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Comment by unix_fan | Hacker News Reader

I’ve heard great things about this app from other blind friends, but I’m still not sure if I should try it out. I am introverted, and still don’t like talking to strangers on the phone, which is why I prefer using apps with OCR or object recognition.

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I would encourage you to try it out. The expectation on the other side is extremely low -- no one expects a conversation or honestly more than a two-word pleasantry. And the camera defaults to the back camera, so no one sees anyone's face.

My last call:

  Me: "Hello?"
  Them: "Hi. Can you tell me which can is soup?"
  Me: "Can I see the other one?"
  Them: "This one?"
  Me: "That's cream of tomato."
  Them: "Thank you."
  Me: "You're welcome."

There's 4+ million volunteers and less than 300k blind. You are very unlikely to ever run into someone you know and the volunteers are literally waiting and wanting to help you.

I get that you're introverted -- I'm the same way. With that being said, use the tools that you have! I have anxiety answering the calls but I do it anyway because I know that I can help someone that needs it.

The person that you talk to, you will never see or hear from them again. It's a fleeting moment of one human helping another.

The thing is: its totally anonymous and there is afaik no way to know who either party is. I feel you can benefit a lot from it.

The people I have helped range from a total computer specialist who could not read something (I was astonished at the things he did with te computer) to a lady asking me whether her dress was stained or not.

In any case, try to guve it a try!

I suspect there are use cases that this is just a really good fit for. One session I had was helping a person find their friend in a park when they had got separated. I'm sure she could have managed other ways, but this was very quick (at least at my end).

By all means, you should check it out.

I live independently in a household with two other blind people. We use Be My Eyes alongside object recognition / OCR apps like Seeing AI. The two types of app compliment one another quite nicely.

I'm introverted myself, but I feel a lot less anxious ringing up an anonymous stranger and asking them for a few minutes of assistance than I do about imposing on sighted friends / family. I took some lessons about not being an imposition or a burden to heart very early in life.

For fiercely self-reliant blind people, the smartphone is a gift from the gods.

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