Blind friend wants to dive...

[Ian T]

Aren't you comparing apples and pears now?

What 'superior' qualities do you need to learn diving under controlled conditions ie a pool?
Schumacher-like driving abilities?
By the way, I bet his hovering ability sucks, unless he's a diver of course...(c8

It's not so much a matter of whether ppl with 'different abilities' should do something - it's their damn right to see if they can do it!!

Some of my friends who are 'legally blind' (what is illegally blind, btw?) go skiing, parachute etc.. part of the pleasure for them is to be able to do something with us who can see, they are sharing an experience, at least in part, they take part in the banter afterwards and they contribute to the pleasure we have in being able to give them something.

Best answer to the question 'why do it?'
'They told me I couldn't!!!'

On a side-note, and I really hope we never find out!!!, those of you opposed to, for example blind ppl diving, if something happened to you, would you give it up?

 

[Ber Rabbit]

tracy from oz, should a blind person drive ie have a driver's license???...There are limitations in life....sorry, certain things are a priviledge & IMO diving(like driving) is a priviledge, not a right......Think about this, it's probably better to read 1 obit. rather than 2.......JMHO though......

My co-worker's wife is legally blind and has her drivers license. The training is much more intense for a blind driver and they have to drive without any at-fault accidents or moving violations (tickets) for a year before they are allowed to train for night time driving. They use something called a "bioptic" to help them see things like signs and traffic signals at a distance. Evidently it was descriminatory to not allow the visually impaired to drive.

More information about driving lessons for the visually impaired.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Ian T]

tracy from oz, should a blind person drive ie have a driver's license???...There are limitations in life....sorry, certain things are a priviledge & IMO diving(like driving) is a priviledge, not a right......Think about this, it's probably better to read 1 obit. rather than 2.......JMHO though......

I would rather read an obit that says:
'Passed away after a life of pushing limits and ignoring limitations, doing what he/she loved'

than
'Passed away after having never really lived at all.'

I know which one I want.

 

[Tigerman]

I would rather read an obit that says:
'Passed away after a life of pushing limits and ignoring limitations, doing what he/she loved'

than
'Passed away after having never really lived at all.'

I know which one I want.

I know damn well wich one I want too..
Id rather regret something I did than something I didnt!

 

[photo joe]

in regards to the blind diver. assuming cost in not an obstacle but an investment, why not look into (no pun intended) a multi-way radio device which will allow two or more divers to talk to each other while on the dive?
happy trails and diver down, joe

 

[tracy_from_oz]

Mike, in all honesty I truly believe we are all capable of what we put our minds too. Along with effort and committment we can achieve all we want, so if it is being blind and diving, I believe one can, if it is driving a race car, then I believe you can. As long as you want it, put the effort/training into it, who says you can't do it, only yourself can tell you that from lack of belief.

You are right Mike, we are all different, it is one of the beauties of the entire human race.
I am assuming you are a person who believes we all have limitations, I do not have this assumption, maybe I do not have it as I spend my free time running into burning bush/buildings saving peoples lives/property and have seen what human determination as well as self belief is truly capable of without those imposing self limitations or limitations from others.

Mike tests/competitions/races are actually tests in our own self beliefs and by pushing ourselves to limits beyond our comfort zones, eg being a blind diver.

I like the world I live in Mike, its called giving a crap for your fellow human being in my book and I will not change it for anything.

 

[do it easy]

I like the world I live in Mike, its called giving a crap for your fellow human being in my book and I will not change it for anything.

Dude, that's so un-American. Only celebrities and famous people give a crap. The rest of us lead quiet lives of desperation.

 

[Rick Murchison]

My co-worker's wife is legally blind and has her drivers license. The training is much more intense for a blind driver and they have to drive without any at-fault accidents or moving violations (tickets) for a year before they are allowed to train for night time driving. They use something called a "bioptic" to help them see things like signs and traffic signals at a distance. Evidently it was descriminatory to not allow the visually impaired to drive.

More information about driving lessons for the visually impaired.
Ber :lilbunny:

Now that's extremely scary. But then most drivers drive like they're blind anyway. It's safer underwater in a cave.
Rick

 

[Rick Murchison]

I think I'm noticing a definite trend here... those who've worked with blind folks tend to think they can dive and find happiness doing it, while many who've never really worked with blind folks don't think so.
Odd, that.
Or maybe not.
Rick

 

[Ian T]

agree with that, Rick..

Would be even more interesting if we could hear from a blind diver, no?