Last Updated on: 26th April 2019, 12:29 pm
I need somebody to please tell me if there’s something I’m missing here, because I’m not understanding how harnessing yourself to your sighted guide rather than simply taking an elbow makes the experience of being guided any more independent or any less awkward than it is currently.
Is it awkward? I’ve never had a problem with that, unless we’re talking about situations where the person offering the help can’t understand let me lightly touch your arm and insists on any or all of steering me by the shoulders, using *my* arm as a handle or locking arms with me like we’re going to dance or wrestle instead of walk someplace. That does happen a fair bit, so maybe the aim is to eliminate having to tell someone they’re doing it wrong. But personally I’d rather tell someone they’re doing it wrong, because then maybe they’ll learn something and be able to do it right in a future situation where the device isn’t available.
Or perhaps it might be good for guided running or hiking, but as a guy with an ankle that sucks I’m hardly an authority on either of those things since I don’t tend to do them often.
So yeah. If you’ve used one and it actually helped, I’m genuinely curious and would love to hear about it.
Bristol Airport, UK, has launched a new solution to assist blind and partially sighted passengers while at the airport.
Working in partnership with OCS, the airport’s special assistance partner, the airport has deployed the Ramble Tag, which has been specifically designed for blind and partially sighted people to improve the experience of guided walking.
The Ramble Tag is a lightweight harness worn by a guide on their upper arm, offering a comfortable handle as an alternative to linking arms. According to Bristol Airport, the product is comfortable, weather proof and uses the latest design technology.
The harness was created by Laura Maclean, and Tom Forsyth who himself is visually impaired.
“We are over the moon to have our invention welcomed with open arms by Bristol Airport,” MacLean said, “It is so exciting to see passengers use it for the first time in a busy airport environment. We believe they [Ramble Tags] will make a positive difference and it’s great to feel that others see the potential with us. We are very grateful for the support we’ve been shown, and here’s hoping that it makes traveling easier and more consistent for visually impaired users.”
