Feel horrible about incident with classmate...

Page 2 of 2 [ 21 posts ] Go to page Previous 1, 2

Previous topic | Next topic

hartzofspace
Supporting Member

Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Gender: Female
Posts: 7,138
Location: On the Road Less Traveled

15 Apr 2011, 11:07 am

momsparky wrote:

Jacs wrote:

I get in a state over exactly the same things so can totally relate to your post.

I agree with the others, keep the explanation short and simple.

You should be able to look up your citys bus schudle on the net. It will be scary at first but you will get the hang of it. One thing I always do is have the number of a local cab comnpany programmed in to my cell and £20($) emergency money in my wallet. This always makes me a bit more relaxed and I know if things don't go to plan, I can get home quickly and easily.

This is a good plan (I'd estimate cab fare to be about $5 per mile plus tip in many places in the US.) I would first go to the school and find out where the bus will drop you off, so there's no surprise at the end of the trip. Then figure out where the bus picks you up. Figure out how you need to pay for the bus - many can't give you change and need an exact fare. (Do these things at a time when you don't plan to actually take the bus.) Then do a test run on a day when you don't have any deadlines.

Keep in mind that the bus driver is there to help you - you are never alone on a bus, because of this; they are used to helping people who are confused. Before you board the bus, tell the driver your destination and make sure the bus goes there: "I'm going to XXX, is this the right bus?" If the answer is no, ask "What bus do I take?" and if it isn't clear to you how to identify that bus (they're usually identified either by a number on the front passenger-side corner, or by an LED display on the front and back) ask what the bus route you want is called and where to find the sign.

If you found the right bus, do your best to sit near the driver, tell him or her that you're new to the route and ask him to let you know when you've reached your destination. Usually they call out each stop anyway, but they will make a point to let you know when your stop has arrived if they know you need help (I used to take a train to work in a similar sort of situation, and I'd fall asleep - the conductor used to wake me for my stop.)

Another thing you might want to consider - if you are on the spectrum, it's not a bad idea to check in with your college's office of disability. They will probably have specific assistance to help you get where you need to go.

_________________
Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born.
-- Dr. Dale Turner

redwulf25_ci
Toucan
Toucan

Joined: 13 Feb 2010
Age: 48
Gender: Male
Posts: 263
Location: Michigan

15 Apr 2011, 3:29 pm

Jacs wrote:

I'm not sure about where you live, but in Denver you could do better than that. You could go to the bus companies web site and put in the address you were starting from and the address you were trying to reach and it would tell you what bus to catch, where to catch it, and where you needed to get off and transfer. If you're really worried that you'll miss the stop you can politely ask the driver (I know, that can be the hard part talking to a stranger) to announce when they're approaching your stop.

momsparky
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 26 Jul 2010
Gender: Female
Posts: 3,772

15 Apr 2011, 3:39 pm

I should also note: bus drivers are also fairly used to people who don't make eye contact; keep in mind that many people with many different kinds of disabilities tend to take the bus for various different reasons - AS isn't the only difference that can limit one's ability to drive. It's not as high stakes a situation as many other social encounters.

In other words, if you're not taking the bus because you are worried the bus driver will think you're weird...keep in mind that a bus driver's standards of weird are substantially different than the rest of the population. I would bet that a driver wouldn't even blink if you used text-to-speech on your cell phone and looked at the floor the whole time.
(Note: I am not implying that anyone is weird, nor that using TTS and looking at the floor is weird. I do know that people sometimes worry about how they will be perceived.)

hyperlexian
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 21 Jul 2010
Age: 53
Gender: Female
Posts: 22,023
Location: with bucephalus

15 Apr 2011, 4:57 pm

kat_ross wrote:

Thank you everyone for your advice.

momsparky, yes, that's what I have been nervous about, the fact that I told him that I would give him an explanation. But I agree that keeping it simple is probably best.

I would definitely like to start using the bus, but I really need someone to go with me the first time. I am really having trouble thinking of someone who would be willing to do this, but I will keep thinking about it, and maybe ask my therapist for suggestions.

about the bus... maybe trying taking an easy bus ride to a familiar location, and build on it from there, adding complexity and transfers as you get to know how the system works.

my bus system has everything online, so i print out the route maps i need for every new trip i take. i also use google street view to see my stops, and sometimes i even print out a picture of the stop so i will recognize it.

p.s. i don't see how that guy didn't get your messages... don't feel too bad - it was out of your control, and people above have some very good suggestions for a concise apology.

CanadianRose
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 10 Sep 2009
Age: 54
Gender: Female
Posts: 564
Location: Canada

15 Apr 2011, 8:41 pm

Okie Dokie -

All the posts about using the bus system got me remembering stuff from my youth.

I hated venturing out of my neighbourhood without someone accompanying me.

I was 16 years old and needed to get downtown to get a birthday gift for my sister. I had my mum write down 1) go the rapid transit; 2) travel west and get off at "__" station; 3) walk west to the stairs (here my mum draw a floorplan of the platform and indicated where the stairs were) 4) walk north on "___" street 4) you will see the department store.

For the return trip, she wrote down, "Ask a clerk to show you the "____" street exit. and had advised me to follow the same general instructions to get home. She also had a map of the few blocks between the rapid transit stop and the department store I needed to visit.

Anyways .. onto your needs.

You could keep some index cards and have someone help you write down the steps to take transit from your home to college (and back again); from your home and your favourite store/mall and back again; from the public library and back again (and whatever destination you think you would like to have on hand). The last index card in your set will have numbers to the public transit authority (which would give you information); taxi cab company; and a few quarters or a calling card taped to it (unless you have a cell phone - than you won't need the quarters or calling card).

Also - if you get an IPad or IPod (with 3G) or Smart phone of some sort - there are many apps that can help navigate this type of thing. You could have these instructions on your "notes" page or there are even apps called "bring me home" for people who have neurological conditions and require simple instructions to navigate your community.

If an IPad/ IPOd or Smart Phone is unaffordable or otherwise unavailable to you - go ahead and get some help making an index card set that you can use to get to and from important places via transit.

I hope this is helpful.

Page 2 of 2 [ 21 posts ] Go to page Previous 1, 2

Jump to:

Feel horrible about incident with classmate... Post Reply New Topic

Feel horrible about incident with classmate...