# Braille drive-up tellers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [June 28, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142 "2013-06-28T17:45:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![David\_Ehrlich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/958977/32.png) [@David\_Ehrlich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Ehrlich)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142/1 "2013-06-28T17:45:24Z")
Am I missing something? Drive-thru tellers are always on the driver’s side. Assuming the blind person is a passenger, not the driver (a highly presumptuous assumption), he’d have to exit the car and walk around to the other side. Besides not making use of the drive-up convenience, it would seem to be downright inconvenient for him. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2013, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142/2 "2013-06-28T17:46:56Z")
It’s even more inconvenient to make and install different keypads depending on if an ATM is drive-through vs. walk-up. ---
**Author:** ![Dukeguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Dukeguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dukeguy)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2013, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142/3 "2013-06-28T17:59:33Z")
> [@David\_Ehrlich](#): > > Am I missing something? Drive-thru tellers are always on the driver’s side. Assuming the blind person is a passenger, not the driver (a highly presumptuous assumption), he’d have to exit the car and walk around to the other side. Besides not making use of the drive-up convenience, it would seem to be downright inconvenient for him. Or they could be in the rear seats at the same side as the driver. I’m not blind - but when I first moved to the US, I used to get a cab to the bar and go through the ATM beforehand and used to sit behind the driver (or at least, scootch along the back seat) and use the ATM from the rear seats. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2013, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142/4 "2013-06-28T18:13:38Z")
Blind people are allowed to drive around here. There’s even signs warning people that the [blind drive](http://streetsignu.web124.discountasp.net/images/W42-5RA16T.GIF). ---
**Author:** ![jdgalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/839c29/32.png) [@jdgalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jdgalt)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142/5 "2013-06-28T18:48:13Z")
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires, among other things, that any new ATMs (as well as a variety of other “public accommodations”) be labeled in Braille. As a result, they now leave the manufacturer that way. It _is_ possible to get a waiver of the requirement, but it would almost certainly cost the bank more money (plus bureaucratic delay) than just leaving the Braille labels on. I know someone who works at an Air Force base – where the elevator to the control tower has Braille labels on the controls, for the same reason. All this strikes me as nanny-statism gone off the deep end, because the benefits are not worth the costs. But I’m sure someone is going to be mad at me for saying so. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142/6 "2013-06-28T20:10:35Z")
Friends and I used to go through drive-thru ATMs backwards during off-hours so that the passenger could use the machine. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2013, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142/7 "2013-06-28T22:21:08Z")
Cars aren’t the only way to access drive-through ATMs. There isn’t a trapdoor that will open if there isn’t sufficient weight on the asphalt when the machine is activated. > [@David\_Ehrlich](#): > > Assuming the blind person is a passenger, not the driver (a highly presumptuous assumption), he’d have to exit the car and walk around to the other side. Besides not making use of the drive-up convenience, it would seem to be downright inconvenient for him. It’s probably still more convenient than going inside to a teller just to make a simple transaction. ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2013, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142/8 "2013-06-28T23:12:38Z")
> [@jdgalt](#): > > All this strikes me as nanny-statism gone off the deep end, because the benefits are not worth the costs. But I’m sure someone is going to be mad at me for saying so. I’m not mad, I just never understood this argument. It is probably easier for manufacturing reasons. I’ve never been in a control tower, but are there no support position that a blind person could do? Also it such a minor thing to be bothered by. ---
**Author:** ![eastcheap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8491ac/32.png) [@eastcheap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eastcheap)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2013, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142/9 "2013-06-29T04:43:57Z")
> [@jdgalt](#): > > All this strikes me as nanny-statism gone off the deep end, because the benefits are not worth the costs. What costs? A few bumpy labels and keycaps on _new_ machines (well, new as of, what, 23 years ago)? Manufacturers spend more than that on purely aesthetic redesigns. Besides, an ATM is an ATM, whether it’s in a drive-through installation or not. It would be silly to stock Braille and non-Braille machines (or elevator keypads, for that matter). Really, it’s hard to imagine a cheaper accomodation. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2013, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142/10 "2013-06-29T04:53:18Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Blind people are allowed to drive around here. There’s even signs warning people that the [blind drive](http://streetsignu.web124.discountasp.net/images/W42-5RA16T.GIF). And they drive in the midst of [slow children](http://images.roadtrafficsigns.com/img/lg/K/Slow-Children-Playing-Seesaw-Sign-K-9497.gif) who are playing! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142/11 "2013-07-01T11:18:09Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Blind people are allowed to drive around here. There’s even signs warning people that the [blind drive](http://streetsignu.web124.discountasp.net/images/W42-5RA16T.GIF). Story from a London tour guide: He had answered a question about the beeping sound at the intersection to alert the blind that the light was green. The tourist said, “Oh, that’s interesting. In America, the blind aren’t allowed to drive.” ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142/12 "2013-07-01T11:30:07Z")
> [@Foggy](#): > > I’m not mad, I just never understood this argument. It is probably easier for manufacturing reasons. I’ve never been in a control tower, but are there no support position that a blind person could do? Also it such a minor thing to be bothered by. That’s nothing, I heard someone complaining about the tactile paving used to indicate to the visually impaired that they are at a pedestrian crossing, because they were “uncomfortable to walk on”. I had no words. ---
**Author:** ![jandrese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@jandrese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jandrese)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142/13 "2013-07-01T19:35:38Z")
Isn’t the best answer to this: Because cars have back seats? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142/14 "2013-07-01T19:39:12Z")
> [@jandrese](#): > > Isn’t the best answer to this: Because cars have back seats? We tend to lean to the most correct answer in these parts, not the easiest or “best”. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2013, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142/15 "2013-07-02T04:41:00Z")
[**Cecil sez. . . .**](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/946/why-is-there-braille-on-drive-up-teller-machines) ---
**Author:** ![crucible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@crucible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crucible)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2013, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142/16 "2013-07-02T13:23:44Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > Cars aren’t the only way to access drive-through ATMs. There isn’t a trapdoor that will open if there isn’t sufficient weight on the asphalt when the machine is activated. > > It’s probably still more convenient than going inside to a teller just to make a simple transaction. and, on occasion, I’ve stood in line with the line of cars to use the machine. The drivers are amused, but they clearly understand the situation. Fast food joints generally don’t like it when you do that sort of thing since they are always open when the drive-thru is open…aren’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142/17 "2013-07-02T14:40:24Z")
> [@crucible](#): > > Fast food joints generally don’t like it when you do that sort of thing since they are always open when the drive-thru is open…aren’t they? Nope, often they keep the drive-thru open late at night when the eat-in section is closed. And I believe most drive-thru places won’t hand food to anyone not in a car because they don’t want the risk of someone getting hit. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142/18 "2013-07-03T17:25:07Z")
Cecil’s article implies that ATM manufacturers and banks are on the verge of new technology that will make it easier for the blind to use ATMs (braille keys alone don’t make the machines accessible; how are they supposed to read the screen?) But then I noticed that the column was written almost 20 years ago and I haven’t noticed that the machines are appreciably different today, except for touch-screens (not blind friendly!). ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142/19 "2013-07-03T17:41:47Z")
There are a lot of ATMs around here with headphone ports for people who can’t read the screen. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142/20 "2013-07-05T18:01:02Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > Friends and I used to go through drive-thru ATMs backwards during off-hours so that the passenger could use the machine. I agree with this. I’ve gone through backwards so a passenger could use the machine. I don’t think that’s uncommon. Now whether enough people do that, people who are driving blind passengers so the passenger can use the ATM, I don’t know. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/braille-drive-up-tellers/662142.md?page=2)