How do blind people figure what kind of dollar they're being handling? After all, aren't $1 and a $20 bills all the same size? You may be surprised to know that every major currency issuer in the developed world has found a way to solve this problem—except the US. (1/5)
In the United Kingdom, like in many countries, bills vary in length, with higher bills naturally being longer. It's probably slightly too subtle for most people to notice, but it's immediately obvious to a blind person who knows what to look for. (2/5)
@mnolangray Hi, can I ask that in future, if you tweet about blind people, you would include alt text for any photos you post.
@mnolangray I was not at all surprised when South Africa had this figured out decades ago and the US had nothing…
@mnolangray I appreciate you raising awareness to this, although wish you had included alt text for the images posted so that they would be accessible to non-sighted readers
@mnolangray @Quinns_quirks Please include alt text, *especially* in your posts about accessibility for blind folks.
@mnolangray See, at this point I'm surprised US dollars aren't specifically designed to poison only disabled people. That's how low my expectations are when it comes to US. On more serious note, in Poland, every banknote has a symbol you can feel by touch, a square, circle or triangle etc.
@mnolangray Many years ago when I was a bike messenger I was stopped by a blind man getting out of a cab who asked me to identify bills for him to pay the cabby with. It definitely made me think.
@mnolangray Idk about other blind folks but my grandfather just had my grandmother handle the money from her wallet with rubber bands around it (lmfao no joke)
@mnolangray @ZoyMB It’s giving United States of Ableism.
@mnolangray @SamLitzinger Can’t believe anyone would try to cheat a blind person.
@mnolangray @bitcrazed "you may be surprised" then says something absolutely not surprising 😂
@mnolangray Bill redesigns have to incorporate raised tactile features for accessibility: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_R…
@mnolangray in Poland we have this bulged shape in the corner ;P
@mnolangray Philippine peso notes bsp.gov.ph/Media_and_Rese… @BangkoSentral
@mnolangray It's probably too late to change the size, but maybe we could emboss the number, or put brail on it or something.
@mnolangray @iseesoundss Just adding to the thread: In Brazil, they are all from different sizes and got these different lines that you can feel with your finger (right bottom corner). They changed it rather recently tho, so maybe there's hope for you guys...
@mnolangray Indian 🇮🇳 banknotes contain several features enabling the visually impaired (colour blind, partially sighted and blind people) to identify them, viz., intaglio printing&tactile mark, variable banknote size, large numerals, variable colour, monochromatic hues&patterns. [src:RBI]
@mnolangray we added raised dots and textured the numbers. USA can license this tech from Australia. doesn’t make your fingernails dirty. here’s some 5th gen polymer note features
@mnolangray @accountable_gov This brings back memories of a lady at Burrwood Home for the Blind who knit blankets. People would separate wool by color into different bags so she could randomly pull from each bag. I still have two of her blankets. They are over 50 years old!
@mnolangray In México we have these, they are free
@mnolangray Reading this was a ride lol "How do blind people figure what kind of dollar they're handling" Me: Wdym? They just feel the braille *keeps reading* Oh...
@mnolangray In #Lebanon, in addition to textured numbers and different sized bills, the bills also have braille! (bottom left corner)
@mnolangray In the developed world, people are considered important, even if they are not rich and not able-bodied. That's the difference.
@mnolangray It's actually among a list of things our currency has failed to update for. We could desperately use better paper technology, too...
@mnolangray Just ask the person you’re paying what bill you’re giving them. Seems like a pretty easy fix.
@mnolangray Canadian money has brail on it. I was -shocked- to learn American money does not.
@mnolangray I was amazed by Australian currency that incorporated these accessibility measures… in 1997! We are so behind the curve here.
@mnolangray I think Japan does it best, tactile marks on all the bills, and coins that are all radically different in size, with two common denominations having holes in the center.