I also use a cane and have some vision. I think for me, the benefits of safer, more effective, and more comfortable! navigation outweigh any rude comments a stranger might make to me. And such comments have really been few, and far between. I guess I’d just keep that in mind. You have as much right to use a cane to navigate as anyone else, and someone being an ignorant ass doesn’t negate that. But for me, I’ve also found the rude comments so ridiculous as to be funny, like that a grown adult was using the bullying tactics of a small child (I actually laughed in that person’s face). Not that adults can’t also be bullies to other adults, but it was so...juvenile in that case.

I don’t know if any of that even helps. Most people, if they don’t know what my cane is or does aren’t really rude about, and a simple explanation (I’m mostly blind and use the cane so I don’t trip over things in my path) seems to suffice.

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I went through the same thing, starting to use a cane due to lost peripheral vision from rp.

I was very anxious at first about other people's perception but I had a strategy to get over it and it worked for me. Basically, anytime I was anxious about a situation related to the cane I would force myself to double down on that situation instead of taking action to avoid it.

If I was anxious about a particular person seeing me with the cane, I would go out of my way to walk near them and say hello for example. In addition to this, I carried a rigid cane so I had no chance of hiding it. I also made it a point to go out with my cane every day at first not only to practice using it, but to get more comfortable being around people with it.

I just take a deep breath and explain if I have time but recently I found a T-shirt that says “I can see but I Can’t #It’sComplicated” and another with a Venn diagram of “visually impaired, legally blind, blind, ME #It’sComplicated” I think the shirts are funny and possibly useful I plan to wear them to locations where I get questioned the most.
Other than that I get lots of weird encouragement for doing normal tasks which I chuckle and take as a confidence boost because being human is hard we can all use some encouragement for getting through a day.
It’s safer for me to use my cane than not to so I just learn to have some humor about it, like when people try to shout at me so I can see them better lol it’s funny.

I feel you. My two cents: it doesn't matter what, IF there is something noticeably special about you, people will comment on it. I've gotten comments like "a blind girl with her eyes open?? How is that possible!" Or simply: "Look! A blind woman!!"
People can only upset you if you let them and it is a long and hard process to learn that you have every right in this world to be different and to address your needs and to not be what people expect you to. There may be days when you feel too vulnerable to deal with people sh**, but you can still put the cane away when you feel uncomfortable and try again the next day. I have a few comebacks that I have practiced (like really practiced with my therapist) that I use. My favourite is "are you the blind people police?" Or simply "please stop what you are doing, you make me uncomfortable" (that works like a charm because people don't ever know how to react)
EDIT: watching blind YouTubers has helped me a LOT!

i totally understand your feelings. i have some sight but have been interesting in maybe some mobility training to help me avoid falls and stuff but am super self conscious. if the cane helps you tho i really hope you are able to overcome and use it with confidence.

With my RP my central vision is corrected to 20/40 so in daylight I see not too much worse than non visual impaired people for hey look there type of stuff.



I still use a cane because I broke my shins twice and I also don't want an assault charge running someone over lol. I'm a big dude.


Used it for hmmm 3 or 4 years now all over different parts of the United States and I've barely ever had any comments when I'm obviously seeing something.



A couple examples:


Was reading a label at the grocery store and someone asked me "I thought those were for people who can't see? What are you using it for?" (This was asked politely). I explained the tunnel vision and he said "oh cool makes sense to use it for that too."



At a Chinese lantern festival I was asked if I was just dragged along with others since I couldn't see. Explained the tunnel vision and no night vision. I could see all the lanterns themselves but everything surrounding that was basically invisible.





That's about it. I'm rarely asked about it. Heck the most common sentence tends to actually be "wait can you see a little?" If they are trying to show me something or point me in a direction.

Here in Brazil we have the green cane.

If someone uses a green cane (or one piece of it painted green) it means that the person has low vision (baixa visão).

DUDE!!!!!!! ME TOO!!!!!

I still don't always use it, but y'know what? Anytime I do, people are amazing. They get the F out of my way so quickly. I love it. Actually, just yesterday, I walked to the library and back, and after I crossed the road, this guy pulled up to me and asked if I was okay. I guess I ran across the intersection cuz I dunno, I always do. And the guy said sorry on behalf of everyone cuz they didn't get that I have a condition or something. It was quite sweet.

Grab that cane, own it, and tell everyone to F off if they give you any lip. And if they don't back off, jab them in the eye.

I wish you luck

When my eyesight was finally going out and I finally unfolded the identity cane I carried in my back pocket to use it for real at Disneyland people parted like water. I’ve use the cane ever cents because I realized that having decked a number of people carrying beer and nachos little kids and everything else it was kind of rude of me not to let them know that I wasn’t going to be the one that swerved. People stop accusing me of being a dick or inconsiderate or drunk or whatever, and now want to grab me and tell me I’m a hero or ask me if I’m lost. That one always cracks me up. Another side effect of using the cane all the time is that I don’t walk in the fire hydrants or fall down steps or have a headache so I’m trying to use my eyes or having to find my sunglasses all the time or get that perfect hat that shades enough of the bright sun so I can see. I walk around with my eyes closed have no anxiety about traveling and have baby smooth shins from finding that obstacle before it finds me

People all around the world will comment if they see someone using a cane and then looking at a menu for example. It comes down to societies awareness, which sucks every where, especially about a minority disability.

Would your family, flatmates be supportive as in if a neighbour stopped them to say "I saw XXXX using a cane the other day, what's that all about", or " isn't that just for blind people" would your local circle back you up?

You could ask to speak to the local primary/elementary school about Visual impairments and then the facts get trickled back to parents.

Or you could just tell people to shove it, I mean the same people who will comment about you might not be worth any effort