US Currency unfair to blind

[Gundampilotspaz]

http://tan-staafl.blogspot.com/2006/11/us-...r-to-blind.html

Judge rules paper money unfair to blind

A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. Treasury Department is violating the law by failing to design and issue currency that is readily distinguishable to blind and visually impaired people.

Judge James Robertson, in a ruling on a suit by the American Council of the Blind, ordered the Treasury to devise a method to tell bills apart.

The judge wrote that the current configuration of paper money violates the Rehabilitation Act's guarantee of "meaningful access."

"It can no longer be successfully argued that a blind person has 'meaningful access' to currency if she cannot accurately identify paper money without assistance," Robertson wrote in his ruling.

He further ruled that finding a solution to the problem would not be an "undue burden" on the government and ordered the Treasury Department to begin working on a solution within 30 days.

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I shall hold back from my first initial comment, which was "A coin system would solve this problem." But I decided not too, not because coins are more durable and would have some real metal value, or because of their various size and raised surfaces could be identified without sight... but because it wasn't really reliant.

But won't this branch off? Can a blind person use a credit or debt card at a large retail store? Most of them are touch screen, and the telling would probably read it too them... but if the law says they need to be able to do it them self... do all these systems our economy need to change to aid a small minority?

[darkon]

US Currency is also unfair to anyone wishing to travel overseas.

Can we sue for that?

[Battle_Pope]

What are they gonna do, turn the presidents' faces into braille?

[amy]

I think this is a great ruling. It won't impede any of our personal freedoms and it allows the ~10 million blind and visually impaired people in America to live more normal lives.

Regarding the credit/debit cards, just think....now they have NO WAY to pay without assistance at that kind of store, barring paying in Sacajawea dollars or something similarly ridiculous. If a court case regarding credit/debit cards comes up, the argument can be that it is possible to pay in cash. But at the same time, if paying by card was made easier as well, I am sure it would not affect you.

I'm always surprised when a small ruling in favor of a minority is won, and people act like setting that precedent will end up in BLIND PEOPLE CONTROLLING THE ECONOMY or something. This is the same backlash that happened when buildings had to be more handicapped-friendly. Our buildings did not, in fact, get any worse, nor did they become overrun with wheelchairs etc.

[darkon]

The solution is really simple, print the bank notes in different sizes according to value like in the UK and Euro-zone.

Word.

Greatest idea in the history of currency. U.S. has done well with the coins, making them different sizes and weights. It's so simple to do it with paper money too.

[Poophy]

Well, different sizes would make sense, and wouldn’t cost too much more to produce…

But if I know anything about the US treasury you can bet that we will get bills that have raised images or braille numbers… sure it will make all US currency under the $20 bill more expensive to produce than it is worth, but hay, that’s not my money, it’s the governments money….

O wait, I just remembered where the government gets its money….

[The Lone Magician]

I think we should just make the money smell different, that'd be funny. Think of it: everyone at the cash register smelling their wallets. The upsides are endless: better smelling wallets/purses, people looking funny... ah, the hilarity...

[margot]

I agree with Amy. I think this was a great ruling.

Even Japan keep holes in their money so it's easier for the blind...

[No Sad Endings]

I think we should just make the money smell different, that'd be funny. Think of it: everyone at the cash register smelling their wallets. The upsides are endless: better smelling wallets/purses, people looking funny... ah, the hilarity...

that would be unfair to people with no sense of smell!

[No Sad Endings]

I think this is a great ruling. It won't impede any of our personal freedoms and it allows the ~10 million blind and visually impaired people in America to live more normal lives.

Regarding the credit/debit cards, just think....now they have NO WAY to pay without assistance at that kind of store, barring paying in Sacajawea dollars or something similarly ridiculous. If a court case regarding credit/debit cards comes up, the argument can be that it is possible to pay in cash. But at the same time, if paying by card was made easier as well, I am sure it would not affect you.

I'm always surprised when a small ruling in favor of a minority is won, and people act like setting that precedent will end up in BLIND PEOPLE CONTROLLING THE ECONOMY or something. This is the same backlash that happened when buildings had to be more handicapped-friendly. Our buildings did not, in fact, get any worse, nor did they become overrun with wheelchairs etc.

I think the problem is not "buildings getting worse" or "overrun with wheelchairs" as that this costs money to implement. The money thing is the same problem. (Although handicapped requirements are worse, because they affect individual business owners so strongly - what if you can't afford to make everything handicap accessible?)

I'm not saying that I neccesarily disagree with these things, because it IS a real problem, blind people and handicapped people are citizens too, they need to make a living just like everyone else. I'm just saying, it's not a simple matter.

[kaura117]

Hrm. I like the varying-sizes currency idea. Initial cost to set up production would be fairly high, but not so high as to make it an unfeasible solution, and it's easier to figure out than braille.

[darkon]

Hrm. I like the varying-sizes currency idea. Initial cost to set up production would be fairly high, but not so high as to make it an unfeasible solution, and it's easier to figure out than braille.

The cost to set up production wouldn't be too bad. Not as bad as implementing braille on money, that's for sure.

[The Lone Magician]

that would be unfair to people with no sense of smell!

Yeah, but who cares about them?

[Ceraziefish]

The different sizes of money is indeed awesome. Hell, it makes it easier on the non-blind. Here I have to spend like ten seconds at the store sorting my ones apart from my fives (tens, twennies, it's all the money honey) whereas when I was in France it was totally automatic, because of the bright colors and different sizes.

American money needs to be colorful, too. This green shit is getting old.

EDIT: Insert obligatory "AWWWW YOU DID NOT SHOOT THAT GREEN SHIT AT ME" gif here.