Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane @64 I do as well. People get confused when I look directly into there eyes, or at least into there face, my eyes never sit still so I can't lock ont something like that. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428844/#p428844 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane I use echo location to cross streets as well. My main problem is most people think I can see because I turn my head when I am tracking a car or talking to someone. Without the cane in my hand, people tend to assume I can see. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428834/#p428834 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Unless it's a street that is busy, I don't need my cane. My hands, coupled with my graite echolocation type skills works just fine. But a cane does help people know I'm blind, and find things on the ground I can't hear. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428830/#p428830 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane To start off, i have used a cane since the age of 5. I am 30 now, and I am totally blind. For those of you not wanting to advertise to the world, there is something that you are forgetting. Having a cane tells people that you might not be able to see them. For example, when someone is driving a car, and they see someone walking across a streett, they expect that person to react a certain way. Now, if that same person sees someone walking with a cane, they might think to slow down or pay a little more attention because the cane tells them you are blind. This is one of the reasons I am against people putting odd colors on their canes. I think all canes should look the same, so the public will learn what they stands for. I personally don't use a cane while doing sighted guide; it tends to get in the way and I wasn't taught to do it that way. I do keep my folding cane on my belt, and I can pull it off and move around on my own when I need too. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428805/#p428805 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane I'm been using a cane for most of my life, since like kindergarden, years before I went completely blind. But sometimes I walk way too fast and that's when my cane skills get bad. Also when I am in familiar areas, I tend to not use it well either. Like at school. But if I am not moving extremely fast, I have a good skillset with my cane. But then there is that habit of talking on the phone while I am walking. Really dumb for me to do. If I am walking in a neighborhood I think that's ok, but talking on the phone while in busy places, yeah I'm guilty of it, and I shouldn't have done it even once, but no one is perfect. So that's a habit that I need to stop if I want to be safer. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428803/#p428803 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane I lost the rest of my vision at age 11 and had to transition to a cane. Even up through college, I hated using it. Even if walking sighted guide as a teenager, I wouldn't bring my white cane with me. My grandma would tell me, "You need to bring it so people know you're blind and can know that." I didn't see the point in advertising my blindness to the world if I was walking sighted guide with her. Now I'm 28, and a much more confident person with less of a "give a damn" about society. If I have a hand free with sighted guide, I have my cane in it. I want to know I have that tool with me if I need it. It also gives me more information about the world around me as we're walking. I still get very nervous in crowds though. I tend to pull my cane back to try to avoid tripping people around me. I haven't developed that bullish charge ahead mentality yet. My mobility instructors tell me I'm so gentle with my cane because I don't make a lot of noise with it or bash it around. I don't want to be bashing and crashing around, so I tend to use my ears a lot for spacial orientation. Also, I have a purple cane with a rolling tip, and people dig the purple color. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428775/#p428775 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane In the school for the blind I went to, the totally blind students weren't even allowed to leave uless they'd 'passed' a route. Like...I'm relatively confident about said route, and as I've already stated above, if I mess it up and end up dead, I really couldn't care less. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428727/#p428727 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Once, I forgot my cane because I was in a hurry to leave my house. Since I lived in the dorm at the school for the blind I went to, that meant I would have gone a whole week without a cane. My O instructor ripped me a new asshole when I asked to borrow one, so I kept it out of spite. I still have that cane to this day, since I prefer graphite canes and that one is alluminum. the point of this story is that, for the totals at least, using a cane was pretty strictly enforced around the school. For those who had low vision, it wasn't though, illustrating one of the many double standards that exist in those places. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428667/#p428667 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane @Je97, that's a very short-sighted approach. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428642/#p428642 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Hi, I to am embarrassed to hole the white cane, as it makes me stand out more. The fact is however I've gotten to the point where I no longer care about my personal safety, if I die I die and so be it. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428599/#p428599 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane I would get out more, but all my friends either have jobs, have other friends they go places with, or they don't go anywhere. I rarely see the point in going somewhere if I will be alone. We don't have anything to eat for dinner or lunch a lot, but that bus trip or walk will take awhile. I love subway, but I don't walk there enough. I guess it is because I don't want to get in the habit of spending money. Because once you start spending it's hard to stop URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428504/#p428504 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Similar thing for me in that I hadn't been able to leave the house without sighted help for a few years. It was one day I found myself down the park on a sunny day walking alone with my cane, and I thought this is fantastic to just be out walking again. Though at that point I still found it challenging, and would get quite nervous before going out of the house with no sighted help. I did lapse back into not using the cane for about three weeks after that, but consciously thought I'd better force myself to go out with it every day or it'll get harder and harder to pick it back up again. I think that was the final hurdle between me and my being comfortable with a cane. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428464/#p428464 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane I was in blind school for much less than anyone else around here, but was taught O years after in the summer tutoring course. The one that made me depend on cane was my braille translator/tutor. Then I started to like it when I discovered I could go anywhere without having to rely on a friend's arm. It was awesome, and I've had my sense of traveling alone from then on. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428458/#p428458 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Strange, a lot of the people I know who go there refuse to use canes, at least most of the time, and it doesn't seem like anyone really enforces it one way or another. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428404/#p428404 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Strange, a lot of the people I know who go there refuse to use canes, at least most of the time, and it doesn't seem like anyone really enforces it. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428404/#p428404 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Actually, one of the very, very few good things that going to a school for the blind did for me was give me more confidence to use my cane. After all, everybody else was doing it, I wasn't constantly being harassed about it, so that bolstered me enough to not care so much what people thought. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428392/#p428392 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane I went to school for the blind for 2 years. The best I got from it was building confidence to force my dad to adapt to me traveling. End it wasn’t even the school that gave me any confidence, it was just me being away from him. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428358/#p428358 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane I went to school for the blind for 2 years. The best I got from it was building confidence to force my dad to adapt to me traveling URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428358/#p428358 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Justmy opinion. I think blind schools are probably a big part of this problem. Your screwed over when you get out of those, uh, institutions. But that's another topic. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428354/#p428354 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane @46, ok, I understand what you mean now. Thanks for clarifying. I agree with you for the most part, but your first post in this topic was a bit tactless IMO. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428338/#p428338 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Ok, it's not like I have refused to use my cane for 10 years. No I have used it, it hasn't been a big deal all the time. I just haven't used it very well sometimes, and ignored my sfaety. The public image doesn't' make me fold it up and walk without it, I have been dealing with the public image. But, that doesn't mean I like to deal with it. Some of you have the wrong idea. I do use my cane, I just don't use it to its full potensial. But I will start doing that. Don't think I am stupid enough to just not use my cane especially when traveling somewhere I don't know. I'm not that dumb. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428331/#p428331 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane I understand what you mean turtlepower. I'm not saying transitioning to being blind when you weren't born blind isn't hard (i wouldn't know truthfully though as i never had that), what I mean is some people never stop living off their government money, or learn to accept blindness and start living their life again. Some are like oh, i'm blind, i can't work, i'll just sit on my computer. Transitioning when you first go blind is obviously going to be hard, but people need to realize after a while that being blind really isn't that bad. You don't like using a cane? Get used to it. The freedom you'll get from using it will make you glad you actually put up with it. Who cares if people judge you? They'd judge you even if you weren't blind, that's what people do. Your hair, what you wear, you can't please everybody. Stop worrying about that. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428246/#p428246 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane I wasn't going to say anything about the few people throughout this topic who have been complete dicks, but now I feel I must.What, exactly, does cutting someone down who is clearly struggling accomplish? It would be different, although I still stand by what I said earlier in this topic, if the OP had been blind from birth, but not by much. If you lost your hearing tomorrow, how would you like it if somebody told you to grow up and deal with it, and that all deaf people were insert derogatory thing here? Because, let's face it, saying that most blind people are freeloaders who love mooching off the government is derogatory, even if it is true in some cases. Seriously, I promise you that learning to develop empathy is a hell of a lot easier than losing a sense. Give it a try sometime. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428233/#p428233 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane You people need to seriously accept blindness. Deal with it, accept it. And use your god damn cane. would you rather people know your blind and kindly try to help you out? Or tell you off, rudely but understandably, for walking into them like an idiot. Without a cane you'll just seem stoned, or stupid, but its your life. You could always say no to help, no one said you had to say you need it.And redfox? I agree with you saying you should accept that you can't do everything sighted people can, but realistically you can pretty much do anything besides fly a plane or drive. Just gotta find a way. That's the other thing with blind people, a lot of them spend time on their computers collecting their government checks and doing nothing else. Not all, obviously, but a lot. Seriously, live a little. I do, and i've been blind my whole life. Its really not that hard, and if you think that life has to be easy all the time well, its not. Blind or not, its not easy all the time. Accept that god damn it! And use your cane. It could probably save your life honestly. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/428220/#p428220 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane My braille translator/tutor who took care of blind students in a sighted school I was in and was one of my biggest influence always yelled at me for not having cane ready. She always taught me the importance of cane, and 90% of the time, she was right. I almost got hit by a school car because I didn't have my cane with me and they didn't look carefully that I was blind. Luckily, the forested spot by the roadside I crashed into right after I got it saved my life that day. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427917/#p427917 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane I have used a cane all the way back to elementary school. Experiences have been diverse and varied, but as I grew older i have realized that I never do too bad in the streets, mainly because I can get help and this gets me places way faster than just merely walking alone. I think the face you put on, the way you act and talk and so on contribute to that image of a cane being a freaky one or a positive one... so it will take time, but its way better to have it all the time rather than just pretend it is not there--it does give you independence which is above all else... oh yeah, and mine is blue. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427905/#p427905 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane I have recently been told to take my cane out with me a bit more even if I'm holding onto someone's arm, so that's what I've started doing.I don't exactly have a story, but I sort of do, so here's a bit of context.As a blind person, I really like the idea of cosplaying (i.e: people dressing up as characters, sort of, although a bit more than just dressing up), and the reason I like cosplay so much is because it lets me learn more about franchises.Well, I recently went to an event with my cane and met several cosplayers, and I didn't even get questioned. Some of them already knew who I was, but I'm wondering if the cane might have helped with the new costumers on the scene. In fact I got a message later on from one of them who was helping out as a character from Skyrim, and they loved showing me their costume and letting me experience the world of Skyrim, even if it was for a few minutes. The Dragonborn had a sword which was really awesome, quite weighty, and the otehr one, a female Khajiit (basically cat creature) even spoke with a character accent towards the end of this particular encounter. I've had many messages from people as well saying that they just loved showing me their costumes.People letting me touch the costumes has happened before, but I think people got it even quicker this time because I had my cane. Instead of taking around 20 seconds, it took around 10 before they started showing me stuff. They explained who their characters were, what their storylines are and from what anime, and even described colours and what they were wearing as well as letting me touch the stuff.I also have an even funnier story: I was eating lunch and a guy I knew, who dresses as Spider-man, came up to me and said hi. I suddenly realized who he was, whispered his real name and he said yes it was him. He ended up sitting down next to me for a little bit, and I realized I had a chip (basically the equivalent of a fry, although a bit fatter) left. So, I held a chip, and I gave spidy a chip, and yep, my helper for the day took a photo of it. I found it utterly awesome, and hilarious, at the same time. It's a shame I didn't get an audio recording of this particular moment, because it was just hilarious, but whenever I sit down to eat, I stop any audio recordings in progress. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427899/#p427899 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane I'm reminded somewhat of when I walk down the super crowded market pavement behind my university. I usually go there with my half friend, half student who's also blind, and I'm usually the one in front while she holds my elbow. It's funny how some people around here don't even care to notice my cane, until I actually slam it on their leg or foot or anything. Some speople rushed so fast they stumbled onto my cane and slam it on my stomach. They they say "sorry" and walk away. Sometimes I have to slam my cane so hard while walking just to let them know this is a blind walking and they should give me space already, before I accidentally whip them with this mighty weapon of doom.I don't really get the public image you guys speak of here, not to the full extent that is. Cane is a necessary utility for me. It helps me to both navigate the way and balance myself. If I have to choose between camera or other technology than cane, I'd rather go with cane. I won't even choose guide dog because there's nothing that keeps my balance as good as cane. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427779/#p427779 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane I agree saying just deal with it won't help, but after 8 or so years, there's got to be a process of reevaluating strategies and moving in another direction to try and get this thing figured out. This is not baggage you want to be carrying along with you through your life. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427769/#p427769 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Regarding cane use, it is like everything else. Get comfortable with using it so you know when it will be safe not to use it. The cane, and/or a dog, is your best tool for safe travel. People don't often see people with canes, so when they get that visual jolt, they are much more likely to realize they will need to be more aware of their surroundings. If you didn't have it, they would eventually recognize you can't see, but there is no obvious visual clue to bring them out of their instagram daze. Oh wait, nothing breaks people's cell addictions, but at least they can trip over your cane and realize it was their fault for cracking their screen when they drop their phone. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427765/#p427765 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane There is still that stigmatism around the white cane and just telling someone to except it and move on isn't going to help them. It took me a while not to feel like I was alienating myself when I carried a cane. It took me many years and I dealt with a lot of depression in middle school and high school and I've been blind since I was 3. Still yeah it does suck that there's this I'm helpless stigmatism attached to the white cane but over time it stopped bothering me as much as it did. I'm going to say this @Zarvox your feelings are valid and I hope you can be more comfortable with it over time but it may take some time if it happens at all. I relate with you I've been there. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427761/#p427761 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane @35 on a jag is another one. "dude's been on a jag for the last week". usually more to do with full on alcoholics though. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427760/#p427760 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane @33 most people don't drink for days, but if you mean like drinking all weekend, or for two or more days, I guess the more formal term is binge drinking, but everyone just says bender. Something like this example: "Damn, Billy gonna be hung the fuck over at work tomorrow, he was on a bender since friggin Friday!" URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427748/#p427748 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane @32, interestingly, not all canes are white. I always assumed that but they don't have to be. my x gf had a black long cane for parties to go with her dresses for example. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427746/#p427746 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
2019-04-18
Thread
AudioGames . net Forum — Off-topic room : the_ruler_of_dark_forces via Audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Many years ago I didn't use my white cane alot when I was at some parties. I don't remember very much, what was going through my head at that time, it wasn't self-consciousness, but rather some misconception that if there are quite a lot of people there, using the cane propperly is quite hard anyway. This resulted in some quite humorous incidents, where I was assumed to be really hammered when I bumped into people and various things. As I also wear dark glasses, one story illustrates it quite well:A guy approaches me, puts his hand on my sholder and asks with that "I know what you're feeling" voice: Man, how many days you've been drinkin'?Me: (really confused): Umm, aa, That's my second beer.Guy: You're wearing sunglasses.Me (starting to realise) Aa yeah, I'm kind of used to wearing them all the time.Guy: Like sensitive to light or something?Me: To be honest it really doesn't matter to me if there's light or not.After that the guy disappeared without saying anything.And here's my slightly off topic question for native English speakers regarding the first question in the dialog above: In Estonian, in which language it took place, we have a really informal way of asking "How many days you've been drinking?". It translates to something like "Which day is it going?" or something like this. So, what is an English informal/slangy equivalent for that? Not that you would ask this in a formal situation, but you get what I mean. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427741/#p427741 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane As someone who has recently started using the cane, I can sympathise with you when you say that it creates a public image of you as a person. It even makes you look different from others in many respects; however, the cane is a symbol and not just a long white stick. People are sensitised to recognising the white cane and the significance of it. I was stunned two days ago by a child who was walking in my opposite direction. The pavement was really narrow and what he did was that he stopped at the entrance of a house, waited until I passed by and then ran to join his classmates. My point in telling this was to put emphasis on how the population is tought to thinkk about and treat us. I know sometimes this way of treatment may feel quite embarrassing, bothersome; however, it is far better than having no idea whatsoever in regards to us as blind citizens. Or, to put in another way, it is better than having people who stare at you for walking in the middle of the pavement, it is better than completely disregarding you as a person and not paying attention to the fact that the cane is your guide, your assistant. It is better than having people on the pavement shouting at you where is your mother or father! Why do they leave you alone! . . . as it typically happens in my country, and many many other scenarios.The cane doesn't make you look and feel strange to other people. I think walking through a pavement with a loud portable JBL stereo looks far stranger. I think walking through a pavement wearing a big pair of headphones looks again stranger than walking with a cane. I think walking through the pavement while talking on the phone and managing two very big suitcases looks strange, as it happened yesterday while I was taking the train to the city where I study.To conclude my post, while I agree that walking with a cane creates a public image of you as a person, I would like to point out that it won't affect your personal image in any way. You may look like a gangster and still hold a cane. You may smoke or drink something while walking and still hold a cane. You may look like a rich man and still hold a cane. You may look chic and still walk with a cane. It's just that people have come to accept the concept of a blind man or woman holding a long white stick that helps them walk and be independent. I don't know about most of you, but I've really had a positive experience using the cane in my first month. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427739/#p427739 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane As someone who has recently started using the cane, I can sympathise with you when you say that it creates a public image of you as a person. It even makes you look different from others in many respects; however, the cane is a symbol and not just a long white stick. People are sensitised to recognising the white cane and the significance of it. I was stunned two days ago by a child who was walking in my opposite direction. The pavement was really narrow and what he did was that he stopped at the entrance of a house, waited until I passed by and then ran to join his classmates. My point in telling this was to put emphasis on how the population is tought to thinkk about and treat us. I know sometimes this way of treatment may feel quite embarrassing, bothersome; however, it is far better than having no idea whatsoever in regards to us as blind citizens. Or, to put in another way, it is better than having people who stare at you for walking in the middle of the pavement, it is better than completely disregarding you as a person and not paying attention to the fact that the cane is your guide, your assistant. It is better than having people on the pavement shouting at you where is your mother or father! Why do they leave you alone! . . . as it typically happens in my country, and many many other scenarios.The cane doesn't make you look and feel strange to other people. I think walking through a pavement with a loud portable JBL stereo looks far stranger. I think walking through a pavement wearing a big pair of headphones looks again stranger than walking with a cane. I think walking through the pavement while talking on the phone and managing two very big suitcases looks strange, as it happened yesterday while I was taking the train to the city where I study.To conclude my post, while I agree that walking with a cane creates a public image of you as a person, I would like to point out that it won't affect your personal image in any way. You may look like a gangster and still hold a cane. You may smoke or drink something while walking and still hold a cane. You may look like a rich man and still hold a cane. You may look chic and still walk with a cane. It's just that people have come to accept the concept of a blind man or woman holding a long white stick that helps them walk and be independent. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427739/#p427739 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane it may have been me that mentioned dogs making you more approachable. in my experience that's been the case. I used to get insults in the street from kids etc for having a cane and adults were generally patronising towards me. helpful, but talked to me like I had learning difficulties. with the dog people seem to take me as that guy with the dog that can't see rather than, that creepy blind guy. I think it goes back to things people see in movies or on tv. plus I think a dog is an icebreaker. people see the dog, want to know more about how they work etc and strait away you've got a conversation going and people realise you're not a fumbling groping mentally challenged person like they expect from popular culture.I'm not saying a dog is the best thing for everybody and some people are very confident with a cane and that comes across when they talk to people. but it's worth looking at as an option. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427732/#p427732 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Thanks for all the support. I actually had my O and M lesson toay. I didn't tell my teacher about it, but I actually used my cane and really did pay attention, and made sure I knew what my next steps were instead of just rushing into the next part of action. And it helped me a lot. Especially having a compass URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427729/#p427729 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Just five years ago I would have thought going out into the street with a white cane was unthinkable. I thought I'd get a guide dog and never have to use one. But prior to getting a dog, I had to learn to use a cane, and boy was I self-conscious at first. But I didn't end up getting a dog because the cane actually suits me better. Someone on here said something like that a dog makes you more approachable whereas a cane makes you more of a freak. I think this is very true, but if you are introverted and self-conscious, forcing yourself to go out with a cane every day really toughens you up. You can't stay embarrassed forever. So I think being a freak and dealing with it is a very positive experience. Like Turtle power said, it's worth remembering, the people who make fun of you are at the bottom of the food chain and are just looking for a soft target. They can't elevate themselves via achievement, so they belittle others to make themselves feel big. And by targetting disabled people, they're picking on a group they see as no threat. It's as cowardly as it gets. You might as well worry about what pigeons think as worry about people like that. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427706/#p427706 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Just five years ago I would have thought going out into the street with a white cane was unthinkable. I thought I'd get a guide dog and never have to use one. But prior to getting a dog, I had to learn to use a cane, and boy was I self-conscious at first. But I didn't end up getting a dog because the cane actually suits me better. Someone on here said something like that a dog makes you more approachable whereas a cane makes you more of a freak. I think this is very true, but if you are introverted and self-conscious, forcing yourself to go out with a cane every day really toughens you up: you can't stay embarrassed forever. So I think being a freak and dealing with it is a very positive experience. Like Turtle power said, it's worth remembering, the people who make fun of you are at the bottom of the food chain and are just looking for a soft target. They can't elevate themselves via achievement, so they belittle others to make themselves feel big. And by targetting disabled people, they're picking on a group they see as no threat. It's as cowardly as it gets. You might as well worry about what pigeons think as worry about people like that. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427706/#p427706 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Just five years ago I would have thought going out into the street with a white cane was unthinkable. I thought I'd get a guide dog and never have to use one. But prior to getting a dog, I had to learn to use a cane, and boy was I self-conscious at first. But I didn't end up getting a dog because the cane actually suits me better. Someone on here said something like that a dog makes you more approachable whereas a cane makes you more of a freak. I think this is very true, but if you are introverted and self-conscious, forcing yourself to go out with a cane every day really toughens you up: you can't stay embarrassed forever. So I think being a freak and dealing with it is a very positive experience. Like Turtle power said, it's worth remembering, the people who make fun of you are at the bottom of the food chain and are just looking for a soft target. They can't elevate themselves via achievement, so they belittle others. And by targetting disabled people, they're picking on a group they see as no threat. It's as cowardly as it gets. You might as well worry about what pigeons think as worry about people like that. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427706/#p427706 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane I'm almost out of high school. I need to push through these 1 and a half months. I've heard people aren't much more mature in college, but that's freshmen. So hopefully I won't get the same idiots I do in high school. And in the community, I'm nervous to make mistakes and even more nervous to laugh them off and even more nervous to ask for help. Problem is people assume what I need help with, they don't know how to ask for help and then shut up so I can tell them what I need help with if I say yes So I'm going to have to learn how to ask for help and make sure they know how I need help so when they do assume I can correct them. But this stuff isn't easy! And I don't go out much because no one will hang out with me, either too busy, they don't hang out with anyone, or they already have a group of friends. So I rarely want to go out since I am alone. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427703/#p427703 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane It's incredibly difficult to accept yourself at a time in your life when everyone is self-conscious about being different. I can empathize. When I was in public school, I used my cane grudgingly, knowing that it made me a pariah, but I didn't use it properly. I would try to keep it as close to my body as possible in order to avoid the taunts from people who claimed I tripped them on purpose, or, my favorite, girls who would scream dramatically when they saw me coming and jump over it. The thing is though, it gets better, especially once you're a little older and can look back and see that everybody was insecure about something, and it just so happened that my blindness, or my cane, or both, were really handy scapegoats for them to use so that they could feel a little better about themselves and their perceived flaws for a moment. Do I like that that's the case? Hell no. In fact, putting it in those terms still makes me feel a little gross inside. It is the truth, though, and if you can learn to see it for what it is, that might help. Honestly, though, this is one of those things where time really is the best healer.Speaking of which, I can't imagine how difficult it is to lose your sight as a teenager. I don't think it's easy at any age, of course, but I imagine it would be especially hard then. When I went to an independence training center, the vast majority of the people there were in their 40's or 50's, and were losing their vision due to things like diabetes. It was strange for me, I felt like an outsider, since I was born blind and was also at a completely different stage of my life, having just turned 21, but I was also glad for them that they were able to kind of band together and see that they weren't alone. They all seemed to look up to me for some reason, and gained a lot of strength and perspective from seeing how I addressed living without sight from day to day. That, more than anything, taught me that not everybody is an asshole, and that being blind doesn't automatically mean everyone will hate you. Who knows, maybe you can even help someone who's going through the same thing you are one day. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427684/#p427684 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane I can’t tell if I have made improvements since posting the first topic related to this issue. Have I not improved or is today one of those bumble fuck days? URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427676/#p427676 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane I disagree. Anyone who is different is considered lesser by default in some fashion. It's an "us vs. them" thing. You'll get that no matter where you go.The best way to combat it is to be as safe, confident and independent as you are. The first step in doing that is to embrace yourself. To accept, all the way down - because I really don't think you have - that your sight is gone and you have to adjust. That's terribly difficult for some people, but the good news is that you're still young and have a lot of time to make it work.Once you've done that, you can essentially tell the world to take you on your own terms. You can advocate for yourself in the best way you know how. You can show others how to advocate for you, or how -not to advocate for you, as the situation is.You do no one any service by refusing to use a cane, or by letting it hamper you. The fact is this: you're blind, you're going to stand out from the norm, no matter how hard you try. Rather than focusing on fitting in, focus on being yourself. Let the world accommodate you; don't try so hard to accommodate the world. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427666/#p427666 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane @24 post 7 describes how it can be negative. For blind people it isn't too negative, but look at what the public image of African Americans was like for them. For example people want to help us even when we don't need it, that's not negative. But no one wanted to help African Americans. They struggled to bring that image down. So blind people's image is not initially very harmful, it is more the person who makes it harmful, I agree with you on that. But some public images can be more initially damaging than others. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427655/#p427655 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane @24 post 7 descirbes how it can be negative. For blind people it isn't too negative, but look at what the public image of African Americans was like for them. THey sturggled to bring that image down. So blind people's image is not initally very harmful, it is more the person who makes it harmful, I agree with you on that. But some public images can be more initally damaging than others. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427655/#p427655 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Hey folks. People will always apply tags in order to "Understand how it works", so, even if you build a drone to floate next to you and warn you of the area around, or a all mighty suit, a bodyguard, a guide dog, a white cane or whatever brings you joy, people will see a blind person, or a sighted person, a fat person, a tall person, a short...well, I guess it is clear as of now, right? People have opinions about everything, even if they don't know what are they talking about. My own opinion on this topic may sound like a bunch of crap to some and you're not going to take it into consideration, and it is perfectly fine. So why would having a public tag or image upon you could be that harmful?Best regards, Haramir. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427651/#p427651 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane @21 My mind and my heart are 2 different people. Personality disorder I agree. Mental issues well yeah, personality counts, and proabaly some other minor things I haven't explored. Emotional, definitely. Socially, can't even begin to describe. But my heart and my mind are opposites. You are only looking at my mind, not my heart. So does that mean my mind is posting these topics? Interesting question, haven't thought about it. I think it is just me finding my way in the blindness that is asking, with my mind influencing the subjects. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427647/#p427647 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane @21 My mind and my heart are 2 different people. Personality disorder I agree. Mental issues well yeah, personality counts, and some other things. Emotional, definitely. Socially, can't even begin to describe. But my heart and my mind are opposites. You are only looking at my mind, not my heart. So does that mean my mind is posting these topics? Interesting question, haven't thought about it. I think it is just me finding my way in the blindness that is asking, with my mind influencing the subjects. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427647/#p427647 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane @21 My mind and my heart are 2 different people. Personality disorder I agree. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427647/#p427647 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane LOL when people see the white cane they only try to help you, not hate you that's because you mentioned the public image, heard of any blind terrorist who hid bombs inside of a white cane and murdered people? i didn't, unless you are a god and can't accept help from humans there's no reason to be embarrased URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427631/#p427631 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane LOL when people see the white cane they only try to help you, not hate you that's because you mentioned the public image, heard of any blind terrorist who hid bombs inside of a white cane and murdered people? i didn't, unless you are a god and can't accept help from humans. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427631/#p427631 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane @Zarvox.Looking back at your history, it seems to me that you have a lot of mental and or emotional issues.You have said that you wish to make people suffer because you are blind...Here is what I have gathered:You whent blind, and believed that it was everybody elses' fault.Based on this, you wish to take out your anger on them, even people who have nothin to do with you.You hate, or vary much dislike, being blind, and resent it, thinking you don't need help and that you are perfect.You may deny this, but I honestly think it is true. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427630/#p427630 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane h...@hadi.gsf wow I'm impressed that cars etc stopp in Persia for someone with a white cane. Over here its more as if you don't exist, though I wouldn't attribute that to the cane as to blindness generally. @Zarvox people will see your blind anyway no matter what you do. Even if your eye condition is not one which shows as abnormal, people will gather that by the way you move around, the way you don't make eye contact etc. Since people are going to do that anyway, why deny yourself something that could help you get out, be more independent and yes, look less! helpless, since believe me, you will get far more negative attention for falling down a step in the street or walking smack into a post than for finding it with your cane first and negotiating your way around it. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427627/#p427627 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane I agree with Dark. The cane is a tool, so use it. It doesn't matter what most people think of you. Most people are idiots anyway. Educate people that have honest questions are are willing to treat you like a human being once they learn and understand.Is the cane perfect? Absolutely not! It can't detect overhead obstacles or give you detailed information about the environment around you. I personally think the best solution is a cane combined with some sort of extremely accurate GPS, a camera mounted on some glasses, and either really advanced object recognition or a human on a video connection. We have services like Aira, but they are prohibitively expensive for most people unless you can convince a government agency or employer to foot the monthly bill.If a guide dog would help you, go for it. I personally don't want a dog for a variety of reasons. The top two being I don't want to take care of and babysit a dog, and said dog isn't going to actively inform me of what's around me in great detail. Yeah, the dog might be able to guide you around obstacles and eventually learn a route, but it's not going to tell you "Oh hey, the restaurant door is behind you and 10 feet to the left." Also, you can't just turn the dog off when you don't need it. That's why we got rid of horses. When you can put down your cane, or turn off your car and it patiently waits for you to return, why bother with anything else?What I will say is be confident! Don't worry what most people think when they look at you, and don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. We live in a visual world, and we just have to work around the information barrier. There's no magical cure for blindness, and people who cling to that are living in a fantasy world. The almighty lord and master God isn't going to come down and arbitrarily heal us, and there's no such thing as real magic as far as we know. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427626/#p427626 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane @16 Maybe it is time to tell my o and m teacher that I am embarassed to hold the white cane. Is that why I don't care about safety when traveling? Maybe it is. I hope so, because safety is extremely important, and I people's words of safety are starting to get through to me at once. But I believe it is time to tell my teacher that I am embarrassed to hold it and attach myself to the public image of it. I can't throw away my safety simply because I am scared of being attached to an image. I have to sacrifice security for safety. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427624/#p427624 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Off topic, I want to find out the other ways I am lying to myself. That's why I joined this forum, because I know I do these types of things. And discussions like this always get me back into shape. I remember writing the people touching blind people topic. I reach out to this forum so I can bring good discussions to the table, but also have people bring me back to the reality of being blind when I start lying to myself or denying the obvious. So thank you all for having discussions like this, fantasy or real and helpful, it helps me get my mind back to where it needs to be. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427622/#p427622 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane a few things i would like to say.1. I don't know where you live but where i live everybody respects the white cane. Even if i'm holding a friend's arm and holding my cane folded, cars will slow down and give us way to pass the streets if they spot my cane. I'd like that level of respect and i like to have that power in my hand while i'm outside.2. I feel literally disabled and helpless if i don't hold this small stick that you speak of while walking outside. Maybe you don't know how to use the cane to its full potential but i can easily see my path in front of my foot with the cane. Is there an actual alternative tech that can replace this efficiency? no. Do i want an alternative? yes!3. I still can't forget the time when i was holding my visually impaired teacher's arm as we were walking the corridor of a subway station and he suddenly began slamming his cane unnaturally hard as he navigated forward with the pencil tip cane. I immediately shrank in embarrassment and as the sound of the cane was echoing the corridor walls around me, i was wondering to myself what the hell is this man doing, with this age everyone is going to look at him and think that he's, think that... he's blind!. at that age, i never wanted to appear that way while i was walking that corridor. I was scared of the click sound of the cane specially because it sounded loud in that specific place and i was pretty sure people who are passing by are going to notice it and see that i'm different. So yes, acceptance. He taught me that i should accept that i have to be seen with a white cane because that was the only way for me to walk outside.Does holding a white cane give you some sort of public image? yes! IS that the only thing that gives you public image? no! there is your hair, the clothings that you're wearing, the way you walk.You wanna go outside looking like iron man that is fine but you gotta understand that that option is not on the table for you at this time. I doubt that there's a footwear camera that could alert you of a small bump in front of you so precise that you wouldn't accidentally trip over it and go stumbling to the ground. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427621/#p427621 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane We have to play the hand we're dealt man. That means making this blindness thing right with yourself, becoming OK with it. It's time to start heading down the road to that, and it's also time to stop trying to justify your clinging onto the last vestiges of sightedness by using fantasies of new tech, which doesn't exist. You're probably doing it in other ways too, which means that you're lying to yourself on the daily. I can't claim the type of experiences you've had, I was born as I am, and I know it must be hard. I can only imagine bro, I can't claim experiences I haven't had. What I do know is that you know you have a problem, but you're in limbo about it. The problem is, to have confidence, it has to come from within yourself, and to have confidence in your skills, you have to have said skills, so, remembering to be honest with yourself, do you have good mobility skills? Because people are out here caneless, I mean totals are out here doing their thing without canes on the daily, so it can be done. Do I necessarily think it's a good idea, no, but everybody gets to make their own decisions. For you though, at least be honest with yourself when you come to a decision. It sounds as if you do need that cane, and that having it and using it properly will benefit you. Man, life is short. It doesn't feel that way, but it is. The older you get, the more time flies past. It's crazy that way, and it will happen to you. So, don't waste this time in your life, grab the bull by the horns and say to yourself, "I'm done with living in limbo", then get that damn cane and use it. It's going to cause you to have negative experiences, people often see us as helpless creatures, but you take things as they come, you learn to roll with the punches. Blindness comes with its own bullshit, you get bumble fucks on your ass all the time about stupid shit, how do you get dressed, where's your carer, are you here by yourself (astonished tone). Yeah, you're gonna have moments where you're like, here we go again, another adventure in bumble fuck land, but you keep on truckin' anyhow. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427617/#p427617 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane and @9 lol, let's you stick to walls. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427616/#p427616 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Ok, that's more of what I was asking, would you replace it if you could. I got a little to into my imagination in post 1. I knew that there were lots of problems, and others have aded onto the list of negatives and positives. I thought the public image part was interesting. Each person reacts differently, so really no matter what it probably wont change. And the idea that it's how you walk with confidence instead of what you are using to display confidence is probably headed in the right direction. So thanks for thefeedback on that. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427615/#p427615 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane I'd love a camera suit, and if one was available you can bet I'd use it. The problem is that one is not available, and wishing for one is not going to make it available any time soon, right now a cane is what you have, albeit a cane augmented with satnav and other devices.As to the marking as blind, to be honest I don't necessarily agree with Defender that you necessarily need! something to mark you as blind for other people, if other people find what I do weird, well that's their problem not mine, and in my general experience people tend to think of you as weird anyway just because of stupid things like eye contact etc, whether your holding a cane or not.As to a camera suit, I love the idea but again it'd firstly take a lot more work and research, especially into Ai technology being able to recognize things, and secondly it'd probably cost the earth anyway, since the second you say "accessibility" you can add a couple of zeroes onto the price.As to "replacing a cane", well there are points a cane is currently necessary, even if you have a guide dog and I imagine the same would be true with a camera system too, EG when your camera system is rechargging, when it is updating, or heck just when your in an environment that your ai can't recognise the obstacles in. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427611/#p427611 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane If you can make a camera suit that does the same things as a cane does (approximates the same types of feedback, is easily foldable and has a string loopy thinggy to put a ring of keys on), then I'll happily buy it if it's under $100. Otherwise I don't see the use as of now. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427612/#p427612 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane @8 good points. I already know it is too expensive and yes I’ve thought about obstacles brushing up against the lenses, and overcrowding. I just wanted to see if other people had the idea of replacing the cane as well, because we have been using canes for a very very long time. And I know the phrase, if it isn’t broken don’t fix it, but I just thought we could have something different for a change. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427610/#p427610 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane I'd love a camera suit, and if one was available you can bet I'd use it. The problem is that one is not available, and wishing for one is not going to make it available any time soon, right now a cane is what you have, albeit a cane augmented with satnav and other devices.As to the marking as blind, to be honest I don't necessarily agree with Defender that you necessarily need! something to mark you as blind for other people, if other people find what I do weird, well that's their problem not mine, and in my general experience people tend to think of you as weird anyway just because of stupid things like eye contact etc, whether your holding a cane or not.As to a camera suit, I love the idea but again it'd firstly take a lot more work and research, especially into Ai technology being able to recognize things, and secondly it'd probably cost the earth anyway, since the second you say "accessibility" you can add a couple of zeroes onto the price. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427611/#p427611 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Well put Defender. I think it comes down to a person's level of confidence. As a kid, I fell down the stairs one too many times, and now I'm very cautious, and I'm not that confjdent in my cane skills. I con't think having a camera suit would change that. However, if I were to have a camera suit, it has to be a working Spiderman costume that allows me to cling to walls. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427606/#p427606 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Well put Defender. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427606/#p427606 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane What about the weatherproofing, what about the weight (and heat) in warm months, what about when your in a crowd of people, what about overhead obstacles. What about the battery power limitations, what about the code that's supposed to be so good your willing to put your life in it's hands even though we are still years from making autonomous cars safe enough to have confidence in and they have massive corporations behind them. and most importantly for the majority of potential users, what about the cost, how will you get blindness organizations to believe your solution is safer, more convenient, and more socially acceptable enough to justify that massive difference, when many of them can hardly get enough grant money to keep running the programs they do have.I'm glad people are thinking about this because eventually something concrete could come out of these ideas, but ideas are a dime a dozen, while good ideas that could actually work and have real planning behind them are priceless.And yeah, the cane marks you in allot of negative ways I agree, but that can be useful too. Ask a low vision person how often they have to convince people they need basic assistance, because they don't look blind.Plus, what is your excuse for slightly bumping into people, walking on the wrong part of the path, not seeing people's cues to move out of the way or go somewhere, or touching things to find out what they are for future reference if you have no cane. Someone with a reasonable amount of intelligence is going to realize oh hey, he's blind, that's why he's doing that because he has to.It's also important for showing drivers at an uncontrolled crossing when you want to go, since you can't make eye contact or see them wave, and for making sure your moving with a line or finding a free seat on a bus. Doing so without a cane would be much more awkward.People will see a blind person doing well with a cane and walking places with confidence and independents, and say wow! That blind guy is doing all that? I didn't even know that was possible! That's awesome!So it's more the person behind the cane in the end, especially if you have enough social confidence to strike up conversations with people and to laugh off simple mistakes, since they'll happen probably multiple times a day if you lead an active lifestyle. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427605/#p427605 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane What about the weatherproofing, what about the weight (and heat) in warm months, what about when your in a crowd of people, what about overhead obstacles. What about the battery power limitations, what about the code that's supposed to be so good your willing to put your life in it's hands even though we are still years from making autonomous cars safe enough to have confidence in and they have massive corporations behind them. and most importantly for the majority of potential users, what about the cost, how will you get blindness organizations to believe your solution is safer, more convenient, and more socially acceptable enough to justify that massive difference, when many of them can hardly get enough grant money to keep running the programs they do have.I'm glad people are thinking about this because eventually something concrete could come out of these ideas, but ideas are a dime a dozen, while good ideas that could actually work and have real planning behind them are priceless.And yeah, the cane marks you in allot of negative ways I agree, but that can be useful too. Ask a low vision person how often they have to convince people they need basic assistance, because they don't look blind.Plus, what is your excuse for slightly bumping into people or using your cane to find where they are in a line or bus, walking on the wrong part of the path, not seeing people's cues to move out of the way or go somewhere, or touching things to find out what they are for future reference if you have no cane. Someone with a reasonable amount of intelligence is going to realize oh hey, he's blind, that's why he's doing that because he has to.It's also important for showing drivers at an uncontrolled crossing when you want to go, since you can't make eye contact or see them wave.People will see a blind person doing well with a cane and walking places with confidence and independents, and say wow! That blind guy is doing all that? I didn't even know that was possible! That's awesome!So it's more the person behind the cane in the end, especially if you have enough social confidence to strike up conversations with people and to laugh off simple mistakes, since they'll happen probably multiple times a day if you lead an active lifestyle. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427605/#p427605 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane OK, after rereading all the posts that were here, I want to add a few things.How can you be 100% sure that having a suit would create more public confidence in us? If you did wear the suit, you would still look different from the normal person. In the real world, we are perceived o blind first. That's just how society is. African Americans are judged by their race, LGBTQ by their sexual orientation, and people with disabilities by the disability in question. I believe that wearing a suit won't change the publi image of needing help. Also, how can you be sure that you will become more confident with a suit rather than a cane? I'm just asking these questions to understand your reasoning. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427604/#p427604 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane The issue is, in my opinnion, that cameras don't give you that tactile feedback. I don't think technology has progressed to a point where it can differentiate between the sidewalk and a street and quickly warn you about them. Even if it has, it is probably eyatering expensive. I personally will be gejting a guide dog, as for me, that will improvemy speed of travel. While the cane tells people that we are blind, I think that people would think that you would need help, as if you wore a camera suit, I think there's a specific gait that blind people walk with, and I think sighted people know that gait, and assume that we need help.Furthermore, outfiting a suit with cameras that are good enough to detect these things could cost thousands of dollars. What happens if one of them breaks? You might have to either replace that one, or worst case scenario, replace the whole suit. Canes, however, can be replaced for under $40. Canes are much more cost-effective compared to a camera suit. Regarding your argument about being hands-free, that is true. However, keep in mind that you could get a backpack that could carry some of the things that require two hands to carry (except softener salt, those things are a pain)... URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427602/#p427602 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane The cameras would detect topography, you don't think I thought of that? URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427601/#p427601 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane The issche is, in my opinnion, that cameras don't give you that tactile feedback. i don't think technology has progressed to a point where it can differentiate between the sidewalk and a street and quickly warn you about them. I personally will be gejting a guide dog, as for me, that will improvemy speed of travel. While the cane tells people that we are blind, I think that people would think that you would need help, as if you wore a camera suit, I think there's a specific gait that blind people walk with, and I think sighted people know that gait, and assume that we need help.Furthermore, outfiting a suit with cameras that are good enough to detect these things could cost thousands of dollars. What happens if one of them breaks? You might have to either replace that one, or worst case scenario, replace the whole suit. Canes, however, can be replaced for under $40. Canes are much more cost-effective compared to a camera suit. Regarding your argument about being hands-free, that is true. However, keep in mind that you could get a backpack that could carry some of the things that require two hands to carry (except softener salt, those things are a pain)... URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427602/#p427602 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane Personally redfox, I always needed less help using a cane than I would without one, and since I admit I do have a bit of an issue accepting help from people and tend to want to do everything myself, that is quite a thing for me. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427599/#p427599 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane @Zarvox you say "A small stick" I wonder what sort of cane your using. Used properly a long cane can give you a lot of information you wouldn't get otherwise, indeed without a dog it is the best way of detecting things like down steps in front of you, or obstacles. yeah, some scifi camera system would be cool, but the plane fact is we don't have that yet, so we need to use what's available. I used a long cane for 17 years and went round the world with one, including at university most of the time on my own, and still use when Reever my guide dog needs a break. I wouldn't take it everywhere, usually if i was inside a house or single room I'd just fold the thing up, but when walking around the streets or in a large building like university building or hospital I'd always have it with me.My own feeling is that the long cane is there for me! Its there to make my life easier, I'd feel much more stupid, and likely get injured falling down the stairs without one. Everyone else can think what the hell they like.Besides, odds are people will see your blind anyway whether you have a cane or not, so why bother missing out on something that can be helpful to you and risk injuring yourself just because of what someone else might think?I'd say its nothing to do with "accepting blindness", its more just having the confidence to use what is available and tell everyone else to shove it, rather than just wanting to be one of the usual sheep. I'm not ashamed of being blind, I'm not proud of it either, its just something I have to deal with, end of story. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427595/#p427595 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane sso basically your two scared to need help sometimes?Your statement about not leaving hands free is false, you only need one hand for a cane, the other one can be held out in fron t of your face.If you wanta walk around a strange area without any way to detect that curb, or that uncovered manhole, feel free.But it's stupid, pointless, and a little rediculous.People need to accept the fact that they are blind! They think they don't need any help what so ever, and they can do anything that a sighted person can do, no! You! Are! Rong! You can not do half the things, if not more, that a sighted person can do.Pleas, please, please, get that into your head. URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427598/#p427598 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane
Re: embarrassed to hold the white cane @Zarvox you say "A small stick" I wonder what sort of cane your using. Used properly a long cane can give you a lot of information you wouldn't get otherwise, indeed without a dog it is the best way of detecting things like down steps in front of you, or obstacles. yeah, some scifi camera system would be cool, but the plane fact is we don't have that yet, so we need to use what's available. I used a long cane for 17 years and went round the world with one, including at university most of the time on my own, and still use when Reever my guide dog needs a break. I wouldn't take it everywhere, usually if i was inside a house or single room I'd just fold the thing up, but when walking around the streets or in a large building like university building or hospital I'd always have it with me.My own feeling is that the long cane is there for me! Its there to make my life easier, I'd feel much more stupid, and likely get injured falling down the stairs without one. Everyone else can think what the hell they like.Besides, odds are people will see your blind anyway whether you have a cane or not, so why bother missing out on something that can be helpful to you and risk injuring yourself just because of what someone else might think? URL: https://forum.audiogames.net/post/427595/#p427595 -- Audiogames-reflector mailing list Audiogames-reflector@sabahattin-gucukoglu.com https://sabahattin-gucukoglu.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/audiogames-reflector
