Category: the Rant Board
Man I hate it when people just come up and grab us around poles, signs, and across streets! Or how about "Where you going?" or how about this, they sometimes try to get you to go where you didn't want to go! It really annoys me! Anyone else?
Troy
I really hate that too, but when it comes to living in a big city, I'll take all the help I can get. As long as it's positive.
I don't like it either...but ya know...a ten-year-old walking around school, or toward home..."ya gotta make sure she's ok!"
lol I hate overprotective people as well
It's helpful, especially when I'm drunk at tailgate, because there's no way in hell Im finding the porta johns by my self, or when I can't walk a streight line I'm not making it back to my dorm with out help. I love football saturdays.
Yeah, being suddenly grabbed and moved this way or that certainly can throw you off when you know your route and all. Let me bring up a subtopic to this. Some people, including blind people, think this kind of behavior is perfectly fine, as the grabbers mean well and refusing would hurt their feelings, so just be quiet and go along. I can't say I agree with it. So how much are you willing to put up with, and is it more than a sighted person would tollerate? How greatful should we be for help we did n't ask for and don't really need in reality? I ask because some well-meaning folk think we should be greatful if anyone does anything for us at all, whether we need it or not. What do you believe that is all about?
I think it would hurt there feelings if we refused, and, being the person that I am, I don't like to hurt peoples feelings. however, I think that people who mean well should really ask us blindies first wether we need assistance or not, before offering it.
yes, this is certainly annoying but most of the time their intentions are only for the best. I mean think about this; a blindy walks too close to the curb to wait there for the lights, sighties, not having telepathic minds, don't realize that we know to wait at the lights. If they can see us about to walk into traffic, most will instinctly want to help. -- same reasons go for any other situation where it looks like the poor blindy is in danger. .. So yes, it can be very annoying but they are only concerned about our safety. .. If I am grabbed or asked if I need help I will just reply politely "I am OK thanks".
I use to get a bit crabby but, it's much better to be educating than to snap back at them. Because unfortunately the blind community is stereotyped far too much and generally speaking if a sighty has been snapped at by one individual, they will not be inclined to help another in a hurry if they really needed it.
So please all, try and keep your cool!
Afterall, crazy enaligy but same diff really .. for those of you who have "perfect pitch" a term used often in the music world, and you were in a quior and noticed one person singing one-short of an octive higher than the rest, would you feel inclined to let them know? Me thinks yes!
Cheers!
I don't really advocate being rude or a jerk even if people annoy, but I personally don't really advocate being a doormatt in the name of sparing the feelings of others. I understand that I will hurt others' feelings, sometimes on purpose and sometimes not.
Must say I hate it to.
I once had an officer of the law pick me up, and carry me across the street. His reasoning for doing this was that tar was being lain on the road, and he was afraid I'd get stuck to the street.
This was, and has not been the first time this had happened. I am a petite woman, and well....... I can't help but wonder, would the male population be wanting to pick me up if I was a bigger woman?
Yeah. I've had that happen, well, sort of. People would tell me when I was getting to a street, was getting to a street or to watch out for something, and I would nicely say OK and keep doing what I was doing anyway. I did recently have where I was waiting at school at a stop where the special transit buses pick up clients, which is what I was waiting for, and thought I was too late so asked a group of people nearby whether a bus or van for ViaTrans. had stopped at that area. When they said no, I figured I'd wait for my ride and stood beside the opening to the walkway where the driver would see me, plus there was no room on the benches anyway. So anyways, a few seconds later, a lady tried to direct me where to go because I guess she thought I meant the regular Via bus, whose stop was further down the sidewalk outside of the walkway. At first, I was really not in a good mood in the first place so I ignored ithe directions at first, but when she went up to me and explained what she thought I needed to know, I figured she probably didn't know any better so calmly told her that I would wait for Via where I was, and they just went on with whatever they were talking about after that. I've also had times where Mom and I would take the busses, and sometimes some people would get my arm and try to direct me where to sit. Well they would just get my arm and I would pull away because that's something that does get to me. I do understand that these people want to help, but just grabbing someone without saying anything beforehand or assuming you know exactly where they want to go isn't the way to do that. But if someone is talking to me at least I know right away what they're trying to help me with and I can decide whether I want to accept it or whether to politely say that "it's OK, I got it." The same thing would of course go for when someone askes if I need help.
But the being carried would freak me out, if someone were to just physically move me because, although good peple mean well, you never know what some people's intentions could be if they are not good people. And also, I just don't like being suddenly physically directed when I'm in the middle of doing something unless someone at least asks me first if I nead help or informs me about womething I might not know about.
It's really funny sometimes I'll be riding the bus and some morons will come by where I'm sitting and grab my cane trying to find a place sit down. Obviously they can't tell a pole from a cane apart. This topic remined me of that for some reason. Yeah I gate being grabbed by stanger who I don't know. There are times when I would like to kick their asses for grabbing me just to ask me where i'm going. I mean just stop and ask but don't grab me.
I tend to not be too tollerant of grabbers. I might say something like "Excuse me, but why are you touching me?" I'm not always that kind. I might just turn and fac them and then say "excuse me?" If there's a little irritation in my voice, I think that OK. Frankly, I want to atract some attention at that point, because I don't always know the intent of the grabber. I'd rather appologize later than find myself in an alley, or not wake up at all. Concerning the cane on the bus, I use a folding cane, and partialy break it down. That's the only answer I have for that point.
Nothing gets someone to let go like an elbo to the jaw or nose.
I agree with rdfreak. Try not to be too rude, because whoever is helping you might not offer assistance to the next blind person who comes around. We are stereotyped, and this type of behavior might just prove their point about us.