How I get around as a blind person

Well, it is just a bit different then if you can see, yes just a little.

I am still an able bodied person, I just do things in a different way then a sighted person. One golden rule that I have found keeps me safe is “No good thing ever happens to a low vision or blind person who rushes.” That doesn’t mean that you need to move at a glacial pace, it just means that you take a quick second to think of your surroundings first before getting underway. Your shins, thighs, hips and forehead will thank you.

Getting around in the house I don’t use my cane in my house. It’s not that big and I prefer to use my brain and experience to navigate my home space. I leave my cane by the door when I arrive home and there it remains until I leave. Guide dog user friends seem to do the same with their dog’s harness upon return to home. Nice mental release for the dogs. I create a mental map of my surroundings in general as I am moving about. The home map is highly developed and works perfectly as long as things are not moved. I learned a technique called “chicken wings” that is super useful when walking without a cane or dog indoors. Hold your arms in front of your stomach with your elbows slightly wider than your body. This way, you look quite natural and your arms and hands find the walls and corners easily without you looking like Frankenstein. Best not to be carrying anything while practicing this method. You then adjust your spacing and direction based on the cues from your arms. Sounds tough but it is very intuitive with practice. Other things like knowing flooring differences in your place is very helpful.

let's take a walk out of the house for an example

Anyone with sight just walks out the front door, finds the sidewalk or curb and starts walking. Very little thinking required. When I go out for a walk with my white cane I have to plan in advance, where is the door, where are the stairs, how many stairs, how far to the sidewalk, feel the different texture from my cane and I also hear the surface difference from the cane tip sound, then which way to turn, how far do I go until the end of the street etc, no big deal, just takes me longer and I have to concentrate. Guide dogs will get you easily to the street and down the sidewalk to the corner safely but you need to plan for the steps and the traffic. ear buds or air pods or smart glasses can be helpful for navigating, particularly with a GPS application on your phone.