Blindfolded

That's Roger Keeney doing donuts. (Photo by Mike Maez)

A lot of people who read my post about driving a Mustang convertible last week wondered what the sighted journalists who took the ride blindfolded thought of the experience. Turns out Mike Maez, the photojournalist who took pictures at the event, was one of those lucky journalists. Mike published a post on his own blog about what it was like to drive a Mustang blindfolded. Here’s an excerpt:

Nearly hitting the windshield of the convertible ‘Stang upon entry, even finding the seatbelt on the car became somewhat of a chore. Seat adjustments were made based solely on comfort and not sight, and there was a far greater connection to the steering wheel than ever before. After being given verbal directions on how fast and exactly where to proceed, the 2010 ‘Stang was on its way to the edge of the skidpad for a raw acceleration test.

3…..2…..1…..GO! And we were off, but now instead of seeing the landscape starting to streak by, there was simply the rush of the wind, the growl of the exhaust note, and the chirp of the tires as we were pushed back into our seat. By the time we hit 60, the palms were sweaty, at 70 there was a bit of a pucker, and by 80 we had apparently run out of room and were told to mash on the brakes, hard. ABS kicked in and brought everything to an abrupt conclusion, as apparently we were a little hard on the pedal. That was weird.

Pretty cool to read how Mike Maez’s experience compares with mine. His blog ends with a compliment to Ford for giving Roger Keeney, the blind man who won the contest to drive a Mustang, the thrill of a lifetime. I echo that sentiment.

Heading back there was a greater appreciation for the one thing that every one of us takes for granted not only when driving, but when living. The gift of sight is one that should not be taken lightly, and the next time you put yourself behind the wheel, whether it be the car of your dreams or your mother’s Camry, remember that driving is a privilege that not everyone has. Few if any visually impaired individuals will ever get to go through Roger’s driving experience, but we certainly commend Ford for giving him the opportunity.