Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Being blind gave me more independence? (self.Blind)
submitted by HeftyCryptographer21
I have seen the posts here recently about how for some people being blind gave them less independence than sighted people as they cannot drive, and I just thought I would share a related anecdote. For reference, I am Deafblind and live in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) but out of reach of the TTC (Toronto Transit Commission).
A friend had spent the day with their boyfriend but, because neither of them had their car they had to take the bus back to the train station so he could get home. They realized that they didn't know how to get there, so they looked it up on google maps. It is kinda weird though because you have to take a bus, backtrack, and then get on another bus. It was also late, so you had to take the day bus there, and the night bus back. Anyway, they called me and asked me to help them get there and back since it would be kinda late and they didn't want to walk back themselves. Since I had a lot more experience with transit, they knew I could do it without too much trouble.
I don't mean to invalidate anyone's experiences or anything, but I just wanted to show that being blind isn't all doom and gloom, and to recommend that y'all move to the city! /s.
Also, I didn't know what to flair this as, so sorry if I did it wrong. I would love for you guys to share your experiences though!
A friend had spent the day with their boyfriend but, because neither of them had their car they had to take the bus back to the train station so he could get home. They realized that they didn't know how to get there, so they looked it up on google maps. It is kinda weird though because you have to take a bus, backtrack, and then get on another bus. It was also late, so you had to take the day bus there, and the night bus back. Anyway, they called me and asked me to help them get there and back since it would be kinda late and they didn't want to walk back themselves. Since I had a lot more experience with transit, they knew I could do it without too much trouble.
I don't mean to invalidate anyone's experiences or anything, but I just wanted to show that being blind isn't all doom and gloom, and to recommend that y'all move to the city! /s.
Also, I didn't know what to flair this as, so sorry if I did it wrong. I would love for you guys to share your experiences though!
Fridux 8 points 1y ago
What the hell is a GTA and a TDC?
I think you are confusing independence, which is defined as the state of being self-sufficient, with resourcefulness, which is defined as having the capability of devising ways to address problems. There is no doubt that blindness forces you to be more resourceful, but it is also true that your independence goes downhill. Relocating because of your blindness is your admission that you can't be independent in the same setting where a sighted person can. That admission might not annoy you from a pragmatic perspective, but for someone who was used to the actual independence that is possible to achieve with sight, there's a world of difference.
I think you are confusing independence, which is defined as the state of being self-sufficient, with resourcefulness, which is defined as having the capability of devising ways to address problems. There is no doubt that blindness forces you to be more resourceful, but it is also true that your independence goes downhill. Relocating because of your blindness is your admission that you can't be independent in the same setting where a sighted person can. That admission might not annoy you from a pragmatic perspective, but for someone who was used to the actual independence that is possible to achieve with sight, there's a world of difference.
HeftyCryptographer21 [OP] 5 points 1y ago
Sorry, I forget not everyone is Canadian. The GTA is the greater Toronto Area, so Toronto and the area around there. The TTC is the Toronto transit commission, so the buses and trains and whatever else.
I definitely see what you mean. I am kinda stuck in the city, so I definitely get what you mean. I would struggle to live on a farm or something like that. I was just trying to say that being blind isn't all that bad, but I definitely get your point.
I am also biased because I am 18, and a lot of people my age relocate to the city, so I kind of forget that it isn't something that everyone does.
Edit: Just something I noticed, but I do have "real" independance. Maybe only in the city, but I still have it. Can I ask why you chose that word?
I definitely see what you mean. I am kinda stuck in the city, so I definitely get what you mean. I would struggle to live on a farm or something like that. I was just trying to say that being blind isn't all that bad, but I definitely get your point.
I am also biased because I am 18, and a lot of people my age relocate to the city, so I kind of forget that it isn't something that everyone does.
Edit: Just something I noticed, but I do have "real" independance. Maybe only in the city, but I still have it. Can I ask why you chose that word?
xmachinaxxx 3 points 1y ago
I didn’t lose my ability to drive until I was 40 years old. I never anticipated I would become blind. I live in rural Midwest United States about a 25 minute drive to a large city. There are no buses, trains, taxis, or even Uber out here. Even in the metro area that I live close to, there’s no good reliable public transportation. There are many places all over the US just like where I live that are car dependent. I would love to move to a place that’s walkable and has public transportation but can’t due to my husband’s job. Hopefully soon but it does suck in the meantime. It’ll definitely give me more options to be less dependent on family.
Mamamagpie 2 points 1y ago
I don’t know if your state has transit system, but if they do it might be useful to see if they have anything like access link.
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HeftyCryptographer21 [OP] 1 points 1y ago
yeah, fair enough. Outside of cities, it can definitely be hard. I hope things start going better for you soon!
Fridux 2 points 1y ago
I chose the word resourcefulness based on my empirical observation that's the only thing that actually grows when you adapt to blindness. You might be fully independent, but that independence comes at the cost of restricting yourself to a severely reduced action radius. You lose the ability to do certain things so you just adapt to living without them in order to remain independent.
DrillInstructorJan 3 points 1y ago
I'd ask the original poster more independence compared to what. Has he or she ever been fully sighted and hearing?
I'm not here to tell anyone I'm helpless and useless but I would prefer that people who have no memory of good sight don't try to tell me about what it's like to lose it. It's really unhelpful when people who are new to this situation hear someone going oh, it's not a big deal. I am the first to say it's absolutely something you can deal with, it's absolutely something most people can handle if they put the effort in, but anyone who tries to tell me that there's some sort of magical upside to it is going to get the sharp edge of my tongue.
Resourcefulness yes, you will need that in spades. Magic disability pixies making life awesome, not so much.
I'm not here to tell anyone I'm helpless and useless but I would prefer that people who have no memory of good sight don't try to tell me about what it's like to lose it. It's really unhelpful when people who are new to this situation hear someone going oh, it's not a big deal. I am the first to say it's absolutely something you can deal with, it's absolutely something most people can handle if they put the effort in, but anyone who tries to tell me that there's some sort of magical upside to it is going to get the sharp edge of my tongue.
Resourcefulness yes, you will need that in spades. Magic disability pixies making life awesome, not so much.
HeftyCryptographer21 [OP] 2 points 1y ago
I have been fully sighted. Never fully hearing though. I lost my sight mostly when I was 16, and it is still getting worse (I am in university now). I definitely get how hard it can be to lose your sight, especially for me in middle school and high school, while already having recently gone Deaf. I didn't mean to start such a discourse, but I do genuinely believe that within a city and near it, being blind is far less of an issue than some people make of it.
Of note, I am not American, so I can't imagine it is nice to be disabled, or any kind of different in a country where healthcare and services are harder to get.
Of note, I am not American, so I can't imagine it is nice to be disabled, or any kind of different in a country where healthcare and services are harder to get.
HeftyCryptographer21 [OP] 2 points 1y ago
I get what you mean. Driving is something that you obviously you can't do if you are blind, but I think saying that you have a "severely reduced action radius" is a bit too far. While my title was somewhat in jest, saying that I have "more independence", I haven't felt particularly stifled since I went blind.
thatblindgirl 7 points 1y ago
I was denied twice in a row because of my guide dog by Uber, so I’m feeling a little bitter towards transportation right now. But, there have been many times where I am pretty good at navigating indoor spaces particularly when I had to lead drunk friends back to their room.
HeftyCryptographer21 [OP] 2 points 1y ago
That sucks, I am sorry about that. I don't have a guide dog so I don't have any experience with that, but I get that it would be frustrating.
I definitely enjoy leading drunk people back to their rooms, although it can be a little sketchy when you are drunk yourself :)!
I definitely enjoy leading drunk people back to their rooms, although it can be a little sketchy when you are drunk yourself :)!
NoClops 3 points 1y ago
I grew up in the suburbs. I also have some social anxiety from before I went blind and related to being blind. I tried to learn using public transportation, but I never did it outside of practicing. I don’t like big city living, so I’m not sure what to do about this. I know an urban/city environment is probably very convenient for a blind person, but what do you do when you like the coziness in comfort of a small town/suburb?
HeftyCryptographer21 [OP] 3 points 1y ago
idk, that is a tough one. Maybe live in a suburb outside of a sufficiently large city? For example, I live in Oshawa, which is about 40 minutes outside of Toronto, meaning that the transit here is a lot better than other towns of the same size.
NoClops 1 points 1y ago
I grew up 45 minutes outside of Chicago. The nearest train station was I believe about 20 minutes away, and I don’t know of any neighborhoods in close proximity to where I lived that had buses.
Not necessarily assuming you have answers for me. I’m glad that your set up works for you. Just wanted to offer another perspective.
Not necessarily assuming you have answers for me. I’m glad that your set up works for you. Just wanted to offer another perspective.
HeftyCryptographer21 [OP] 2 points 1y ago
yeah, fair enough. I didn't mean to assume that, although I guess I did. I love living in the city, and would even if I was sighted, so I kind of forget not everyone shares that.
brimstone_tea 3 points 1y ago
Did you know that we use the brain areas that are for sight for storing imaginary maps of places? That's so cool
HeftyCryptographer21 [OP] 1 points 1y ago
Seriously! That's pretty cool! Kinda makes sense though lol.
mehgcap 2 points 1y ago
I’m glad to see you making the most of a bad situation. That said, I have to disagree that being blind can make one more independent. I depend on people to drive me, on bus drivers or passers-by to tell me which bus I’m getting on, on sighted people to help me shop, on clerks to tell me what’s in the clear cases at the bakery, on a cashier to help me with the touch screen card machine, and that's just off the top of my head. Yes, I’m better at mental mapping and at figuring out how to get myself un-lost than many sighted people. But you know what those sighted people can do? Read street signs, see landmarks, check wall maps, or glance at their phones without needing to have the volume loud enough to hear speech. In other words, I’m better at navigating, but this only makes up for a lack of resources. It doesn’t make me more independent. In general, I’m far more dependent on others, as are most blind people. I live with it, but I don’t like it.
HeftyCryptographer21 [OP] 1 points 1y ago
yeah, touch screens and random glass cases do suck. I don't disagree with anything you said, and I do admit that my title was somewhat in jest. I was just kind of trying to show that blind people can live independent lives, you now?
I am curious when you say you are dependant on people, does that mean that you would say most blind people don't live alone, or am I misunderstanding that point?
I am curious when you say you are dependant on people, does that mean that you would say most blind people don't live alone, or am I misunderstanding that point?
mehgcap 2 points 1y ago
Living alone is certainly possible. Even then, the blind person is dependent on others for shopping, reading mail that OCR can't manage, filling out paperwork, and plenty of other things. The’s a reason apps like Aira and Be My Eyes are so popular.
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