Category: Let's talk
Hi all, one of my problem is traveling from place to place. Surely blind people can do it, I mean I am being asked if I want to go to the cinima it is in another town from hear my mum doesn't know where it is but I have an idea you get the bus from hear to the other town but my mum says I cant do it. True I haven't used publick transport for over 10 years but that doesn't mean I cant, all I do is ask the driver the number of the bus or where it is going and show him my bus pass. But my mum is so over protective. I don't want to be stuck in the same place all my life. I want to be able to get about. But my mum seems to think people with little sight cant do that. Yes they can. What do you all think?
Go ahead and try I admire your determination if only more people would make that kind of effort. You could contact the bus company, and ask to speak to the driver of the bus you will be using to arrange help beforehand.
Michelle, I agree with Goblin. If you do some homework, it should go fairly smoothly. I don't know anything about public transport in Scotland, but call the bus company that runs busses between towns, and find out about schedules and costs. You also might tell your mum you'll call her when you get there if this will put her mind at ease. I think things like this are harder on our parents than they are on us. Good luck, and let us know how things work out.
Lou
I think the best thing is to take a taxi at first and then in January call the guide dog people to help me with getting on buses with my guide dog. I don't think I was trained properly with the guide dog.
Fair enough. I think it doesn't necessarily matter how you get from place to place (bus, cab, or on foot); the point is to do a little bit of homework, offer to call your mom when you get there to put hermind at ease, and just go for it. People are usually willing to help if you ask
i agree with cm on this one.
good luck, it can be done, and you should be proud of yourself for wanting to try
Does your state provide a transport system called access link? You'd be a good candidate for it. It's door to door service, meaning they can only pick you up in front of your house, not inside your house and you have to catch them on their 20 minute window. Say you're scheduled to be somewhere at 10:00 in the morning, the earliest they can sneak up on you is 9:40 so you'd have to be ready within those 2 times and they can't wait no longer than 5 to 7 minutes for you or you'd get left and then it's hard to catch another bus if you do catch one you're lucky. And plus if you're not on time not only do they leave you but you'll get written up and 3 write ups equals a suspension off the bus for 3 to 4 months. Check with transit in your area and see if they'll provide it and supprise your mom that you can do it. Like one person mensioned above, call her once you get to your destination that way she'll know you're in safe hands. Once she gets the picture then you won't have to call her anymore cause she'll already know where you'll be, obviously you'd tell her where you're going before leaving the house. Hope this helps.
Yes we have something like that called Dile a bus. I haven't used them for a long time.
To the last poster, I wish we had a service like that over here. *smile* We have a special transit service here in San Antonio, but you have to call and know all the exact information at least a day in advance and sometimes that doesn't guarantee you'll have a ride. Also, there are complaints about being picked up sometimes hours late and dropped off late to places as well. Of course this isn't all the time, but it happens. I still use it though because it is a way form me to feel and be more independent. *smile*
I meant for Poster 7. *smile* But yeah, it's also the same rules with Via Trans, about missing rides or also if we cancel them on the same day. I think that's also three time and you get suspended for a short time.
My mum is overprotective as well. She was really hesitating when I asked her if I could fly to England. Even though I have done this before. Personally I love travelling. I love travelling by plane especially, the further away the better. Lol I want to have a job later on where I can travel a lot.
Chocolate I would build up to this trip, by susing out the transport situation first, in case there are any hassles. Take short trips, until you are familiar with everything and then if you make a mistake, your mum cant say I told you so.