Today is White Cane Safety Day. If you don't know what that means, white canes are used by blind and visually impaired people so they can get around safely. There are a couple of types of canes and cane tips, for example, there is a long cane, a symbol cane and a guide cane. The tips come in a variety of types too, like the marshmallow tip, the pencil tip and the roller ball tip. It depends on the individual with sight loss which cane and tip they use.
I was recently retrained with a long cane. I wanted a refresher on using a cane because my Guide Dog Yashka is getting near retirement age and there are some situations and places I can't take her so I needed to be retrained for a long cane. I was originally trained with a pencil tip that taps on the floor, but I have switched to a marshmallow tip because it snags a lot less in the pavement and it won't injure me as much as a pencil tip when it snags in cracks. It was trial and error, but I have completed my training and now it has set me free once again.
I was a cane user for most of my childhood and into my late teenage years. I’ve come to the realisation that I don’t mind using it, I like using it.
I first used a symbol cane and then a guide cane with no ball at the end. I hated my symbol cane with a passion and tried hard not to use it. Don’t follow my example. Listen to your family and mobility instructors, a cane is there to keep you safe, no matter how embarrassed or uncomfortable you might be. It is there to let others know that you have a visual impairment and is vital for when you’re out and about. My guide cane, which I held diagonally across my body is very different in comparison to my long cane which I sweep across the floor. It is a lot more recognizable than a guide or symbol cane because people can see it easier. it also means that more people don't see it until they trip over it or I accidentally hit them. I have found that a long cane helps me a lot more than a simple guide cane. Since I have no depth perception, I find it easier to judge the pavement for bumps, cracks and drops when I'm out walking.
A cane can ensure you have extra time to do things, like climb stairs, navigate busy roads or walk around places safely.
I think I was embarrassed as a child to use a cane because it singled me out and I got unwanted attention. It can be stressful and anxious enough to go outside without people shouting at you or trying to pull you to one side for your own safety when you’re perfectly able to manage on your own or with a guide. It can be frustrating at times if the cane gets kicked, knocked or pulled from your grip. But those kinds of things are uncommon, and you can’t let them stop you from using your mobility aid. And when you’re over 18 and trying to get into a pub, your cane can come to your advantage when you try to explain to the bouncers that you’re visually impaired!
If I could go back and tell my 10-year-old self to use my symbol cane more often and not feel embarrassed, I would. It would have saved me a lot of trips over uneven pavements, awkward conversations and accidents. Think of it as one of your friends who has always got your back, it will always be there when you need it. White cane safety day is here to educate and remind cane users that they are doing brilliantly and I think they should be proud of their canes. Because it does make them stand out, but in a good way at times.
And sometimes you can play a game to see how many people you can hit in one walk, but don't tell anyone I told you that.
Until the next time.
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