Those with poor or no vision often rely on different tools to help them get around. Among these tools the most common are specially trained Seeing Eye dogs and walking canes. For those who can't be around dogs or who do not have the money to purchase a Seeing Eye dog, the use of a cane is the best option. But new users can often find learning to use a cane to be a slow and rather frustrating process.
Instructions
1. Hold the cane in your hand with all of your fingers curled around and the length of the cane extended from the top of your grasp as if you are holding it straight up. Hold your arm down to your waist and angle your wrist so that the tip of the cane touches the floor a few feet in front of you.
2. Sweep the cane slowly from left to right to check for anything that might be positioned around you. Do not drag the cane across the ground or support your weight on the cane; if you do you could snag it in small holes or cracks and damage the cane or hurt yourself.
3. Listen to the tap of the cane to get a better hint as to what lies ahead. As you grow more accustomed to walking with a cane you will learn the difference between the harsher and softer clicks and adjust yourself for each circumstance. Harsher clicks usually mean harder ground like cement or concrete, while softer clicks hint to carpeting or some type of cushion.
4. When not moving, hold the cane against your body so that it is out of everyone else's way. The more you use the cane the more you'll learn about how much distance should be between you and the tip of the cane. When walking in tight crowds or busy sidewalks, you need to find a distance that allows you to feel what's around you, yet not place the cane in someone else's way.
Tags: softer clicks
