I might be wrong, but think they are folks with low vision that can navigate without a cane, but might still need assistance. As people that might look completely normal to folks.

After all it is so much fun to ask a clerk where the onions are and they point in vague direction.

I use an ID cane. I mostly just hold it. I'm low vision and photosensitive in my left eye and no vision in my right. I use the ID cane to test the curb heights since I don't have depth perception with only one eye and the sun is blinding. I also use it to feel inclines and steps on dark places like theaters. It's handy in situations like the airport or train. People are more forgiving if you are in the way and don't seem as offended if you need help reading something.

we call them symbol canes in the UK, I think because they symbolise your Vi to other people. Technically they are only mobility aids in the strictest sense of the word. Not the sort of thing you'd expect a person who needs a long cane all-the-time to carry, but you might for example use a symboel cane if you can see quite well in daylight but switch to a long cane for independent travel when it gets dark.

They are also helpful for people who are VI who may have other disorders as well. So they may not be able to use a cane for mobility but need help getting around because they have other disabilities.

I was giving an ID cane when I left the hospital, used it until I was set up with the commission of the blind so it's habit now. I just started O&M this month and getting used to my long cane as my daily driver.

I use a guide cane which is similar to an ID cane in the US. Mine performs two functions.

Firstly to let me know if I'm going to bump into something like a wall, door frame, shop sign on pavement etc. I have a restricted visual field and see nothing at all to my left.

Secondly it lets others know I'm VI so for example if I'm walking straight towards them they know I probably can't see them and they generally move out of the way.

It's not a burden as I just use a pencil tip and it's carried so it's forward like a long cane but always angled towards my blind side and doesn't touch the ground although when walking in a corridor I'll generally keep the tip against the wall so I stay walking in a straight line and so people don't try and squeeze past me on my blind side.

I have a guide dog, and I use the small id cane for crossing roads with lots of traffic. I hold it out in front of me so that the drivers know I want to cross.

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I used to use a symbol cane (I’m in the UK too) but found it pretty useless. Unless someone had received disability awareness training, they didn’t seem to know what it was and people would still walk into me.

Went up to a guide cane so I could judge the step from trains etc better but now finally bit the bullet and use a long cane when needed.