He is a cry baby douche bag. Say what you want, next fat people are going to sue because they dont have a buffet nor the required locomotion to get them from point A to point B (scooter) and on and on and on. I hope USAT and every RD bans him from their events "pending legal actions" that he himself started.


And to think - people being disqualified for not following the very CLEAR (to those with sight) rules....odd how that works.

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

I understand his issue...

but as the article points out it sort of levels the playing field competing against folks completely blind. He can go without, but he can't raise the "blind" division. He either has an advantage against blind athletes or a disadvantage to sighted athletes. In any case someone loses. Sucks.. but he has to pick wich to race, unfortunately.

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MyGearGarage - Track all your gear!

I was at 70.3 worlds this year watching and this dude threw down one heck of a race....wonder if it was because he could see on the run:

78 112 PC Aaron Scheidies 29 M USA 29:40 2:54 2:25:48 1:36 1:32:25 4:32:20

But, it should suck for HIM - why sue the sport and cause ramifications on the rest of us? Trust me, no matter how this idiots case boils down, there will be changes to how the rules are written. I would get ride of the PC race all together...seems like a simple solution, right? I mean, what has CAF ever done for the sport?

Just another cry baby American who wants "more special" treatment. Booo fucking hoo....Sorry champ, the first game you lost was the game of genetics. Life goes on.

I think I want to sue the NBA cause the rim is too high for me to dunk....not my fault I am too short and cant reach it...it is with out question the rims (visa vis the NBA's) fault.

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

he's a "cry baby douche bag" because he wants to use what little sight he has for the sake of his own safety and the others in the race? there's no money or prestige involved, he is right this is a stupid and dangerous policy outside of the paralympics or similar championship level competitions.

No he wants to use what little sight he has to compete against completely blind athletes. I don't think he is required to wear them when competing against sighted athletes.

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MyGearGarage - Track all your gear!

So he gets special treatment - all while there are other FULLY blind people out there on a tether and a tandem and what ever to their co-racer? Bullshit. That gives him a distinct advantage over the other people in his PC category. Or, he can race on his own - no helper ever. Not in the swim, not on the bike, not on the run. And I will look it up - I am betting his bike is a tandem - so a "throw down" would not be too awful hard on the bike (for those of you who have ever ridden a TT on a tandem will know what I mean.).

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

This is the same guy that won Nationals by over 1hour margin of victory? Seems like he would still be a contender for O/A win even with the blackout glasses. With that being said fully blind athletes are acclimated to being completely blind, but if you have a person with some sight and suddenly take it away, the person who is used to having partial sight is not going to be used to total blindness. Forcing Dr. Scheides to have to train with the blackout glasses seems unfair. I think the rule needs to change. There should be no differentiation between partially blind and completely blind. You remove the grey area by having the definition of "legally blind" be the only criteria for competition in competitor category.

So, what does this guy really want? Why not just have the RD give him a first place award before he even starts a race. I want special treatment because I am very tall and weigh more than the folks I have to compete against.
So many think they need special treatment.

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

it gives him a distinct SAFETY advantage. I find it difficult to believe it really gives him a performance advantage over competitors who are also racing with a sighted guide in tandem.

His bike is tandem and his argument is valid. As you lose a sense, you make up for a lack of perception in one area by increased perception another.

Think of it like this, you can swim in water you can't see your hand 6" in front of your face, BUT closing your eyes chanegs the game because it throws off your sense of perception, which in his case is very dandgerous.

Are single leg amputees allowed to kick during the swim or should we not allow them to use something that they have used to deleop balnce in the water?

Go wash the sand out of your Tinkerbell panties.

Legal according to who? What countries disabilities act guidelines? Simple solution - TOTAL lack of vision.


Few years ago I took a guy named Tony go carting. Tony had never driven a car at all - he was legally blind. He worked for a Center for Sight and Hearing Impaired. He was legally blind - but he could read with the proper software and large enough screen. More over, he could tell who was in front of him based on their shape and their "Blurr" as he called it. He also had macular degeneration as the guy in the story has - so he knew what good vision was until he was in his early teens. Fact is, he could drive the go-cart pretty damn well. he knew a car was in front or next to him and to not hit it.


So, this guy now wants special treatment....seems odd that THESE guys are not sueing anyone, and they are far more impressive IMO

http://mindhacks.com/...ind-mountain-biking/
http://www.psychologytoday.com/...ain-biking-the-blind
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMjcvlZgvOs

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

He doesn't want any athlete to be forced to wear blackout glasses because he has learned to use what sight he has as a tool of perception. Why not just put ear plugs in the fully blind people, then put blackout glasses and earplugs in the partially blind people?

The whole thing is ridiculous.

Glad to see you through out a statement like that without ANY research or knowledge of the situation at all!

He is not saying that there shouldn't be an equalizing factor, just that the black out glasses are a stupid way of doing it. Ask a blind guy. (I know I am a guide for one) None of them have any interest in using these goggles. Even the fully blind.

Use a time penalty system or some other form of equalization, but don't make the disabled more disabled. It is, quite frankly, a really poorly though out rule with no real research of any sort to back it as a viable option. Is was a quick solution to a problem thrown out to get triathlon in the paraolympics. They were worried about giving out too many medals to the different divisions. Bad form all way around.

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NCCP certified Comp coach

In North America and most of Europe, legal blindness is defined as visual acuity (vision) of 20/200 (6/60) or less in the better eye with best correction possible. Not sure I agree he wants special treatment. I believe he is taking exception to the 2010 rule change.

I think we should all sue - the events are setup in such a way that Jordan Rapp can beat us. He has by default an advantage over us based on genetics alone...it just isnt fair.

Why was dodge ball banned? It was always the fat kid who was out first. Now, there are no more skinny kids in school (for the most part)...I say we ban football...it isnt fair. The teeter-totter of life needs a new homeostasis.

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

I again ask, what is he trying to achieve? I thought our sport was each person against the elements, not to focus ones ego on beating others? Is it 10%, 20%, 30% blindness? When do you stop. Again, I am taller than most which gives shorter people an unfair advantage. Why is they not a special award grouping for me?

Ridiculous, yes, but you and I are 180 degrees apart. Again, just give him the first place award and let him do what ever he wants. Would he be happy then? If not, I again ask, what is he trying to achieve?

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

What more does one need to know than someone wants special treatment for a situation as pertaining to the rules - as written, that we all must abide by. I never said the rule was fair, nor just. But, there is a simple solution to any rule that you do not like - opt to not participate. Start your own league. Was there not some hubub about pitchers hitting in the major league? What about special faster base runners in baseball? If I recall properly, one league allows it - another does not. If you dont like a rule, dont play in that league. Simple solution to a simple problem - that is my point. I could give a shit less if the guy is blind, he needs to follow the rules, as written.

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

If he has a gripe with USAT & ITU that's one thing, buy my question is why he is lumping in a race director for an event that:

a) hasn't happened yet
b) doesn't have a blind division at all
c) he hasn't (to my knowledge) raced in several years

You can argue all day long about whether suing to get your point across to the governing body is a good idea, but naming a race director who probably wouldn't have had a reason to enforce the new rule (no blind division = no enforcement) is bad form.

-Joey

You do realize he isn't suing because he is having problems winning/competing correct?

I really don't think you have a good handle on the situation because your comments (while based with anger) are really not even relevant. If anything, the people you are describing are the fully blind people complaining he has an advantage by not being 100% blind (who don't even really exist). Aaron doesn't want anyone to have to wear the glasses because they are dangerous.

It isn't like there has always been a rule requiring him to wear glasses and now he is asking for it to be changed (which is what I think maybe some if you may be thinking). In fact, it is the exact opposite.

When do you stop what? What special consigments do you think he is asking for? He simply wants nobody to wear the glasses because they are dangerous.

I'm not even sure I understand where some of your complaints are coming from.

No no, no anger at all - devils advocate certainly. First thing I need to do to be angry for the guy is give a shit about his cause. He is a mope. He is causing undue legal fee's for our sports sanctioning body - that does not make me angry, that makes me think he is pathetic.

Now, you take a 100% blind guy who finishes (was it not said a full HOUR) in second place...now, figure the second place guy has a full time "pacer" with him. So, Mr. Second Place blind guy not only has to worry about himself and his time, nutrition and mental well being during an event - he need to worry about his chaperone (who has to be the same person for the entire event if I am correct). So, Mr. Second Place, who is fully dependent on outside things far beyond his control is soundly beaten by a guy who can see well enough to swim and run with out any second by second outside assistance due to the fact that while Mr. First Place is legaly blind (by US ADA Standards), he can still see well enough to not run into a wall and need the theoretic echolocation that some blind people seem to be capable of.

So, should Mr. Second Place not sue because Mr. First Place has an unfair advantage over him based on his genetic abilities? Same analogy works quite well when I race against Jordan - I am going to lose every time.

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

Quote:

He simply wants nobody to wear the glasses because they are dangerous.

So, you mean to tell me that if I put blinder glasses on Stevie Wonder he is going to have more issues walking into things than if he does not wear them?

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

This argument sounds familiar, is this the same guy as we discussed last year here?

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...gainst_USAT_P3399310