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[cosmolinguist]

One thing I meant to mention about going swimming in Hathersage was that it was the first time I'd used my swim cap! I've had it more than a year, but it was still in its wrapper until then. I got it after the first time we went outdoor swimming; that was a place that needed you to wear a swim cap (and a float), and you could buy them if you didn't have one. After that, diffrentcolours found that swim caps were one of the things British Blind Sport sell and he got me one. It has a big visual impairment symbol, the half-covered eye, and it says some words to that effect too.

I actually forgot about it when I got in the pool in Hathersage, but I was reminded by it being pretty busy, full of kids and stuff, so I could feel my anxiety creeping up. Because one of my biggest worries when I'm swimming is bumping into people or doing other things that seem asshole-ish but are in fact because I'm blind.

I'm starting to wonder if there's something similar for bikes, because I just got verbally abused for, basically, being slow and careful to get around a puddle because I'm blind. These two lycradudes (thanks to my friend Pine for calling them that, it's exactly what they were, older white guys in swish cycling gear) were not actually affected by me in any way but like they might have nearly had to slow down for one literal second if I hadn't been getting out of their way at the time.

But of course that dude didn't know I was going slowly because I struggle to judge distances, and maybe it wouldn't have made that cyclist any kinder to me (his abuse wasn't specifically ableist but it was gendered so that would've been a problem anyway).

I know there is blind-cycling gear but as far as I know it's all for like tandems and stuff. I worry that if I had a vest or etc that said I'm blind and I was still alone, people might still shout at me, thinking I shouldn't be doing this.

It's the old question again: is visible or invisible disability worse here.

I'm not after advice or sympathy or anything. It's just an example of a tiring situation that happened to me this morning and it's been on my mind since.

Comments

[barakta]

Gah to humans! I get lifeguards trying to talk at me in most pools which I don't hear which can be 'fun'.

My trike has a small deaf symbol on my rear wheel mudguard on the grounds that it's not useful at distance but if someone approaches me from behind they'll hopefully see it and know why I may not move if I get pinged by a bell or a call out... I don't cycle on my own cos my vision is too whack.

Another term for cis white pushy lyrcra clad men is MAMIL (middle aged man in lyrcra) and tbh those types are just me me me me with no concept of other cyclists perhaps not being as fit or strong or fast as them. Everyone hates them.

I hope you find a way of managing the thing without doing your head in too much.

[otter]

Lycra dudes need to find their own planet, as far as I'm concerned.

My mom never allowed me to wear my glasses in the pool - or maybe the pools didn't allow them, because they were glass lenses back then. In any case, swimming (splashing) meant anxiety for me. I'd "lose" my sister or friends once they got more than about 10 feet away.

[rmc28]

I doubt men like that care if you are slow because you're blind or slow because you're unfit or slow because you're riding alongside a young child or slow because your bike is full of shopping and therefore heavy. You have the temerity to be In Their Way.

Which is to say, there are lots of visible and invisible reasons why people might be cycling slowly, people who are going to be considerate will do so with or without warning gear, and I think wearing gear that says you're blind will get you more Concerned Intervention than it will discourage abuse from lycradudes.

[purplecat]

I second all of this.

Also, you know, there is no "ought" about how fast you cycle. No one needs an excuse for cycling at the speed they choose (so long as its legal).

[kmusser]

Thirded, you don't need an excuse to go slow, you might be cycling slow just because you like cycling slow and there's nothing wrong with that. Lycra dudes can get bent.

[silveradept]

That is a terrible quandary to have to make decisions about every day in all sorts of situations. Be much nicer if everyone was courteous and understanding of everyone else in the pool or on the road.

[cosmolinguist]

I think you told me about MAMIL before, I'd forgotten that but I love it!

[cosmolinguist]

I have prescription swimming goggles now (they're actually surprisingly easy and cheap to obtain) and I wouldn't go swimming without them these days.