Why is braile on drive-thru ATM machines?

Question

Blind people can't drive, so why put braile on "drive-thru'' ATM machines?

i don't have any intention to sound like a mean person, it was just a random thought. thanks for the feedback lol

great observation dragonwing. The screen which give the information isn't in braile, so how could a blind person read it without assistance, which makes the whole privacy idea pointless.

Also, whats the point for braile in "walk-up" ATMs? Sure you can use braile once you get to the machine, but a blind person isn't going to be walking down the sidewalk and say, "Oh look! an ATM machine."

more random thoughts...

Answer 1

Because when they make the machines they have no idea where it will be installed. If a company wants to cusom order machines it would be at a greater cost so to keep the overhead down they buy the stock machine and stick it where ever they want be it walk up or drive through.

Answer 2

Now, the most obvious problem is one that nobody seems to get: sure, the blind person could conceivably walk up or be in the back seat - BUT THE INFORMATION CHANGING IS ON THE SCREEN! Even if there are braille letters/numbers on the sides of the screen, the blind person would not be able to read what is on the screen to give the proper response, anyway! And if the blind person is depending upon another person to read the information and still allow the blind person to respond, how would they know the person assisting them isn't watching them key in the response, anyway?

And I did get a kick about the "eye level" observation, too!

Answer 3

I don't know about your state, but most states it is law to have brail on all public ATM's, I have never seen or heard of any blind people using a drive through ATM, but im sure if they did try and their was no brail then they would throw a fit and the state legislation does not want to hear about it, so they just make it a law to begin with.

Answer 4

I'm legally blind and I get a good chuckle over that one. The real answer is that it's the same atm machine design wherever they put it. The logic behind it is that they could still use it, even if they were not the one driving the car.

Funnier instances I have noticed are signs in print that say "we have braille menus". Dude, how is someone who needs a braille menu going to read that sign? Or braille signs over the tops of doors. Not making this up. Often, the braille in public places is misspelled, but I think my favorite consistency in braille signs in public places is the fact that it is always at EYE LEVEL. Think about that for a minute. Shouldnt it be down by the door handle, or something?

Answer 5

They quite often have someone who does drive them places and just because they can't drive doesn't mean that they don't need money after bank hours. They can always get out of car and use the machine. I am not blind but I am very short and quite often I have to do that myself because ATM machines are designed for higher vehicles and people with longer arms. That was not an insulting question and sometimes it is good for people to be reminded that blind people still have the same needs as sighted people.

Answer 6

Yeah, this is a common "observation" often made at comedy clubs by the less funny comedians. Think about it though, the companies that makes buttons for ATMs, elevators, etc. aren't going to redesign them just because one happens to be in a drive through.

Answer 7

no question is a dum question. you know the answer. blind people , or whatever a person disability may be the world is a where of us thank to ADA, and places nation wide or assiable to us. oh by the way blind people do own cars , with drivers. Blind people do drive cars, but on their own private property and have drivers licences. smile and be happy for them. God Bless u

Answer 8

Braille is very useful for blind patrons of "walk-up" ATMs.

It is more economical to standardize on a single configuration of machines for both walk-up and drive-up installations than to maintain separate inventories.

Answer 9

Actually, I gave this some thought one day while sitting at the bank. maybe the blind person is the passenger in the car and he/she wants to keep his/her banking information private, so they switch seats with the driver to enter their own information. I mean it's either that or the bank is just trying to cover itself against claims of discrimination - or maybe it's a law or regulation or something.

Answer 10

I guess it's cheaper for the manufacturers to just make all of the machines the same, particularly as the drive-through ATM's are the minority of sites?