How do blind people get around town?

How do blind people get around? When blind people go shopping, visit friends and family, or travel on buses or trains, they can take things with them that help them get around more easily. Some blind people choose to use a white cane to help them get around.

How do visually impaired people navigate?

A white cane works in several ways to help people who are visually impaired. While the white cane is moved side to side to notify the person of possible obstacles in their path such as steps or crosswalks, the cane also serves as a cue to sighted people that the cane user is using other senses to navigate.

How do blind people use public transportation?

Many times the only option for those who are blind and visually impaired is the use of mass transit services such as buses, trains, paratransit systems or taxi services. Areas that need attention include planning a route, finding the correct bus, finding the right stop and getting off the bus at the right place.

What do blind people use to move?

A white cane is a device used by many people who are blind or visually impaired. A white cane primarily allows its user to scan their surroundings for obstacles or orientation marks, but is also helpful for onlookers in identifying the user as blind or visually impaired and taking appropriate care.

How do walking sticks help the blind?

The white cane is a mobility tool used by people who are blind or who have low vision to get about independently. Think of the cane as an extension of your arm to reach out to things on the ground and in front of you. The white cane helps you find obstructions and get around them safely.

How can we help blind people in public places?

The Do’s and Don’ts of Helping a Blind Person

1. Do Include them.
2. Don’t assume they are helpless.
3. Do communicate clearly with them.
4. Don’t do stupid things.
5. Do speak directly to them.
6. Don’t speak to or pet their guide dog without consulting them first.
7. Do raise their awareness to new technologies.
8. Don’t compare.

What is the meaning of paratransit?

Paratransit services are meant to provide a transportation option for those individuals who are unable to use the fixed-route bus or rail system serving their location, and these services are flexible in their scheduling and routing, allowing them to accommodate the specific needs of their riders.

Do blind people walk into things?

Many blind people use reflected sound waves to build a mental picture of their surroundings (similar to bats and dolphins) in a process known as echolocation. Most use it all the time without realising, to avoid walking into things.

How do blind people find their way around?

A blind person is guided by someone else by holding on to their arm. This method is preferred by some of us when in unfamiliar places or if there are large crowds. Various technology devices are now making it easier for blind and visually impaired people to find their way around. We will cover this area in a future Sandy’s View post.

How can we make cities more inclusive for blind people?

But alongside all of the smartphone-enabled tech, there are other, simpler ways to help blind people navigate the city, and they involve making existing urban infrastructure more inclusive. For example, tactile paving is in widespread use in cities across the UK.

What is the best way to assist a blind person?

A sighted (or human) guide is probably the simplest of all the methods, and is the proper way of assisting someone who may need help getting somewhere. A blind person is guided by someone else by holding on to their arm. This method is preferred by some of us when in unfamiliar places or if there are large crowds.

How can we make the city easier to navigate for visually impaired?

But after consulting with local charities, the organization (called Connecthings) realized that they could use it to make the city easier to navigate for those with a visual impairment. Now working with the city’s transport agency, they’ll be rolling out the network-wide system later in 2017.