ycsmdafli Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 I was driving around the other day and I drove up to an outside ATM. I looked and found that it was made to be used by the blind. Now my questions begin with what blind person can drive a car? But more importantly how can a blind person see what was on the screen do to the fact that few ATM's have speakers that verify information? Now for the serious question, have we (the citizens) become so anal about equal rights to for every group that we have to use more money to provide objects and services to those who can not use or will never use them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent Rolfe Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 I was driving around the other day and I drove up to an outside ATM. I looked and found that it was made to be used by the blind. Now my questions begin with what blind person can drive a car? But more importantly how can a blind person see what was on the screen do to the fact that few ATM's have speakers that verify information? Now for the serious question, have we (the citizens) become so anal about equal rights to for every group that we have to use more money to provide objects and services to those who can not use or will never use them? But the right to drive a car is self-evident....it's covered under "liberty". And if you were a blind driver you'd change your tune! Good post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowzer Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Drive-up ATM's for the blind is probably just one more outcome of the atrocious "Americans with Disabilities Act" (ADA). Read Robert Tracinski and Thomas Bowden's articles on the ADA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godless Capitalist Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Now for the serious question, have we (the citizens) become so anal about equal rights to for every group that we have to use more money to provide objects and services to those who can not use or will never use them? Yes, pretty much. The banks would rather provide the Braille ATMs that nobody will use than risk being sued. Another example I have seen is handicapped parking spaces at parking lots for hiking trails that are impassable to the handicapped. I am just waiting for the next step: parks will be required to pave all hiking trails and install elevators at the steep sections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidV Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 But more importantly how can a blind person see what was on the screen do to the fact that few ATM's have speakers that verify information? Perhaps it is cheaper to reuse components between walk-up and drive-up ATM's. If I were blind, I would probably memorize the sequence needed to withdraw money whether an ATM has a speaker or not. Also, even if someone else helped with the directions, I would want to enter the PIN code myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godless Capitalist Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Good points, David. It is probably just cheaper and easier to have a standard ATM design instead of different models just for drive-throughs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AwakeAndFree Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 David's post has restored reason to the universe. Thanks David! I was just about to jump out of my window and try to fly. I guess you saved my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
non-contradictor Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Hehe, I've asked the question myself before, and while David has some great points, braille on a drive up ATM does look rather silly a first glance. Some other good questions are: Why are there handicapped spaces at roller rinks? Why is there a heiroglyph symbol for library in case you can't read? Why do some bottles of childrens medicine warn users not to drive or operate heavy machinery after taking the medicine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godless Capitalist Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Most libraries do have some picture books. And an adult might take children's medicine if they ran out of the adult version. The roller rink one has me stumped, though; maybe for spectators? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent Rolfe Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Hehe, I've asked the question myself before, and while David has some great points, braille on a drive up ATM does look rather silly a first glance. Some other good questions are: Why are there handicapped spaces at roller rinks? Why is there a heiroglyph symbol for library in case you can't read? Why do some bottles of childrens medicine warn users not to drive or operate heavy machinery after taking the medicine? Keep this thread going we have the start of a very dry humour comedy routine here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chumley Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Keep this thread going we have the start of a very dry humour comedy routine here. Actually, I think a comedian (Maybe Steven Wright?) once commented about Braille on drive-up ATM's. Of course, the real reason it's there is because we can't expect the dog to both drive and use the ATM, can we? I found some commentary on this here: The Straight Dope talks about Braille on ATM's. To add to the silliness, the manufacturers went ahead with putting Braille on the ATMs, knowing that that it wouldn't help much, because you need to read the screen to know which buttons to press! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRoberts Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Another example I have seen is handicapped parking spaces at parking lots for hiking trails that are impassable to the handicapped. I am just waiting for the next step: parks will be required to pave all hiking trails and install elevators at the steep sections. I'd actually like to see this...the battle between "equal-rights" ADA'ers and Environmentalist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godless Capitalist Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Unfortunately the result of such a battle would probably be closing the trails entirely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Release Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 When I worked for a bank I had asked the same question and they explained that it's just standard manufacturing for the ATM's...it's not that the manufacturers of the parts and the brail pads and the units differentiate between drive ups and walk ups...they just manufacture the parts without any idea where they are going. Perhaps the laws did have something to do with that, but I was told that the main reason is because the manufacturers don't really discriminate between the 2. ~Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidV Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 David's post has restored reason to the universe. Just doing my job ... that and keeping the hamsters running this website busy at their wheels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capitalism Forever Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 Keep this thread going we have the start of a very dry humour comedy routine here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_speicher Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 Now that's funny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edward j williamson Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neowhere Posted October 22, 2004 Report Share Posted October 22, 2004 LOL! That Fitness Center pics was a good one. In Regards to the ATM convo, I found some info (rather funny info I might add) on it and it turns out that it really isn't the manufacturer cutting costs, it IS the law - Drive-up ATM buttons are marked with braille because federal regulations require it. To be specific, section 4.34.4 of the ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities (Appendix to Part 1191, 36 CFR Chapter XI, issued pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) says, "Instructions and all information for use [of an automated teller machine] shall be made accessible to and independently usable by persons with vision impairments." Drive-up ATMs, unlike the walk-up variety, don't need to be wheelchair accessible, but the rules make no exception regarding accessibility by the blind. It turns out that ATM manufacturers say a fair number of blind people do take cabs to drive-up ATMs, and nobody wants to ask a total stranger to help with a financial transaction. So it makes sense there. But the site I got the info from (which is here - http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_010.html ) makes a good point - "Your question does point to a more serious problem, which other readers have also raised: how the hell is a blind person supposed to use any kind of ATM? Whether the keypad numbers are identified with braille or not, there isn't any braille translation of the on-screen instructions, without which the machine is useless. Maybe, you're thinking, the problem isn't the brainless bureaucrats, it's the brainless (or cynical) bankers and ATM builders, who figure a pretense of accessibility will get them off the hook." Anyway, check out that webpage. It does get funny. "Why don't blind people bungee jump? Because it scares the heck out of the dogs" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yes Posted October 23, 2004 Report Share Posted October 23, 2004 I was driving around the other day and I drove up to an outside ATM. I looked and found that it was made to be used by the blind. Now my questions begin with what blind person can drive a car? YesNote-The rest of this question was omitted by me due to its being puerile drivel It's a good question. The real answer to that question is that the ATM manufacturer has to build a product that is in compliance with ANSI A117.1, which mandates accessibility by handicapped persons. The manufacturer of ATM's therefore sees fit to produce one model that may be installed either at standalone locations or at drive-ups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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