Making new signage visible

[whole diary]

[stuving]

I'm sure I read about some trains having their door control buttons changed to the "standard" layout during a makeover, but I can't remember what class nor find the item again.

Class 150s had their original small square buttons replaced with larger round, more tactile buttons, including braille, to comply with RVAR.

I was thinking of something quite recent, such as the 458s - but no, though they too had the buttons made bigger to meet RVAR when new. But I can't find anything about button diameter in RVAR 2000 itself. Maybe it arose by reference to another standard, or it was really the requirements for embossed symbols and operation by the palm that meant change was needed.

[Richard Fairhurst]

For a while, Central Trains' 170s had a sticker applied to the 'close' button to say "For staff use only". This was not at all to do with concerns about passengers closing doors, but rather because the button was sited a few mm too high to be accessible according to regulations...

[chrisr_75]

Well... there's a button on the door of my car. As long as the key's in my pocket, pushing the button either locks it or unlocks it dependent on it's current state. Then I get in and - lo! - there's a button on the dash which closes the power relays if the car is switched off, or opens them if it's switched on. I think this sort of logic is common to most modern cars, but I will admit that I am only assuming that somewhere in a multi-billion pound development project they found a budget to check that people found that sort of logic intuitive.

Every single car key fob I've seen in recent years (at least those offering remote central locking) has both a lock and unlock button and frequently another button to release the boot lid or perform some other function. Internally usually a rocker switch in my experience - one way to lock, t'other to unlock. I've yet to spot any braille on a car door controls...

I do agree that train doors only really need an 'open' button - it is what London Underground supply, even though many people still haven't realised they are rarely, if ever, in use.

On the subject of door buttons, I do find the inter carriage door open buttons in the new 387's very odd - they appear to be in a different position and of a different size in each coach... 

[Red Squirrel]

Every single car key fob I've seen in recent years (at least those offering remote central locking) has both a lock and unlock button and frequently another button to release the boot lid or perform some other function. Internally usually a rocker switch in my experience - one way to lock, t'other to unlock. I've yet to spot any braille on a car door controls...

Interestingly, my fob has the buttons you describe - is that because from a few metres away it is less clear whether the door is locked or unlocked?

In some US states, drive-thru ATMs^‡(resolve) have braille keypads...

[JayMac]

In some US states, drive-thru ATMs^‡(resolve) have braille keypads...

Sight impaired passenger sat behind the driver.

[chrisr_75]

In some US states, drive-thru ATMs^‡(resolve) have braille keypads...

Sight impaired passenger sat behind the driver.

More likely just a standard design of ATM keypad...one size fits all?

[JayMac]

The American Bankers Association opposed the need to install Braille keypads in drive-thru ATMs^‡(resolve), saying a blind passenger could just ask the driver to use the ATM. It was rightly pointed out to them that this would disadvantage the sight impaired, compromising their personal details.

Therefore Federal disability legislation applies to drive-thru ATMs.

https://www.livescience.com/33171-why-is-there-braille-on-drive-thru-atm-machines-.html

[Red Squirrel]

The American Bankers Association opposed the need to install Braille keypads in drive-thru ATMs^‡(resolve), saying a blind passenger could just ask the driver to use the ATM. It was rightly pointed out to them that this would disadvantage the sight impaired, compromising their personal details.

Therefore Federal disability legislation applies to drive-thru ATMs.

https://www.livescience.com/33171-why-is-there-braille-on-drive-thru-atm-machines-.html

Good point, well made. I had assumed that it was just a standard ADA-compliant keyboard, but of course it makes sense not to disadvantage a vision-impaired rear-seat passenger.

As far as I can tell, these ATMs all rely on the customer being on the driver's side of the car though - you can't choose sides as you might with a fossil fuel pump.

[Bmblbzzz]

Getting back to the new typeface for a minute – it's being used in all the most important places!