Braille signs for the blind. How do blind people know they're there in the first place?

Question

Not trying to be inflamatory here. It has always puzzled me.
You see signs in public buildings directing people to departments, and below the writing, you see the same message in braille fro the blind.
But how does a blind person know there is a sign there to feel in the first place?

Answer 1

This depends to some degree on how well thought out it has been.

In the well thought out designs - a good example here might be the braille signs for push/pull on door handles - it is intuitive because they can detect the door (with their stick or their dog - or in some cases they can still see the door but not well enough to read things and are still considered legally blind) and will reach out their hand to open it and find the braille.

In the poorly thought out designs - such as the drive through ATM's or perhaps braille on an overpass sign - well, I guess it just demonstrates that artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity!

Answer 2

I've wondered this ever since I started working in a building that has elevators.

I guess they must use touch to find the braille plates but your question is quite legitimate!

Answer 3

good point. there is a centre for the blind near where i live, and the sign for it is really big! but they can't read it can they? I presume they rely on the public to direct them to the braille signs so they can read them

Answer 4

there should be a braille map at the entrance to a building.

In lifts/elevators the buttons are usually in the same place.

Answer 5

I want to know why they have braille at drive thru ATM's!

Answer 6

It is not a problem if they are faking.