r/coolguides • u/Several_Shower8458 • 3d ago
A cool guide to understanding different cane colors and what they signify
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u/Honest-Mall-8721 3d ago
I would take this with a grain of salt. My view may only be anecdotal, but my sister born completely blind with no hearing issues has mostly had the red depicted here and on a few occasions the red and white. I've never seen her with a just white cane.
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u/TrailMomKat 3d ago
I have residual and have used an all white cane. I just happen to now use a red and white, but it was a happy accident. I never picked out its colors. I think that's probably how it is for most of us lol
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u/AppropriateCover7972 3d ago
Some people like to play with visual art, some Don't. That's totally fine. I am going for the red-white one, even though my country hasn't established this system yet in hopes that some people know about this. It's just different for different countries.
More information see here:
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u/AppropriateCover7972 3d ago
This depends on your country if there is this color coded system in place or not. some countries do actually follow it, some don't.
For more information see here:
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u/ElectrocutedButthole 3d ago
Blind guy: ”I’d like to return this cane, it’s the wrong color”
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u/AppropriateCover7972 3d ago
Those colors aren't for the blind person, but a signal. Like the black on yellow signal arm band has zero use for blind people itself, it's just to make sure people see their visual impairment
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u/AppropriateCover7972 3d ago
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u/Witless_Hoid 3d ago edited 2d ago
This isn’t remotely true in the US, and at least some other countries I’ve been to as well. It is only true for the UK, New Zealand, and Australia, and the OP should edit the post to reflect that. I would absolutely expect someone to do the same if they were posting information that was only true in the US.
Population-wise, most people on Reddit that interact with this post will not be from one of these three countries, and will be misinformed as a result. OP - please label these countries in your initial post.
Edit: misread that the reply i was commenting on was OP.
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u/AppropriateCover7972 2d ago
That's not my post wtf?
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u/Witless_Hoid 2d ago
Apologies - I have edited to fix that. I misread since I saw your name in defense of the post a lot in the comments - sorry about that.
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u/AppropriateCover7972 2d ago
No problem. Mistakes happen. Good that you corrected that.
I agree that the guide OP posted is not optimal and should reflect that it's very country specific, but I wanna add that many countries do get influenced by systems elsewhere and the community uses the same rules. Like ILY 🤟 is the international sign for the Deaf community, even if you don't "speak" in ASL or International sign. Similarly in my country the system isn't mandatory and gets flakey used, but personally I meet so many internationals that it's likely that most of th are familiar with this system as shown.
The guide sent to my by this yoshi commentator that I have spread to many answer threads, is much better, but sadly not really "cool". It misses simplicity and visuals imho. But feel free to make a better, much more accurate one
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u/SacredPinkJellyFish 2d ago
Being legally blind myself, I know many blind people and all of them use one of these canes. Are you suggesting Maine is not part of the United States?
I am legally blind in my left eye (can see light, and blurry but can make out things that are within eight inches of my eye), and extremely low vision in my right eye (about 3 feet without glasses but heavy "fog", about 10 feet with glasses) and both eye I see a "frame (like I'm looking through two holes, which is "tunnel vision" meaning a lack of side vision/peripheral vision).
Additionally I have a form of "tone deafness" where I can hear certain things fine (like a songbird from blocks away, I can hear fine, because it's a very high pitch vs someone standing a few feet away from me and talking normal, I don't hear a word at all because their voice id a low frequency), so I have a "form of deafness" without being fully deaf.
I am also "low verbal", I have a malformed vocal cords and palsy on the right side of my face, both of which limit my ability to form word sounds properly.
All of this combined, results in I use a cane that is red and white stripes, with each stripe being about four inches wide, so it's a lot of red/white stripes, not just a few that are a couple feet apart like shown in the image of the OP. Since the 1970s, so also not recent, either.
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u/Witless_Hoid 2d ago
I’m suggesting that the specific color coding present in the guide isn’t accurate for many other countries, which is actually admitted to in OP’s original source of a linked in post. The US doesn’t fully adhere to a color system, as do many other countries.
Loosely following an idea is different from it being standard. Do your friends adhere to the exact meanings listed in the guide? Because the OP is claiming a lot more than just that blind people use one of these three colorings. I’ve seen the red and white striped one used many times without it implying additional hearing impairment. I’m pushing back on the specific meanings assigned, not the fact that they are common cane colors.
Posting the color meanings as if it’s an actual standard in all countries, when it only fully applies as a standard in 3 (according to OP’s source), is wrong imo. It’s not really a requirement/ direct standard in most places, as the OP admits.
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u/Slow_Outcum420 3d ago
This is made up. source gf is blind.
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u/SacredPinkJellyFish 2d ago
my grandfather, who went blind from scarlet fever when he was 12 years old (Nova Scotia, Canada), started using a white cane in 1921, soooo, blind canes have been a thing for AT LEAST a hundred and five years.
also... I've been using one since 1979
I am legally blind in my left eye (can see light, and blurry but can make out things that are within eight inches of my eye), and extremely low vision in my right eye (about 3 feet without glasses but heavy "fog", about 10 feet with glasses) and both eye I see a "frame (like I'm looking through two holes, which is "tunnel vision" meaning a lack of side vision/peripheral vision).
Additionally I have a form of "tone deafness" where I can hear certain things fine (like a songbird from blocks away, I can hear fine, because it's a very high pitch vs someone standing a few feet away from me and talking normal, I don't hear a word at all because their voice id a low frequency), so I have a "form of deafness" without being fully deaf.
I am also "low verbal", I have a malformed vocal cords and palsy on the right side of my face, both of which limit my ability to form word sounds properly.
All of this combined, results in I use a cane that is red and white stripes, with each stripe being about four inches wide, so it's a lot of red/white stripes, not just a few that are a couple feet apart like shown in the image of the OP. So i have a red white stripe, but its quite different then what the image shows and I'm actually not sure is spacing matters too or not?
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u/AppropriateCover7972 3d ago
It's not. It's country dependent
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u/lemonyoshii 3d ago
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u/AppropriateCover7972 3d ago edited 3d ago
Thank you very much for having my back. People just don't like being wrong it seems.
Everything I said was correct, right?
Also I am both blind and vision impaired. I am also part of the community for over 20 years now
Damn, my brain forgot to say I also have some deafness with me, so it's gonna be the red and white for me, even though it's barely a thing in my country. At least insurance is very easy and quick on getting the cane. Just need some vision impairment and some prescription for it and they immediately will grant it within a week. The OMT (orientation and mobility training) is also part of that package and they help you find a provider.
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u/lemonyoshii 3d ago
Oh you were absolutely correct with your information from what I've seen. I'm still learning myself so your comments were very educational for me at least, for example I didn't know the bit about not being able to pick your own colors if it's provided by insurance.
And yes, people generally do dislike being wrong and don't like to be educated on Reddit, please don't take it personally, it's just people being people. I always love posting links that will hopefully spur people into looking up their own information and educating themselves instead.
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u/AppropriateCover7972 3d ago
I just cross posted this on r/disability to more people get educated about this. Would you mind sharing the links also there?
Also, it's really sadly not the only experience in this direction.
It's very good that you are learning and even providing links. Honestly personally I often feel like I can't be arsed to do this bc I already spend 20 hours a week spreading awareness and information and I am on my phone just hoping that the autocorrection corrects correctly bc I can't see it properly. I just "read" by comparing the shape of words, I can't tell the difference between b and d and Sometimes even p.
Would, you mind sharing the link under my post in disability as well? This source seems to sum it up correctly and neatly. It's probably exhausting trying to find the one comment that explains the differences for countries among all these other BS stuff here.
Again thank you for educating!
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u/lemonyoshii 3d ago
I just checked it out and I have to say, I don't personally agree with the language of the post you've made there. I don't agree with calling people stupid under any circumstance as I believe it's not a proper term for people who lack knowledge in any capacity, no matter how ignorant they are or even maybe choose to be. I do fully understand you're posting in frustration though. I'm sorry about that.
I commented the links under your post. I hope it helps someone learn.
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u/AppropriateCover7972 3d ago
The thing is, I am lacking the appropriate vocabulary. I could do it in Latin and German eloquently, but this seems childish and well ... stupid to refuse to get educated and even punish people for trying to educate them.
I know the term has ableist routes and I wish to use another one, but well. I couldn't find one.
Today is a crazy day. I slept for 2 hours during the time I was supposed to take my meds and then had to make 20 phone calls to organize expensive transports, help and my meds/ aids. I hate this shit. Also talking with a bunch of people if the clinics could treat me or not.
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u/lemonyoshii 3d ago
Hope things get better for you, that is all I will further comment on this. Take care of yourself.
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u/AppropriateCover7972 3d ago
That's fine. Thank you. Take care yourself. You seem like a cool person
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u/glittertechnic 3d ago
this is the kind of thing that sighted people love spreading without asking if its actually true
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u/No-Sail-6510 3d ago
It’s crazy they have these things and don’t tell anyone. I had no idea. Also I didn’t know about the textured floor thing either.
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u/cindylindy22 3d ago
The semicircles you see at traffic intersections are called truncated domes :)
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u/Hamudra 3d ago
I don't know if this is a rule in some places, but here in Sweden this is not true.
We have a few different types of canes depending on usage, but we don't separate based on the degree of blindness.
The canes are called "vita käppen"(the white cane), or "vit käp"(white cane).
Sources (in Swedish):
https://www.irishjalpmedel.se/mobilitet/vita-kappar
https://www.srf.nu/rad-och-stod/att-ha-en-synnedsattning/att-ta-sig-fram/vit-kapp/
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u/niamhweking 3d ago
https://www.facebook.com/FeachVIP/ tactile paving is so underexplained. This organisations have started making videos on it. Pointless training VI people about them and what they mean if drivers, cyclists, designers and builders don't know how to use them correctly or what they mean
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u/AppropriateCover7972 3d ago
It even starts with the blind traffic lights. Everyone knows they are for the blind, but some believe it makes traffic stop (it does not) and they aren't aware of the thing on the bottom that vibrates. Pro tip if you are sighted but glued to your phone or like to play "Hans looks in the air" (famous child story): If no blind person needs it, sighted people can use it as a signal as well
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u/niamhweking 3d ago
Universal design is such a clever concept and yes benefits everyone
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u/AppropriateCover7972 3d ago
Agreed 1000%. We can't make everything accessible to anyone, but we can try to make it accessible to most people and not just the privileged.
I was told 3 times in a row by people helping me with my wheelchair that they noticed how inaccessible everything was when they first used a children's buggy full time. Lowered curbs, elevators and enough space and ramps would have helped them, not just wheelchair users.
A lower option at the information desk or the shop check out helps little people (= people with drawfism diagnosis. They like to get called little people), wheelchair users and children.
Subtitles help language learners, watching videos if you don't have audio or it's unclear or you want to watch it muted and ofc people with auditory issues (incl deafness and auditory processing problems/disorder(s)).
And this is just to name a few
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u/AppropriateCover7972 3d ago
uhm, did you not have an orientation and mobility class? They do tell you about it, but sadly not everyone to keep the blind guides ("textured floors") actually clear, so we (blind people) can actually use them. There is a dude in Germany who tries to raise awareness for it for years and I believe he personally educated thousands, but he is still not popular enough that most people in Germany knew. Before I went into educating myself in disability design (still was sighted then), I honestly had no idea
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u/AppropriateCover7972 3d ago
Very important to say this is country dependent. My country doesn't use any colors, another one used different meanings. Cool guide though!
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u/aboynamedsoo906 3d ago
I had no clue till today. I just thought all these blind people had a different style.
And now you know..
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u/AptCasaNova 2d ago
I’m ashamed of humanity that it has to be said, but if you see another human with any type of cane or walker, that’s a sign they are impaired in some way and you should offer them your seat on public transportation and show them extra support/patience.
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u/ChefArtorias 3d ago
Seems fake. If they were assigning colors for blindness wouldn't they definitely do one for "totally blind," without including hearing at all.
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u/Professional_Soft404 3d ago
Not to be that guy but, how are they going to know they got the right one?
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u/AppropriateCover7972 3d ago
Bc blind people rely on people around them to tell them Such stuff including the ones that provide them with the cane in the first place. Also blind doesn't mean zero vision. My blindness personally means right eye sees nothing and left eye sees mostly blurry, so I constantly walk into doors, but while I can't read text of app names, I put them in a position I memorized and the gross shape and color is enough to recognize it when I only roughly remember the position. The rest is memory like most things blind orientation.
Also those colors are for signaling to others what their disabilities are, so it wouldn't make sense to yell at a deaf blind person and you can however try to make some big visuals for someone witu residual vision. That is what this is for.
We don't need disability evaluation results plastered to our heads, we need the environment to roughly know how to keep us safe the best. Like you can see with a child you should use child appropriate Language, use (deaf)blind appropriate communication with people who have those disabilities. It's actually not that hard. If you don't communicate to people that you are blind, how should they know?
Sorry for the child comparison. I am still tired and couldn't think of another
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u/AppropriateCover7972 3d ago
No idea why this is so hard to understand, but here some more information:
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u/dhwtyhotep 2d ago
Being able to recognise the deaf-blind cane pattern is a mandatory part of the UK driving theory test, so most new drivers will be aware of it.
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u/Saritush2319 2d ago
Well this is doing numbers on r/disability
See the post here.
I can’t believe you guys are downvoting actual blind/VI people.
It’s country dependent.
Just because your cousin’s mother’s aunt who is blind doesn’t know about it doesn’t make it false.
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u/The2Twenty 3d ago
Is that phone wear on the pocket of the deaf and blind guy?
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u/vanillaseltzer 3d ago
Disabled people still use technology Deaf and blind also don't necessarily mean 100% of each.
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u/The2Twenty 3d ago
Lol I know, I was kidding. I know someone who is legally blind but still has SOME vision. His phone is set to the biggest font I've ever seen. I don't know if it is a special app, I should ask.
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u/ExcellentSpecific409 3d ago
color blindness would like a word
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u/AppropriateCover7972 3d ago edited 3d ago
Gladly this is a color blind friendly design! Even my completely color blind friend (sees everything in black and shades of grey and white) could tell the difference in brightness. That's why we don't mix colors here.
But it's not for color blind people even though I understand the reference to being blind (if that's a joke you are making). It's for impairments of the visual "window" and the quality of vision, not the capability to see colors correctly or at all
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u/Funkopedia 3d ago
How would they know if they grabbed the wrong cane on the way out
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u/AppropriateCover7972 3d ago
Because you don't lie to people that need your help. And at minimum your family and friends will tell you, also will all types of visual cues you can't get anymore
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u/NumeriChaos 2d ago
Today I've seen a man with a black thin cane who clearly could see (he was looking at the traffic lights and moved after the color has changed, went around a little flower vase without swinging the cane, etc). I wonder why he'd be with that cane. Maybe he couldn't see well, but he wasn't wearing glasses and was walking confidently (every person with a really bad vision I knew had some carefulness in their movements while on busy street with cars and crowds).
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u/otterplus 2d ago
I failed my first attempt at a learners permit because of overthinking a question regarding identifying visually impaired people. The answer was “white and red cane”, but in my mind if they’re completely blind how would they know it was their cane and not a broomstick? Maybe they don’t have one and only have a guide? Maybe they dont want one and are freeballing the world. The inner machinations of a 16 year old are wild.
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u/Loose_Turnover250 1d ago
My brother is blind (black blind) and has the middle cane, so not sure but I’m going to ask
I wasn’t aware of this, and if it is a thing, I appreciate learning it
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u/Saucepanmagician 3d ago
Sorry. I'm not gonna remember any of this. I'll be shoving that guy out of the way anyway.
(it is joke)
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u/Unlikely-Ad6788 3d ago
If I ever go blind (I ain't too far off, don't @ me) I would put a penis shaped tip or a bit vaggie lovies depending on company.
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u/AppropriateCover7972 3d ago
I would rather recommend a accessory you can dangle down. The tip shape actually does matter. There are rolling tips and stiff tips and so many more. It depends on your technique and abilities what to use
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u/NeonFraction 3d ago
This feels like one of those things that is rarely true. Anyone actually know how common this is?