 4 points 3y ago
I use the app all the time and has 90% good service. I've only had issues with people not answering or struggled with connection and very few were the volunteer accent is too strong for me to understand. Other than that I've got really good help. I love the app and I actually help spread the awareness of the app to find more volunteers. I've successfully secured 8 people to volunteer. And really happy about that.
I spoke to a lovely lady the other day. My dog just died and I was in a state and couldn't find my remote to the TV after dropping it. We didn't find it together but had issues connecting. I found it outside my room. Bless her. She was lovely.
This app really has boosted my confidence and independence.
I spoke to a lovely lady the other day. My dog just died and I was in a state and couldn't find my remote to the TV after dropping it. We didn't find it together but had issues connecting. I found it outside my room. Bless her. She was lovely.
This app really has boosted my confidence and independence.
anxiousidiot69 1 points 3y ago
I have had one successful call but nothing more since then. It was great to be helpful!
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