Why do they have Braille on drive-up ATMs?

i dont know.. maybe they had to put it so no one would complain just in case someone blind does go up to the machines (i dont know how) and tries to use it.. its kind of the same thing when they have various different languages on things

oh and i have a question. why on things with key pads is there a bump in the middle button .. for example the 5 .. just wondering.

That bump is on the home key. That’s the 5 and you put your middle finger there. It’s so you can put your fingers on the keypad without looking and punch the numbers.

ook thanks.. yea thats what i predicted it was for

@melli6708 to dial numbers quick with out looking.
That’s what I do.

I kinda feel that blind people should have they’re own special type of business that does nothing but help them get around in public (or has that already been done?) Because it seems really easy to rob a blind man at an ATM. (Am I wrong?)

@wizard that’s true

yeah your right. i see blind people walking down the streets and i kind of feel bad.. what if they fall or something happens. even if they have the dog.. dogs dont talk and they cant really help them out with other more difficult things

I don’t think blind people would be very open to having someone follow them around everywhere. Most blind people I’ve met are frustrated that everyone tries to help them with everything. They say that it emphasises the fact that they are different and they’re trying for as normal of a life as possible.

My psychology teacher was blind, and was perfectly capable of being independent. Pitying them probably frustrates the heck out of them!

And I think there is Braille on ATMs for the same reason everyone else thinks- blind people don’t have the privilege of driving so its only fair that they have the braille put there.

@TheHaight- I understand why ATMs in general have Braille, it’s the drive-thru ATMs with Braille that make no sense to me.

You guys have drive up ATMs? Holy crap…. I always like feeling the Braille on my McDonalds cups and on toilet doors.

Braille on McDonalds cups? Sounds new.

Australia…. So the Braille is there so the people who can’t drive can use them if they somehow end up at the drive-up ATM? Reminds me of this.

Like I said, Astro- blind people sadly, aren’t capable to drive- so its only fair that they put them on there (well, that’s what I think) so they, too, can use an ATM machine.

No drive-up ATMs in Tasmania?

Nope… We have to walk for our cash, it makes sure we don’t go impulse buying at the drive-in Target.

…drive in Target..?

(joke)

Haight- I suppose if you were driving a right hand drive vehicle (at least in the US) and your passenger was without sight it makes sense. But that’s not a likely scenario.

Because the dog can’t be expected to drive and use the ATM machine.

Probably because they make one kind of atm, for walk-up and drive-up.

Yeah, Megan64, I think you’re probably right. I was just thinking that that’s likely how they all come from the manufacturer.

If in the event the other ATMs are out of service, then there is still the backup option for them (an access issue);

Also, if the passenger sitting behind the driver is blind, they can still access the ATM without having to get out and go to the walk-up ATM.

but how would the blind person know how much money he was withdrawing or depositing since all of our bills are the same size & they don’t have braile on them. They wouldn’t know if the had $1’s or $5’s

I think atms only put out 20s. I could be wrong.

@megan, you’re right- only 20’s. And sndfreq- you’re answer makes more sense then mine. What if I worked as a driver for blind people, and took them to the nearest ATM, which was drive thru, that’s were Braille comes in handy.

some ATMs give out $5’s and $10’s.

As far as I am concerned, all ATMs are manufactured the same. The machines are identical the difference is that some are placed for drive-ups. Good observation though AstroChuck!

There are several ATM machines that dispense small denominations. Banks determine which machines will do this based on location. For example, due to the financial situation of most college students the ATM machines on college campuses give out small denominations. I hear that some in Iowa even give out $1 bills.

In addition to NOharmNOfoul’s response, it makes it possible for a blind person to access other ATMs in the event that another (or more) may be inaccessible or out of cash at any given point in time. The point is that they are entitled to equal treatment, if we have access to other ATMs at the same point of access, then they have the same right to equal access.

I think it’s probably because that’s how ATM keypads come – with Braille. When the machine is made, they don’t go to any effort to make a keypad without Braille – they may as well keep it how it is.

Also, I’m in Australia, and have been to a drive-through ATM, but only the one (it was outside a bank).

Also, has anyone tried plugging headphones into an ATM? You may not have noticed before, but most ATMs have a headphones jack. I’ve never tried it but apparently it relays the on-screen messages as verbal instructions (for the blind presumabely).

Oh yeah. How does a blind person even know what the ATM is asking them to input? The screen’s not in braille. I’ve never seen a headphone jack.

@breedmitch- All ATMs that I’ve seen have a headphone input with a button beside it. And that is exactly so they know what the machine is asking them to input.

That is sooo cool. I’m heading to the bank with my ipod right now!

So, yes there’s a headphone jack at my bank’s ATM. It’s under a little cover that slides up. No there’s not a headphone jack at the little “for profit” machine in the burrito shop. And yes, there is a headphone jack on the “for profit” machine in the 99 cent store, but it’s quite hidden and you wouldn’t have to be blind to miss it. Now I’m always going to be looking for it.