a friend who is blind sat on a train and listen to a sent text on her talking phone.
she had to listen twice and then text back .
The phone speaks out each letter and then plays it back before sending it.
A passenger went mad telling her she didn twant to listen to her playing with her phone and said it was interfereing with her reading her book.
My friend was very upset and quite shaky at being shouted and sworn at and did nt know how to respond.
i said she should tell the a *hole to get themselves a real problem.
What else could a fairly polite response be that would make the person feel really small be?

I realise this is going to sound like a stupid question, but did the person realise your friend was blind? Although there is no excuse for such rudeness, perhaps she thought your friend was just playing about with some dang-fangled gadget.

Anyway, I think

"I need to use it like this because I am blind. So sorry for inconveniencing you with my inconsiderate lack of sight. I don't know WHAT made me think I had the right to a life like other people. I shall go straight home at once."

would do the job.

"I'm always going to be blind - but you have a chance of learning some manners" but you would have to be very brave

she did point out that she was blind and would love to read the book but the woman was just really unreasonable.
Friend has only just started travelling alone with stick after much training as lost sight in 2006.its knocked her back a bit and ill pass all your responses on as i am sure there will be more mindless people and to look at its not obvoius she can t see.
Thanks

That's AWFUL.
I think I would say something like
"Have you quite finished? Bye then"

"I'm blind - dont know what YOUR problem is"

"so sorry. i would love to still be able to read.<wistfully>. however i am blind and therefore have to listen to texts instead."

that is polite version. me, i think your original idea sounded much more satisfying, plus possibly offering to deafen them if that would help.

I am registered Blind, I lost my sight 3 years ago. Many people who do have sight are very suprised when they see me text. Some actually accuse me of "Pretending" to be blind (Yeah, as if the white stick and dark glasses are actually a fashion statement).
Everyday I encounter ignorance and pigheadedness.
Your friend is not alone.
XxXxX

that is simply awful.

Such ignorance makes me so

some good ideas on the thread for your friend to use...