Does Society Treat the Blind any different and the Deaf?

I think the way the public perceives us also has to do with how we present ourselves to them. If we come across in a positive light and do the best we can to educate, people respect that and are more willing to do whatever is necessary to help and befriend us. I know some disabled people who have a chip on their shoulder and a real negative attitude who treat the general public like sh*t. To me, that's inexcuseable.
 
Hear Again said:
I think the way the public perceives us also has to do with how we present ourselves to them. If we come across in a positive light and do the best we can to educate, people respect that and are more willing to do whatever is necessary to help and befriend us. I know some disabled people who have a chip on their shoulder and a real negative attitude who treat the general public like sh*t. To me, that's inexcuseable.
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While I try to be kind, I'll perfectly admit that I can be a complete jerk to 'helpful' sighted and hearing people sometimes. If I've had a long day and really don't need someone meddling, I'm usually not very polite about telling them to kindly not grab my arm, scream at my ear, or any other so-called 'helpful' behaviour.. and I'm not going to be apologetic about that. Educating people is great, but it can't be a full time job.
 
Aleser said:
While I try to be kind, I'll perfectly admit that I can be a complete jerk to 'helpful' sighted and hearing people sometimes. If I've had a long day and really don't need someone meddling, I'm usually not very polite about telling them to kindly not grab my arm, scream at my ear, or any other so-called 'helpful' behaviour.. and I'm not going to be apologetic about that. Educating people is great, but it can't be a full time job.
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You're right Aleser, but I was talking about disabled people who *never* educate the public. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

By the way, I'm also the kind of person who will be perfectly blunt and direct with people. I don't feel that it's my job to educate the public 24/7, but I still try to educate them as much as I can.
 
Aleser said:
That's clearer.

Going off topic, what's the new image in your signature?
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It's a picture that reads, "Bipolar Survivor." The background is black and the lettering is in white typefaced print. To the right of the words "Bipolar Survivor" is a white bipolar awareness ribbon (that should actually be green). I happen to have bipolar disorder and felt like adding something different to my signature. There was a cartoon about bipolar that I wanted to add instead, but AD's server wouldn't allow me to add a .bmp file.
 
Hear Again said:
By the way, I'm also the kind of person who will be perfectly blunt and direct with people. I don't feel that it's my job to educate the public 24/7, but I still try to educate them as much as I can.
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Hear Again, you are exactly like me.

For instance just recently I went for a grueling two hours eye exam to find out why my eyesight was rapidly diminishing. The specialist usually has his student with him so it was the student that did the most of the eye exams. Imagine my patience being stretched out because my eyes were so dilated and being probed with instruments.

Get this, the student patted me on the head to comfort me and I felt like barking at her "Did you just pat me on the head?" but kept myself silent. She exited the room to the specialist and I signed to the interventor "She has the nerve to pat me on the head!" The CNIB intervenor wasn't pleased about this as well. This is where I normally reserve my judgment because I want to educate the public but when I'm under so much grueling testings, why should I put aside my own personal pain to appease the general public?
 
Mrs Bucket said:
Hear Again, you are exactly like me.

For instance just recently I went for a grueling two hours eye exam to find out why my eyesight was rapidly diminishing. The specialist usually has his student with him so it was the student that did the most of the eye exams. Imagine my patience being stretched out because my eyes were so dilated and being probed with instruments.

Get this, the student patted me on the head to comfort me and I felt like barking at her "Did you just pat me on the head?" but kept myself silent. She exited the room to the specialist and I signed to the interventor "She has the nerve to pat me on the head!" The CNIB intervenor wasn't pleased about this as well. This is where I normally reserve my judgment because I want to educate the public but when I'm under so much grueling testings, why should I put aside my own personal pain to appease the general public?
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I would have done exactly the same thing if I were you (and by the way, I *hate* it when my opthalmologist dilates my eyes!).

If something like that would have happened to me, it would have taken everything inside me not to say something...
 
Hear Again said:
I think the way the public perceives us also has to do with how we present ourselves to them. If we come across in a positive light and do the best we can to educate, people respect that and are more willing to do whatever is necessary to help and befriend us. I know some disabled people who have a chip on their shoulder and a real negative attitude who treat the general public like sh*t. To me, that's inexcuseable.
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If only it was so straight forward. I don't think there is any straight forward neat answer here. Some people are just better at certain situations, be them disabled or not disabled. Being disabled is a strike against you already, no denying that. So no matter how well you present yourself there will be those who still look down at you. And at the same time, no matter how you present yourself, there will also be those who treat you with equal respect too.

People are people, jerks are jerks. There is pollution on both sides of the river :)
 
IndieVisible said:
If only it was so straight forward. I don't think there is any straight forward neat answer here. Some people are just better at certain situations, be them disabled or not disabled. Being disabled is a strike against you already, no denying that. So no matter how well you present yourself there will be those who still look down at you. And at the same time, no matter how you present yourself, there will also be those who treat you with equal respect too.

People are people, jerks are jerks. There is pollution on both sides of the river :)
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True, but I try to look at situations with the general public positively because if I don't, it's really difficult for me to cope with the ignorant ways people treat me. I like to think that most people in the world are good and don't have preconceived notions about our capabilities and strengths, but that's just me...
 
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i know, some times its so hard to just not say anything. eeeeeeek. I cant stand people just grabbing my arm. if i needed help i would ask, and that is not sighted guide.
 
typeingtornado19 said:
i know, some times its so hard to just not say anything. eeeeeeek. I cant stand people just grabbing my arm. if i needed help i would ask, and that is not sighted guide.
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That's something I can't tolerate either -- even if I'm in a good mood.
 
You all brought up a good concern I had... personal space. Why is it that I have a white cane the general public feels the need to become my guide when I can rely on the white cane solely?

This is why the O & M training is for, it is very important to have. You can't have the guide dog instantly until you have excellent and I stress, excellent white cane skills first.

The O & M training is vital to each blind person. They teach about exiting and entering, how to go up and down the steps and even I conquered my fear of escalators with the white cane because I could never tell when it was ready to step on and off.

This is where the white cane and O & M training comes in. The positive attitude as well comes in to the general public although the line up at the top of the escalator makes me a bit panicky and want to step on faster but I tell myself they can wait.

Of course, I admit to plotting to smack the shins of those who shove me with all of my 52 inches white cane. It makes a great weapon I tell you! :giggle: I won't do it because later on when they are in their golden years, they will get shoved aside.

I love love love this thread! Tactile smile!!!
 
Mrs. Bucket,

When entering/exiting an elevator, one of my O&M instructors taught me to place my knuckles (in a closed fist) against the door so that I could feel it opening or closing.

I was also taught to place my cane tip directly against the elevator door so that I could feel the vibration of it opening or closing. I've had some blind people tell me they refuse to do this for fear of their cane getting caught in the door, but I've never had that happen to me.

I can also tell whether an elevator door is opening or closing by feeling a breeze on my face or a change in air pressure directly to the left and/or right side of me. When people enter or exit an elevator, their movement causes a change in air pressure that can be felt on the face and skin.

Finally, I've used my Mowat Sensor to tell when an elevator door is open or closed. When an elevator door is closed, it will vibrate. When it's open, it won't.
 
Hear Again said:
Mrs. Bucket,

When entering/exiting an elevator, one of my O&M instructors taught me to place my knuckles (in a closed fist) against the door so that I could feel it opening or closing.

I was also taught to place my cane tip directly against the elevator door so that I could feel the vibration of it opening or closing. I've had some blind people tell me they refuse to do this for fear of their cane getting caught in the door, but I've never had that happen to me.

I can also tell whether an elevator door is opening or closing by feeling a breeze on my face or a change in air pressure directly to the left and/or right side of me. When people enter or exit an elevator, their movement causes a change in air pressure that can be felt on the face and skin.

Finally, I've used my Mowat Sensor to tell when an elevator door is open or closed. When an elevator door is closed, it will vibrate. When it's open, it won't.
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We had a cane get caught in the elevator at NFB. It was a very packed elevator, and someone was apparently trying to get in a moment too late. It was highly comical- the only part of them that made it in was the lower section of their folding cane!

I personally stick my cane on the door or touch it, which is great for a single elevator or two, but REALLY makes me hate elevator banks! I don't like escalators very much and try to avoid them- stepping UP on one doesn't really bother me, but stepping down feels a little too much like throwing myself into uncertain space.. even if the rational part of me knows I'm going to end up on a step.
 
Aleser said:
We had a cane get caught in the elevator at NFB. It was a very packed elevator, and someone was apparently trying to get in a moment too late. It was highly comical- the only part of them that made it in was the lower section of their folding cane!

I personally stick my cane on the door or touch it, which is great for a single elevator or two, but REALLY makes me hate elevator banks! I don't like escalators very much and try to avoid them- stepping UP on one doesn't really bother me, but stepping down feels a little too much like throwing myself into uncertain space.. even if the rational part of me knows I'm going to end up on a step.
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LOL at your story about the person who tried getting into the elevator a little too late.

I agree, Aleser. I also *hate* elevator banks with a passion. It always seems like I'm waiting for the wrong elevator and the elevator door that opens is the one that is all the way on the other side of where I'm standing and closes before I have a chance to reach it. Argh!

I don't like stepping off of escalators either. When I travel with Tigger I avoid them completely for fear of getting her paws pinched. When I use my cane it isn't so bad, but it still makes me a little nervous just the same.
 
another relatively off-topic comment to poke this thread up: my favorite cane tip, which I have used on and off since the very first time (way back when in the days when we wrote on stones and not paper...) I discovered NFB-style canes, has finally declared death. I was walking to the bus the other day and the metal fell right off. I keep a spare tip with me, so it wasn't as though i was stuck bouncing around the rubber, but it feels so WEIRD. I guess I've forgotten how.. lived in, my cane tip felt. It's going to take me a while to get used to the very different (much less 'sharp') tap this still rounded tip makes.
 
Mrs Bucket said:
Hear Again, you are exactly like me.

For instance just recently I went for a grueling two hours eye exam to find out why my eyesight was rapidly diminishing. The specialist usually has his student with him so it was the student that did the most of the eye exams. Imagine my patience being stretched out because my eyes were so dilated and being probed with instruments.

Get this, the student patted me on the head to comfort me and I felt like barking at her "Did you just pat me on the head?" but kept myself silent. She exited the room to the specialist and I signed to the interventor "She has the nerve to pat me on the head!" The CNIB intervenor wasn't pleased about this as well. This is where I normally reserve my judgment because I want to educate the public but when I'm under so much grueling testings, why should I put aside my own personal pain to appease the general public?
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You should have spoken out, Mrs. Bucket, but I understand your reasons for not doing so. This young woman is studying to become a professional, and someone needs to tell her that such patronizing treatment of her patients will result in a failed practice!
 
dreama said:
I use a roller tip.
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I purchased a roller tip for my much-hated and rarely used ambutech folding cane and it was awful! the amount of force required to roll the thing around is much greater than lifting a light-tipped cane (the fact that ambutech canes weigh more than NFB canes definately not helping matters), and aside from getting caught in just about everything and slowing me down, it didn't really give me any more feedback. I don't know how on earth you can use it.
 
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