# how do you get around?

Category: Daily Living

## Post 1 by voiceofjoy (Veteran Zoner) on Sunday, 01-Feb-2009 7:00:47

hello:)
I struggle with really protective parents, and i have bene told that alot of what my other visually impaired friends are doing is dangerous. e.g., crossing streets, go somewhere you dont know. i have also been told there are sooo many thigns i cannot do. i realize alot of that is just lias, but does anyone have any ideas on how i can get over it?
as far as i have understood, both the mobility teaching in usa and UK are way better than the mobilit teachings here. ideas?
any are welcome! ;)
oh yeah, and i already do a few of the things i've been told i can't do. but it is more on the how to get around-idea.

## Post 2 by redgirl34 (Scottish) on Sunday, 01-Feb-2009 7:45:07

Hi, where are you from? I am from the UK. Yes we get mobility I use a white stick other wise know as the cane. Some people have guide dogs. But I know in some countries they don't have gude dogs. I used to have a guide dog but he is retired now. I hope to get another one.

## Post 3 by voiceofjoy (Veteran Zoner) on Sunday, 01-Feb-2009 8:06:47

i'm from nroway, and use both cane and doggie to get around. :)

## Post 4 by motifated (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Sunday, 01-Feb-2009 19:16:01

hmmm. Good question. You might start with organizations of people who are blind within Norway. It sounds like you may need to enlist the help of other individuals who are blind who are adults who have a better understanding of the culture where you live, and how peopl with disabilities are treated. In terms of independent travel, I think of it almost like being a policeman. If one thinks of all the risks and dangers faced when walking about or crossing streets, one might not go out at all. The risks may be worht it, but everyone must decide that for him or herself.
Hope this helps.
Lou

## Post 5 by Shadow_Cat (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Monday, 02-Feb-2009 5:12:34

Hmmmm. I know there are organizations of the blind in other countries, and I wonder if you have any in Norway. Like Lou said, it sounds like you may need to find some other independent blind adults in your area, who are familiar with how your country is set up. For exampel, here in the US, we have traffic lights that regulat the flow of cars. But when I visited the Dominican Republic a few years ago, they have no such traffic regulating devices, and I'm still not entirely sure how a blind person would navigate that independently. Maybe do some internet research, to see what resources you might have locally.

## Post 6 by voiceofjoy (Veteran Zoner) on Monday, 02-Feb-2009 5:23:05

i know about the organisation life in Norway. I am also in touch with them. but i gues what i am looking for more, is ideas how to get over the thought pattern. how did you guys learn how to overcome the "but i am blind"-mentality?
- voice of joy -

## Post 7 by bozmagic (The rottie's your best friend if you want him/her to be, lol.) on Monday, 02-Feb-2009 8:56:42

Hmmm! This is a difficult one. I've led a pretty sheltered life, having been institutionalised almost from the word go, I've always had a slightly overprotective family myself. I think you just have to go ahead and do these things anyway whether your parents like it or not. They couldn't stop you once you've started, they just couldn't. My mum I think, had her reservations when it came to me hotfooting it up and down the country on the train to visit friends or go to and from College in recent years, but she now realises its about the only way I'd ever be able to get around unless some mirracle cure for my eye/facial condition crops up in the next 70, 80 years or so while I'm still alive. As for mobility in the UK, well, some places are brilliant, some are absolutely crap with regards to getting around. Mine for example, are even worse than my family was. They wouldn't even let me cross the main road, the next street to where my house is, without the help of a sighted person/escort, so I'm practically housebound and still have to rely on family for lifts in to town or further afield to Reading train station which is about the nearest train station, 45 minutes drive in the car from Farnham in Surrey where you can catch a long-distance train to almost anywhere. I'm hoping to move soon anyway, rent my own place up in Nottingham, East Midlands with practically all my friends as they have a brilliant support network up there, their own society for the blind, GDBA (guide dogs for the blind association) helping you out where the Rehab team wouldn't to get you a guide dog, Oo, just too much going on to put in this post really, but there it is. I have to move if I want to get anywhere in life myself. There's nothing else for it.
Jen.

## Post 8 by motifated (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Monday, 02-Feb-2009 9:54:46

Well, as far as how you approach your blindness in terms of attitude, I'd have to say that you need to determine how much risk you can tollerate. Are you comfortable, for example, trusting a bus driver to tell you when you reach your stop? Would you rather take a ride with a friend or take a taxicab? Do you have enough confidence to shop using the Internet? Do you trust a store clerk to give you correct change? You might try and find another blind person in your country to ask these questions of who has successfully dealt with issues of independence. You've asked some really good basic questions about what it takes to overcome society's perceptions of what people who are blind are capable of.
Lou

## Post 9 by voiceofjoy (Veteran Zoner) on Monday, 02-Feb-2009 11:10:57

tanks alot everyone who do reply. i like to hear more experiences:)
yeah, i am also in touch with other blind ppl here in norway, so talking to them too. but i surely enjoy reading experiences from others too. .)

## Post 10 by MDN1988 (the Zone BBS remains forever my home page) on Thursday, 05-Feb-2009 21:45:13

Hi.
A lot of things just come with experience. I remember when I first moved out on my own to a totally new city, I was very scared to cross streets, take the bus, and other things. I didn't even know how to cook and was afraid to pour hot liquids. I was kind of sheltered wheile growing up myself, but some circumstances in my life have forced me to be out on my own.
I think that the best thing for me was just to start doing what I was afraid of doing, just because I had to. Sometimes I do get nervous in crossing streets and other things, but the practice and experiences I have had have really helped.
Also, I have been in touch with other blind people that could share their experiences with me as well as describe the area to me and give me tips on how to do things that I didn't know how to do or was afraid to do because of being sheltered.
Hope this helps!
Misty

## Post 11 by Siriusly Severus (The ESTJ 1w9 3w4 6w7 The Taskmaste) on Saturday, 06-Jun-2009 19:10:46

Yeah, don't listen to that stuff it's crap. Just ignore it and move on. Do what you like and don't listen, unless you know exclusively it's unsafe. However, I can't stop you from doing those things either.
Yeah, I am asian, so I get that bull too, and it's pretty bad. I use the strategy of ignoring and doing what I think is right, which is pretty reasonable. You get a lot of complaining at first like, "riding the bus is so unsafe and you'll get hurt." My whole thing is,
Fine, I'll get hurt not you, let me do what I want, I'll suffer if I do, and most time's it's not bad, so I don't anyways. I think people could do anything on the condition that it does not hurt anyone else. I got a big problem at first, there was a lot of complaining and shouting, but Hey I got over it. Now, it's good, they have just plain given up. So, I do a lot of things now. I've also proven time after time that I am capable and now they don't mind anymore.