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Unapologetically Blind

Author: Douglas Rudolph

  • Service Dog Ride Refusal: A Frustrating Reality

    Service Dog Ride Refusal: A Frustrating Reality

    Many people are aware of the high rate of ride refusals experienced by service dog handlers using ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft. I recently experienced this firsthand, and I want to share my story to illustrate the impact these refusals have. This incident occurred on January 31, 2025, in Edmonton, Alberta, where the temperature was a frigid -20C with blowing snow.

    I was leaving my union office, where I’ve been working temporarily during a school board support staff strike. Given the harsh weather and poor sidewalk conditions, I decided to book a ride instead of walking. Unfortunately, what should have been a simple ride home turned into a frustrating and disheartening experience.

    I was initially matched with a driver named Fateh. Upon arrival, he refused to transport me and my guide dog, claiming a “no dogs allowed” policy. He then proceeded to spread misinformation about Lyft’s policies, his supposed lack of English proficiency, and other excuses. When I attempted to show him my service dog identification card, which clearly outlines his legal obligations under provincial law, he drove away.

    The Impact of Refusal

    This refusal had a ripple effect. My guide dog sensed my distress, experiencing the same negative emotions without understanding or being able to alleviate the situation. The dog was also exposed to the increasingly cold and uncomfortable weather. Passersby witnessed the incident with visible confusion and a sense of helplessness.

    Personally, I experienced a range of emotions. Initially, I felt irritation at having to constantly defend my legal rights. This quickly escalated to anger—anger at the repeated refusals, the powerlessness to prevent them, and the fact that I was now stranded due to someone’s ignorance. Finally, I felt a sense of utter frustration and despair. What’s the point of fighting for change, I wondered? What’s the point of having legal protections if they aren’t enforced?

    The Aftermath

    This experience ruined the start of my weekend. It left me feeling psychologically drained, frustrated, and demoralized. Beyond filing complaints with Lyft (and receiving a paltry $10 credit for the inconvenience), I now face the added burden of filing a complaint with 311 for bylaw enforcement, a process that could involve a lengthy investigation and even a court appearance.

    The larger question remains: what will it take to create real change? What needs to happen for these companies and their drivers to respect the law and the rights of service dog handlers? I’m exhausted, frustrated, and frankly, sick of this constant struggle.

  • How Does AI Help Me With My Blog Writing?

    So, guys lets face it. I am no author, I am not a great writer, I most certainly am not a wordsmith. So, how are my posts so well written? Well the answer is simple. I use AI. You read that right, I use AI to help me with my writing.

    My Process

    So, much like most people, i create a rough draft, and then edit that. After this, I copy the text over to the AI of choice, in my case I use Google Gemini. Using the prompt “rewrite the following content as a blog post”. After it does its thing and generates a beautiful draft, I will depending on wording, flow etc use the text it generates or I will go in and make usually some pretty small tweaks.

    The Result

    The end result of my using AI to help me write is a more fluid, structured and polished piece of work. All of the ideas of the post are my own, the content is of my own work; however, the content is more reflective of what I would like to present to the world. I want to present a polished well written post, as that is what will keep your eyes on my content right? 

    Lets Be Transparent

    So in the idea of transparency, the content you are reading right at this moment is the raw content, the content that is seen before really any editing. I will post the AI assisted content below. I will let you be the one to choose, is my own content better, or is the AI assisted content easier to read and more polished?

    AI EDITED TIME

    How AI Helps Me Write My Blog Posts

    Let’s be honest, I’m not a natural writer. I don’t have a way with words, and crafting compelling prose isn’t my forte. So how do I manage to create well-written blog posts? The answer is simple: I use AI.

    My Writing Process

    Like many others, I start with a rough draft. After some initial editing, I copy the text into my AI tool of choice (currently, I’m using Google Gemini). I use a prompt like, “Rewrite the following content as a blog post.” The AI then generates a new draft. Depending on the wording, flow, and overall feel, I either use the AI-generated text directly or make some minor tweaks to refine it.

    The Benefits of AI Assistance

    Using AI helps me create more fluid, structured, and polished blog posts. While the ideas and core content are entirely my own, the AI helps me present them in a more compelling way. I want my content to be well-written and engaging, because that’s what keeps readers coming back for more.

    Transparency Time!

    The text you’re reading right now is my AI edited final draft. Below, you’ll find the AI-assisted version. I’ll let you be the judge: Is my original content better, or is the AI-enhanced version more polished and easier to read?

  • Choosing a Laptop with Vision Loss: A Personal Journey

    Selecting a laptop when you experience vision loss involves careful consideration of several factors. This post shares my personal laptop selection process, explaining my choices and their impact. Remember, this is my experience, and your needs may differ.

    Size Matters

    Laptop size is a common consideration for everyone, regardless of vision. Many factors influence this decision. My own preferences have evolved over time. During my school years, a 15-inch laptop with a number pad was essential. After graduating, I transitioned to a smaller 13 or 14-inch model as the number pad became less important.

    Mac, Windows, or Chromebook?

    My operating system preferences have also changed. In school, I favored a MacBook due to its excellent built-in screen reader software (VoiceOver) and seamless iPhone integration. I briefly used a Windows laptop during that time and found it less suitable for my needs. Currently, I primarily use a Chromebook for about 90% of my daily computing tasks. In fact, this entire blog post, along with website modifications, was created on a Chromebook.

    Screen Reader Compatibility

    Screen reader compatibility is crucial for visually impaired users. My laptop choices have always been influenced by this. While using Apple products, VoiceOver was my go-to screen reader. When I switched to Windows, I initially used JAWS, but later discovered and preferred NVDA, an open-source, lightweight, and flexible screen reader. NVDA’s lower resource requirements made choosing a Windows laptop easier and more affordable. My Chromebook uses ChromeVox, a lightweight, functional, and accessible built-in screen reader.

    RAM Considerations

    RAM requirements differ depending on the operating system and screen reader. With macOS and VoiceOver, the base RAM configuration was sufficient for my needs (excluding intensive video or photo editing). For Windows, at least 12GB of RAM was recommended when using JAWS due to its resource-intensive nature. With NVDA, 8GB of RAM was generally adequate, though more is always preferable on Windows. For Chrome OS and ChromeVox, 4GB of RAM is usually sufficient; while I’ve used 8GB, I haven’t noticed a significant performance difference.

    Brand Recommendations

    Over the years, I’ve developed preferences for certain brands. I consistently recommend Lenovo, Samsung, and Asus. Within Lenovo, the ThinkPad line stands out. I’ve also been impressed with Samsung’s slim, lightweight, and powerful Windows laptops. Asus offers excellent gaming PCs, and my recent experience with their Chromebooks has been positive.

    Final Thoughts

    I’ve used a wide variety of laptops and have learned from each experience. Every laptop I’ve owned served its purpose at the time. As my needs evolve, so will my choice of computer.

  • Why I Chose a Guide Dog: My Journey from Cane to Canine

    For those who are visually impaired, the question of mobility tools is a deeply personal one. Choosing between a white cane and a guide dog is a significant decision, and one I didn’t take lightly. I’ve been asked why I ultimately chose to train and work with a guide dog, and I wanted to share my reasons. It’s important to remember that my experience is unique to me, and what works for one person might not work for another. Thorough research and introspection are key to making the right choice for your own needs.

    The Cane Conundrum

    Before I had my first guide dog, I used a white cane, on and off. Living in a small town, it served its purpose well enough. However, moving to the city exposed its limitations. Suddenly, I was constantly bumping into things, jabbing myself in the stomach (ouch!), and replacing canes at an alarming rate thanks to people tripping over them. It was during this time that I was also considering furthering my education. The combination of increased collisions, painful jabs, and damaged canes, especially with the added stress of school, pushed me to explore other options. In the spring of 2011, I applied for my first guide dog.

    A World Transformed

    Training with my first guide dog was a revelation. It opened my eyes to just how much I hadn’t been noticing in my environment. So much information, so much unnecessary stress, simply melted away. Suddenly, getting from point A to point B was faster, more efficient, and significantly less challenging. The true impact of this change became even clearer when I retired my first dog. Navigating my own neighborhood with just a cane again was incredibly exhausting. I was shocked by how much energy it took, and how much freer I had felt with my dog. It’s hard to believe, but the four years I spent without a guide dog were, in fact, the most exhausting four years of my life.

    My Verdict: Freedom Over Fatigue

    So, where do I stand on the cane versus canine debate? For me, a guide dog is the clear winner. I choose the freedom of movement and the reduced mental burden that comes with it over the constant exhaustion and limitations I experienced with a cane. I’ll take the open road and the confidence a guide dog provides any day.

  • “I’m Blind, I’m Deaf, I Wanna Be A Ref”: Addressing Ableism at a Hockey Game

    Last night at a local WHL game, I witnessed a disturbing chant: “I’m Blind, I’m Deaf, I Wanna Be A Ref.” This was sung by a group of young children after a goal was overturned, expressing their frustration with the referee’s decision.

    While it may seem like harmless venting, this chant is deeply problematic. It promotes ableism, the discrimination and prejudice against people with disabilities.

    What is the harm?

    This chant trivializes and mocks people with disabilities. It implies that blindness and deafness are undesirable or laughable conditions. This type of language perpetuates harmful stereotypes and contributes to a culture of exclusion and intolerance.

    Why is this different?

    We as a society are quick to condemn homophobic, transphobic, or racist language. Yet, ableism often goes unchecked. Why is it acceptable to mock people with disabilities but not other marginalized groups?

    Where do we go from here?

    It’s time for a change. Parents, please teach your children about respect and inclusivity. Explain to them that making fun of people with disabilities is hurtful and unacceptable. Children, learn to express your emotions in a respectful and appropriate manner.

    Let’s create a society where everyone feels valued and respected, regardless of their abilities.

  • Service Dog Identification: Yay, No Way or Not Sure?

    Yay, It Is A Great Idea!

    So, many people know that I am against the concept of identification for service dogs in general; however, I do understand why it currently exists. So, lets do a dive into why I am actually all for the concept of ID for service dogs.

    This One Is For You OTSDs!

    Yes, I 100% agree that there has to be something that is in play to protect those with owner trained service dogs. Those of you have your reasons for going the rout of training your own dogs, and I respect that, I also believe that the current way of the world excludes you all from being or having the protections that you all should have, deserve and need! I also understand that for some of you, vesting, harnesses ETC may not be appropriate or necessary for the provision of tasks. This ID than just helps the general public understand that in fact your dog is a service dog. I Wish it was easier than this, but i understand it. I also understand that most of us who go through a program for our service dogs receive an ID card from the program, so this for owner trained dogs makes sense to me, and levels out the playing field.

    NO WAY, I HATE THE ID CARDS!

    Okay, so now I am going to dive into why I am so against the ID cards. This is going to be a lot, sooooooo I am sorry.

    • Breach of Privacy – We all have a right to maintain our privacy and not provide information that we do not desire; however, these ID cards force us into providing information about us and or our service dogs that the general public do not have the right to know. These are things such as our address, our dogs name(s) even our dogs micro chip numbers.
    • Disclosure of medical information – Though not explicit, one can infer more about our medical condition and why we require the service dog than we may desire to provide.
    • Legal protections – On paper, those of us with service dogs have protections; however, they are not enforced, nor upheld within court. Various provinces have enacted a variety of different legislations granting protection to those with service dogs. This is great, if they were upheld in court, enforced, and if law enforcement actually knew how to handle complaints under the service dog acts across Canada. If you are lucky enough to live in Ontario, they actually have legislation with teeth; however, this legislation is still frequently disregarded.
    • General Public – The general public are the number one reason that these pieces of legislation exist. With their constant attempts to “certify” their pets as service dogs, we are in a society where all dogs are in question, no matter their training, or legitimacy. This has created a culture of constant fear for those of us with legit service dogs, as we are constantly questioned, doubted, or accused of lying when we are questioned. Unfortunately, this has also created question within the service dog handler community about the legitimacy of some of our own dogs, other handlers dogs, ETC.
    • Public Policy – Let us take a look at public policies for a moment. I am going to use the city that I reside in as the example here.
      So, if you acquire a program trained service dog, you are obligated to be in possession of the service dog identification prior to being allowed to license your service dog. So, this results in the inability to follow civic laws for a period of time, resulting in potentially getting fined, and legally not permitted to take your service dog into public spaces.
      In addition to the above, transit operators are informed that they have the right to ask for identification for service dogs. The issue here is they are not trained as to what to ask for, and often are asking for things that legitimately do not exist or are completely illogical. For example, I have been asked for the “certification”. The dog is not certified the program in which issued my dog is certified. I have also been informed that operators have asked for the dogs “service dog tag”. What? Seriously? Even if this was a thing, why would we remove our dogs collar potentially relinquishing care and control over the dog, to prove it is a service dog? Does that not in of itself break the current legislation? These are just examples on how implementation of policy without training, or alignment with provincial legislation results in inadequate training of civil workers & discriminatory public policy. Now, I want you to think about what would happen if you do not reside in a province / country with identification requirements. Do you think you would be legally discriminated upon, or do you think that you would be safe? How would you handle a discrimination situation where you are granted the right to your service dog; however, the provincial legislation allows you without the regional ID to be discriminated upon?
    • Stop and ID – We are in a society where the police have across Canada been halting practices of “stop and ID”; however, as persons with service dogs, we are legally allowed to be stopped by facility operators, store managers / staff, security ETC and forced to present our service dogs ID. Could we not consider this to be equal to the practice of “stop and ID” that the various police departments previously did? Could we not consider this to be an invasion of privacy? What about breaching section 8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms? For reference this is the section responsible for unlawful search and or seizure and our protected right to privacy.

    So, What Now?

    Well, this is where it gets complicated. We do not have national legislation that protects service dogs and their handlers, rather we have provincial protections and they vary province by province. We need a legislative document to be put in place under the criminal code of Canada that outline the penalty for discrimination against a service dog handler, and that create a consolidation of various provincial legislations, all the while creating a set of laws that actually protect all of us living and working with service dogs, no matter the training processes that they underwent. By having provincial legislation that is not consistent with one another, or legislation that has no enforcement ability, or that is not upheld in the eyes of the court those of us with service dogs are going to continue not only being discriminated on, but constantly harassed by the general public if they do not believe we are entitled to or have a disability serious enough for a service dog. Currently we are judged within the society by the general public, and are required to provide the burden of proof that we are in fact disabled, or that our dogs are in fact legit. At what point do our laws actually grand those of us with service dogs true right to free movement, and right of protection under the laws of Canada, and provincial human rights laws?

    My Question

    If we as a society can create laws against speeding, hate speech, and rights protecting persons of various identities without the need for them to provide proof of identity, why can we not create laws that truly provide protection under law for those of us with service dogs? Remember true protection also means ability to enforce the law, and have appropriate imposable penalty under such law.

  • Fuck…

    If you had to give up one word that you use regularly, what would it be?

    You guessed it. Fuck, is a word that I use soooooooooo often that I don’t realize I’m even saying it until it comes right out.

    What is one word you use to much??? Be honest with us, and yourself.

  • Where Is Your Dog

    “Where’s Your Dog?” & Other Questions I’m Tired of Answering

    You know that question. The one that seems to tumble out of people’s mouths whenever they see a blind person: “Where’s your dog?”

    It’s a question that often comes with an undercurrent of surprise, even pity. People seem to assume that every blind person must have a guide dog.

    But the truth is, it’s not that simple.

    Here are a few reasons why I might not have my guide dog with me:

    1. Injury:

    Let’s be honest, accidents happen. If I’ve injured my arm, leg, or shoulder, working with my dog can be dangerous for both of us. A recent cortisone shot in my Achilles tendon left me with a significant limp, making it difficult to maintain balance while guiding my dog.

    2. Weather Extremes:

    Extreme weather conditions can be challenging for both humans and dogs. I’ve set personal limits: below -25°C, my dog gets to decide if he wants to brave the cold. At -30°C or colder, he stays home. Similarly, in the summer, I let him decide above 25°C and keep him home above 30°C.

    3. Illness:

    Just like us, dogs get sick! If my dog is experiencing vomiting or diarrhea, he needs a day to rest and recover.

    4. Not Everyone Has a Guide Dog:

    This is a big one!

    • Choice: Many blind people choose not to work with a guide dog.
    • Circumstances: Guide dog training is a significant commitment. It may not be feasible for everyone due to financial limitations, living situations, or personal preferences.
    • Independence: Some blind people prefer to navigate independently using other assistive devices like canes or long canes.

    Please, Respect Our Choices

    It’s important to remember that blindness is a diverse experience. Each person navigates the world differently.

    Ultimately, it’s about respecting our independence and our right to choose how we live our lives.

    Disclaimer: This blog post reflects the author’s personal experiences and opinions.

    I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.