Category: Let's talk
Yesterday I encountered a voyuer sitting behind this blind passenger, just across from us, the voyuer tapped saids woman on the shoulder but said nothing, {Ardeth my partner described everything} then she sat down.The next thing we knew, she had got up to repeat the same strange behaviour as before and as the blind passenger turned towards her, she stared at her without uttering a word! Needless to say I was stunned. I gave this eejit a verbal bollocking for her behaviour, which of course she denied with the excuse "I was asking if she wanted help get off the bus". But Ardeth hadnt seen her lips move at all and the passenger hadn't answered her supposed request.
Hmmm, interesting...i had a similar experience when i was a lot younger, and less verbally stable. She stopped me as i was walking out of a supermarket purely to stair at my eyes. She seemed fascenated by the fact i had no pupils showing at all, just clear blue circles. She staired at me for about a minute and then told me my eyes were beautiful then let go of me...boy did i give her a serve for doing that. It's the only time it's happened though, and, i've now had so much surgery that noone thinks my eyes are beautiful anymore, so that is a plus IGuess.
Hmm I'd the same thing at school until they beceme used to me,at least you were complimented this incident, was just deliberate voyeurisim.
hmmm, yes, but i wish their manners had been a little more sociable.
What you folks are discribing is That's just such an invasion of privacy! There is no exuse for it and those people need to be told off!
So far thank God people never stopped me just to stair.
I don't think I would have tolorated it because I'm not a very pationed person and when I'm stopped on the streets I politely ask people what they need and if they hezetate, I ask more inpationtly and explain that I'm in a hurry. Thank God that always works.
I don't think I would have been able to stand someone stairing at me for a minute. That's just not on!
I don't meen it as a critisism of you Louisiana. I understand you had good reasons not to say something. I'm just telling you how I would have reacted if it had been me in that situation.
Maria.
um...i did say something, i said i said something...i said i gave her a serve afterwards, that means most deffinitly saying something. I always let people know when they're being offensive to me or making me feel uncomfortable.
Galileo I agree it was thoughtless and I dont like the fact that she held on to you, that was uncalled for. Tracey your right she showed no respect or thought for the passenger whatsoever, I imagine she dribbles with unbridled anticipation if a disabled person is so much as mentioned on tv.
Sorry about the misunderstanding you Louisiana. I didn't know what "giving someone a serve" meant.
I do now after you explained it. I'm glad you gave her a mouthfull.
Sorry about the misunderstanding once again.
Maria.
Oh, by the way goblin, i know what you mean agbout school being a bit difficult. It was the same for me, and i hated it. mainly because i didn't start using a cane until i was about ten, and then i sudenly became different. hated it.
In the case which began this topic, it could have been possible that the person was trying to get the attention of the blind one, and then was going to ask the question. Anyway, as far as this hole curiocity thing goes, well I can be curious, so I wouldn't criticise anyone else for it, in fact I thank them for taking an interest in me. Also, I have said this before. This person may not have enc ountered a blind person before and not therefore been experienced in how to get the attention of that person. I think some blind people take it for granted that sighted people are going to know, and quite frankly, you should all appreciate the fact that sighted people don't treat you with the same disgusting ignorance. Also, if I was sighted and I was engrosed in something such as a book on the train, and ticket man came round, I wouldn't expect to be tapped on the shoulder. However, because I'm blind, it's more likely that someone will tap my shoulder to get my attention. There's nothing like a bit of positivity to counter the negativity I hear from blind people is there?
I smashed every one of my canes in defiance of my condition, 17 in all, there is nothing worse for a child than to feel they don't belong.
wow, goblin really? i never thought of doing that! i wonder why? I guess i just accepted it, and the worse thing is is that i know i can walk with out a cane, but i don't feel comfortable without it...not sure what to do about that.!
I was a very adventurous but frightened child and took my frustration out on inanimate objects, I'd just use the cane where you need it most,subconsciously the cane represents a safety net and you become dependent its almost like a drug. I once wandered out caneless to buy some gorgonzola cheese, the shop was what..100 yards away and I knew the route so well.However my brother was not impressed he came tearing down the road with the cane, you can imagine how that looked, this big sighted goth running down the street, with a white stick, I found it hilarious.
lol, i hate that sometimes! sometimes i'll be walking around with out it and people who i think i know really well will become all concerned about me not having it, i really don't like it because sometimes it just makes me wonder if they really pay any attention to me at all.
It defines us as needy and the conotations are unfortunately all negative to the sighted majority.Maybe those familiar with you were just covering themselves incase you met with an accident, they might have been blamed for you wandering about unprotected. I left the cane once in Failte at closing time, I was blase having had a few. Garry my climbing pal only noticed when we were 1/2 way up the street, mind you it's not often that I can be soo smooth.smile
ah well i cant see a thing so i kinda need it
Neither can I but that doesn't mean I wont try..smile
well, i have a bit of sight, and i think it helps sometimes, especially if i want to walk fast in a place unfamiliar to me.
There is no better feeling than hurrying along swinging the cane, it's just so satisfying.
Well, personally, I hate the fact that i use a cane which is why eventually I will go and get a dog guide, I don't think there is anything wrong with dog guides at all, and you are allowed to walk lots faster and they just fit right under your seat, and you just look alot more independent without the cane.
I disagree think of all that tedious training and education,not to mention finding the confidence to trust the cane and yourself to use it, and be proud its an enviable skill.
i think that cane users are just as independent as guide dog users, people just think that people using a dog are more independent, and for this reason, i use a cane, i want to show people that i'm just as independent. and i just think i'd trust myself over a dog any day, i will not trust my life with an animal.
I agree with the last part of the last post. I like dogs, but I know I couldn't trust my life with one. They are trained to follow commands, and to know when not to follow a command, but above all that, they are still animals, and I would think they could still get easily distracted by certain things. Also, the person would still have to totally trust theirself reguardless of whether they have a guide dog. I think its cool that those people can probably be able to or can learn to pay attention to both these things at the same time. But as for me, I know I'd have a hard time with this. As it is, I can't talk to or really listen to other people around me while I'd walking with my cane, so I know It'd be even harder for me with a guide dog. I also agree that many people probably think a blind person looks more independent with a guide dog rather than with a cane. But I guess that's because with a guide dog, you don't have to use a cane and definitely have to know where you're going because you have to know when to tell the guide dog what to do. Of course, this is not saying that a person using a cane wouldn't have to be sure of where they're going, but with a guide dog, I guess people see you directing an animal where to go, and so to them it just looks more independent.
Well I have to disagree as my right hand man Scott, is also a seizure alert dog, and I have to trust my life to him..its unfair on to generalise that all guide dogs are not up to the job.
i never said they weren't, what i meant is that i as a person could never trust my life with one, therefore, it's inadvisable that i get one. Besides, i hate all the attention that the guide dogs attract, i prefer to be left alone when i'm travelling.
Yeah, I've heard about some animals being good with detecting seizures, and I think it's great that they can do that. If I had a pet, and they helped me in that way, by detecting things, that'd be enough for me. But I guess what I was saying was that I personally couldn't trust an animal for being my eyes. I guess it's that for me even using a cane, I sometimes can get distracted and disoriented myself easily, plus I sometimes have a hard time concentrating on too many things at one time or when there is too much going on around me. So although I think it'd be nice to have a dog guide, I don't think it'd be a good idea for me. I guess I'm not totally confident with my O&M skills either, as I usually have to learn one (or at least fairly similar) routes at at time, so I know a dog guide wouldn't be good for me, well, yet, I can't say never though. *smiles*
He is incredible. I understand what your saying and I think in a way it is difficult for a previously independent blind traveller to put their faith in an animal,I think you would benefit from a dog as a highly trained GD take over if you weren't paying attention but as you say its a matter of personal choice, I went for a very stubborn 10 years before getting Scott. smile
wow! ten years? that must have been really hard ajusting and stuff.
i personally wouldn't want a guidedog either, cuz i'm just as independent using my cane. i also know myself well enough to know that i wouldn't do well guiding an animal, and like some of you guys said, all the attention they attract isn't worth it.
Galileo not really, I have never seen, so it was far harder adjusting to the news, that I never would, than going around without Scott. Almost falling down a large hole was the main trigger for my change of heart.smile
ah, those kind of moments are always good for a change of heart aren't they?
they certainly are especially in a crowded street, when some wag announces, eh pal there's a bloody great sign right in front ae it know?.
Hmmm, well, I still feel that dogs are the better route, yes, you might grab someone's attention, but in my oppinion, you grab more attention because you are blind and you are using a white cane, not to mention it's negative attention, than you do with a dog, yes you attract attention with a dog, but the dog usually gets positive responses, sure the dogs may not always be up to par, but again, it comes down to trusting the dog, and how the dog was trained, and the school's training policies, and all that, which is a must if you ever want one.
I don't think guide dogs are better or worse, per see, than canes. I think it's a matter of life style, there is no "ultimate" better or worse. A dog can get you around faster and help you avoid all sorts of obsticles, however it needs to be taken care of and it may attract additional attention from people that you may not want. I think it's just a matter of your life style whether a guide dog be suited for you or not. I, personally, would not get one at this point in my life but certainly do not exclude it and I see how it is a very good fit for other people I know.
cheers
-B
well, dogs don't suit people who wish to not constantly be talked at by randoms on trains or in the street. for those who wish to be more or less left alone, canes are best.