Braille on Signs

Friday, September 18, 2009

So I've always wondered about the logic of putting braille on signs that are on walls in building etc. I mean wouldn't you suppose that blind people wouldn't know that there was a sign there at all or even where to look for one at best?

So this week I updated my status on facebook and I tweeted the following: "Does anyone else thinks its ironic when they put brail on signs? I mean how do blind people know there is a sign there at all?"

These were the comments that I got from friends on facebook:

Germaine Brown
This is something I was thinking about a few days ago. Lolz

Peter Chip Cannon
How about brail on a drive up atm??

Adam Finch
thats messed up

Kekai Kimura
now thats down right wrong!

Bradford Huntsman
I sold a deaf guy a cell phone the other day. Completely deaf.. wanted a phone.

Travis Savage
I've been asking the same question for years!

Christian Eyring
I have taken it upon my self to memorize locations with brail on them just in case I go blind. Its that or I put my hands on everything once I go blind.

Kirt Christensen
@brad I have 2 deaf ladies that come into my dry cleaner all the time and they use their cell phones to text with each other instead of sign language... other than that i'm not sure what they're for...

Here is the single response that I got from someone on Twitter:

maria6289@jacobspaulsen U mean like signs 4 room #s, bathrooms, in elevators? We know they're there b/c we expect them 2 b there 4 benefit of sighted folks as well. As 4 where they are, it's question of logical sense, room signs would b on/near door, elevator on some wall, prob across from door. Also placement should b pretty consistent if places r fully ADA compliant. i.e., door signs should b on wall nearest the door hamdle of door. Also lots of blind ppl can read the print if it's grooved/raised enough. And not super tiny, though Braille is def. needed 2 b ADA-compliant. And as 4 actually locating, I and others use a wavy motion in approximate area where sign is expected when touching wall 4 1st time 2 effectively cover area/find what I'm looking 4. Same trick when doing some other stuff like locating door handle on unfamiliar door.

So in case you were wondering... now you know!







1 comment

The notion that all blind persons sees straight blackness is inaccurate. Speaking as a person who approaches "blind" more than most, I will suggest that one can sorta see some stuff--such as "I think that shape is probably a sign" and know to reach up and "read" the braille.

September 19, 2009 at 7:45 AM