Hello,? I?m concerned about a post I saw on Face-book which may give the impression that people who are blind or visually impaired?are?incapable of independent travel. ?I learned about ?Travel Hands? which is an ?app that pairs a visually impaired person with registered and verified volunteers to walk together towards their similar destinations.? They state ?visually impaired people get to travel safely, inexpensively and independently.? And ?volunteers can assist flexibly, walk more and get goodies.? ?They wanted to know if this idea would ?appeal to you and what are you concerns? Please let us know so we can make the app suit you best. :)?? Below is more information. Dr. Merry-Noel Chamberlain One person commented: ??Why??If people don?t feel safe walking on their own they should find an orientation and mobility instructor. The only time I have ever considered a sighted guide is in an extremely large crowd when trying to stay with a group. This can too easily make us, as a VI/Blind community, appear as invalids or people incapable of just walking on our own.? I find this very concerning with the progress we?ve made proving to able-bodied people that we are not ?less? by being blind. I?m all for services that can aid my life easier, but I?m worried this will enable folks to not ensure they can travel short distances by themselves and they should be.? Travel Hands responded by saying: Thanks for the feedback it is much appreciated, and will be taken into consideration. The app will not be needed by some people but for many visually impaired people we believe this will a cheaper and more social alternative to ordering a taxi/Uber to get to their destination.? It is not to make visually impaired people feel incapable of walking on their own, but just to offer the option for some people who would feel more safe and more social, walking with a volunteer. We also have a new Facebook group if you would like to stay up to date with the progress of the app and help give us more feedback :)???ng nh?p Facebook | Facebook? Here is their link: Travel Hands | VIP World Services | | | | | | | | | | | Travel Hands | VIP World Services | | | | Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone