Simple Rules to Follow for Using a White Cane in a Town are City

Stop… Listen… Look

Rules for using a White Cane at a Intersection

In this lesson, the objective is simple:

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  To walk up, down, and around the block
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  Stopping for all open areas (that includes driveways)
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  Listening, for cars and the direction of traffic, as of yet still waiting for "All Quiet"
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  Finally look to make sure all is clear before you cross a driveway or street… and as always, using perfect cane technique.

Make your way to any street, survey the location, note the street name, the flow of traffic, and how the intersection is controlled… listened for sounds and made it all the way across… as you go down a few more blocks, do the crossings the same way, always stopping, listening for any sound, and then looking before crossing.

This lesson is for you to be observed, to see how you approached the curb, and to make sure you listened, and looked before crossing. It is best to do this repeatedly. In addition, have you observer (helper) a good 20 to 30-feet behind you, as to not disturb you.

As you walk down the street, listen to people, as they are out. As you come to an intersection, check the curb edge with your cane. Every once in a while stop and rest and see what you hear. As you make your way down the street, you might overhear people saying things as; "Leave the man alone, he knows what he's doing"… and a fleeting comment of "Them blind people sure amaze me, I don't know how they do it…" – People will noticed what you are doing with a White Cane. However, most of them will just walk on by and never offer to assist you crossing the street or help you, listening to the light signal. However all ways remember others walk and go faster than you, so go when you feel safe to go.

 

As a note to fellow sighted readers, Please do not shout or startle a blind or low vision person; chances are they are concentrating on the task at hand… You should not yell, "It's OK to cross," they will cross when they feel safe. Chances are they are at the curb, with the cane in front of them waiting to step off. If they are not going to cross, they should pull their cane tight to their body, and back away from the curb, – Please do not be offended, if they tell you, they do not need your help.

Stop… Listen… Look         Rules to Follow at the Stop Light

This Lesson is all about intersections controlled with stoplights.

The first thing to know is the different types of stoplights, the Variable Timed, and the Fixed Time. You should be able to guess the difference by their names, it's really simple.

A variable timed intersection is controlled by a stoplight with an embedded pressure plate or wiring that a car rolls over to control the amount of time the light will stay green on the next cycle. – You can usually see the wires or plate in the roadway. A fixed time intersection has a set interval of red to green cycles that will not change… Simple.

Did you know that most traffic lights and cross walk lights; timing is based on the fact that most people walk about 5-feet-per-second? The wider the street, technically the longer the light will stay green, or the light will stay on. Did you know that on a variable timed intersection, most lights would add about 3-seconds to the light cycle for each car in the line, most times with a maximum up to three cars deep? (That is about 9 or 10 seconds.)

So, why does a person that uses a White Cane need to know these facts?

As a blind or visual impaired person approached the intersection, they have a better idea about when it is safe to cross. If you know the cycle is 30 seconds as the intersection you cross all the time, then if you are still hearing car noise and 15 seconds has gone by, well it would not be sate to set into the intersection.

If the city has installed the walk signals correctly, the stoplight or walk pedestrian button facing into you is used to control the light crossing the street that you are facing, the button should never behind you or facing the other walkway. However, remember some may not be working, could be installed, wrong, or just broken. Next you:

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  Hit the walk button and wait for the light to change
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  Have the cane in front of you
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  Be away from the curb, remember to be listening
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  Listen for the chirp, the sound which means go and the other chirp that means you should be half way and lastly the chirp that means 10 seconds and you better be across
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  The Light turns green
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  You are still listening for noises of danger, the chirp…sounds for you to cross
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  Hold your White Cane into the air as if you were holding a flag…hold it out for vehicles to see. It the official warning for vehicles to slow down and you are crossing, this is good to use coming out of stores to a parking lot or going in to a store from your vehicles in the parking lot
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  Find the drop in the crib, set off and begin you crossing, listening for the chirps and other danger noises
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  Keep walking at a regular pace, feeling for cracks, holes and the curb.
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  AS you get to the curb, find the sidewalk and go up or what ever is needed

Now that was not bad we all made it… and now… keep doing it over and over, until you feel comfortable and safe.

Danger:

Always be aware, of the people, which will not see you or could care less, if you are in the intersection. These (?) feel like they have the right of way, all the time. In addition, never forget about the dangerous's
turn-on-red that so many drivers like to do, even though some (a lot) like to ignore the no-turn-on-red signs. Yes, pedestrians have the right-of-way at crossings, but, just because a car stopped, it does not mean that they see you and that they will not turn on red. They are watching for other vehicles and police, so you have to watch or listen for yourself. You are at the disadvantage, if you get hit my a vehicle, the vehicle will win,

Therefore, drivers, please put down your cell phone, stop putting on your makeup, do not pass stopped cars, and pay more attention at intersections. Pedestrians have the right-of-way at cross walks, and persons with a white cane or service dog have even more! If you would just pay attention, the road would be much safer for all of us!

I understand, now, what Road Rage is, especially blind man style!

Stop… Listen… Look What is happening at the Intersection

How the things and action that is happening at the intersection is something most sighted people give little thought about. Nevertheless, for a person who cannot see well there are many things that has to be taken into consideration:

 

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  Is the street one-way or two
  
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  What type of intersection is ahead
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  What shape is it
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  How is it controlled - stop sign or stoplight
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  Does traffic even stop at all?

Not to mention, what street are you on, for it is very important for person that is visual impaired to be able to survey the intersections, in the area, that they will be crossing. They need a blueprint or a picture inside their head of the anatomy of the intersection.

They need to know if the intersection has crosswalks, lights, walk buttons, stop signs, if it is right on red, the timing of the lights, walk chirp, and most important the noises and what they should and not hear. It is important to know if the intersection is busier at certain times. Then, there is the name of the street for most people, do not know that visually impaired people cannot see the signs and if they do, they have to be right up to it. One needs to know where one is, in case of an accident or emergency.

Usually, a visually impaired person needs someone to walk around with him or her, to inform them of landmarks and explain to them the noises. As one walks with their cane, the person helping them can tell them as they get close to a story or landmark. For there are times, were a person can pick up sounds and feel things in their cane and this tells them where they are. They can then know, where they are, by a thud in the sidewalk or sound of how a door opens or closes. They identify areas and driveways by the feel of their cane.

 

The sound most visually impaired people hate to hear is…
STOP!

 

When this dreaded word is said, the visually impaired person…FREEZES!

Example, you are caning down the street, just moving smoothly alone and your observer or someone walking with you hollers out… STOP! Have ever wondered why new curbs have them bumpy Lego looking things, that is why…

Then as you wait for your heart to stop banging you think, well, I am still on the sidewalk, I did not feel a curb or a step off… WRONG, you are two steps out in tin the street. It is one of the new sidewalks, at the end of the corner is very flat and blended into the street. That is why there was no bump. and you… FREEZE!

 So blind and visually impaired folks can tell there is a ramp for wheelchairs, and they are about to step into the street.

The same rules apply here as at all intersections, however stop on the Lego bumps, while holding your cane in hand. Reach out to see if you can feel the pavement. The danger here is that it is hard to know how close you are to the intersection and more importantly, since there is no curb, the vehicles turn very sharply and can very easily hit the person standing there.

Hold your can across your body and out from you to protect you into you are ready to walk. At this point, point your cane out and up, for all to see, make it very visible for all to see, you. Listen to the traffic, following the rules and go when you feel safe. Some people say wait until it is all quiet, but I have found if you do this, you could stand there for hours. However, when you feel save, go and walk and find the far curb. Now, remember there might not be a curb; it could be you go until you feel the Lego's.

If you are visual impaired and can see some, then follow the 5-step rule look left, forward, right, behind, and then left again, before you step off. For a sighted person crossing is easy, but if a person cannot see very well, they might not be able to see the drivers in their cars, waving them across. Just remember crossing a street is dangerous, be prepared, and know the anatomy of the intersection. This little bit of knowledge and being prepared can save your life.