Ever since I started using a cane I've been noticing things.
People are more likely to go out of their way to hold the door open for me which is nice when it's not a double door (the lefty door is easier for me because I hold my cane with my right hand). Sometimes people will let me get in line ahead of them. I've even had people offer to carry something for me a few times.
But also, there are times where people don't really think about my cane. When I go to shake someone's hand, they always offer their right hand even when I have my wrist strap on. It's not really that big a deal, but instead of them just using their left hand and making it easier for both of us, I have to go out of my way to meet them instead of just compromising. Most people don't even think about it, and it really doesn't take too long to get my hand out of the strap and just hold my cane with my left hand. But it still makes things awkward.
There's also like. no place to put my cane when I'm sitting down so I usually just end up holding it. Sometimes leaning it against a wall works but a lot of the time it just ends up falling over. I'm right-handed too so if I need to fill something out or sign something I either have to just hope it doesn't fall if I lean it on something, or I keep my wrist strap on and let it hang off my arm.
The only thing I can think of to prevent my cane falling over is if I get a different one that has 4 legs instead of being the single pole. I don't really need that much support though, so it feels like overkill to me. Maybe if there were a place to hook the handle onto on countertops or against walls or something? I don't know, and it seems like most people don't either.
I know countless others have said this before me but able bodied people just. Don't think about accomodating disabled people most of the time. Either out of malice, ignorance, or incompetence. They should really be teaching about disabilities in school and not just when a kid in class has a disability. Representation needs to be better too. Most representation for using mobility aids I saw in media were elderly people (usually ended up being the butt of a joke), the token wheelchair kid with unspecific legs don't work-itis, or some guy who lost it all and feels trapped in their chair. I remember being so confused as a kid why I only saw old people walk with a cane in media because my dad has always walked with a cane ever since I could remember. "Dad isn't old and he uses a cane, so why do they only show old people with one in all these shows?"
