Highway code now in braille.

[eldar]

A friend of mine is blind, and not entirely surprisingly doesn't drive.

They have just been told that the Highway code is available in braille - a pile of paper about 2 feet thick!

She is now tempted to apply for a licence

[Penny-lope]

How do they do the diagrams?

[toothrot]

Penny-lope said:

How do they do the diagrams?

with a matel speak-and-etchasketch

[jeevescat]

Can someone please explain the need for a braille version of the Highway Code, or have we all gone stark raving bonkers!!

[Defcon]

Yes, it is available in Braille, as are many aircraft spotters guides, silent film review journals and comic strips, people campaigned to get every piece of literature in Braille and this is rightfully the result, as everyone should enjoy entertainment as everyone else. Will your friend get a licence? No. Is that result ridiculous? No. Blind people should be allowed the option to read any literature in Braille. They should be able to 'read' anything, but they can't see it. To drive, you really need to use at least 3 of the traditional senses (sight, hearing and touch). A completely safe drive also needs smell and a bloody good extra sense . You might be able to drive on a track alone with just sight and touch but on road, and in an every day scenario you need more.

Apologies for turning your thread serious, but should deaf people be given a licence? Apparently so...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbouch/F2322274?thread=34...

A few deaf drivers believe that they are equally as able as those with perfect, acceptable or 'undeclarable' vision and hearing abilities, In my horribly warped sense, its more worrying that deaf people are allowed to drive any vehicle rather than blind people being allowed to read the highway code.

Note: If I've misinterpreted the law then I'll be reassured.

Edited by Defcon on Tuesday 16th June 23:32

[svm]

I wonder what the Braille is for "There's a fking big lorry about to crash in to you. You should move to the left when you notice it"?

[mat13]

jeevescat said:

Can someone please explain the need for a braille version of the Highway Code, or have we all gone stark raving bonkers!!

iirc there is a section of the highway code aimed at pedestrians, also i imagine if your blind having a knowledge of how cars behave at unctions, crossings etc, could be quite usefull.

[Funk]

What if you're blind but want to be or are a motoring lawyer? I'm sure a braille version would be most useful, especially with revisions and updates etc.

[gadzookz]

Defcon said:

Yes, it is available in Braille, as are many aircraft spotters guides, silent film review journals and comic strips, people campaigned to get every piece of literature in Braille and this is rightfully the result, as everyone should enjoy entertainment as everyone else. Will your friend get a licence? No. Is that result ridiculous? No. Blind people should be allowed the option to read any literature in Braille. They should be able to 'read' anything, but they can't see it. To drive, you really need to use at least 3 of the traditional senses (sight, hearing and touch). A completely safe drive also needs smell and a bloody good extra sense . You might be able to drive on a track alone with just sight and touch but on road, and in an every day scenario you need more.

Apologies for turning your thread serious, but should deaf people be given a licence? Apparently so...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbouch/F2322274?thread=34...

A few deaf drivers believe that they are equally as able as those with perfect, acceptable or 'undeclarable' vision and hearing abilities, In my horribly warped sense, its more worrying that deaf people are allowed to drive any vehicle rather than blind people being allowed to read the highway code.

Note: If I've misinterpreted the law then I'll be reassured.

Edited by Defcon on Tuesday 16th June 23:32

Blind people clearly shouldn't be allowed to drive obviously. But I don't understand your problem with deaf people?

There are more fking chavster cars on the road with fking ridiculous big-ass bass speakers and blacked out windows pumping out "wigga-toons drum'n'bass" ste than any sensible deaf person driving a Micra to the shops and back.

The other end of the scale are the silent Bentleys and Rolls Royces driven by chav footballers or SurrAlan. No noise whatsoever to suffer for the driver or passengers.

I would imagine deaf people are far more aware of their sight and will use constant mirror-signal-mirror-manouever than anyone else. They will also "feel" the prescence of cars from vibration.

You also need to worry about the future - Electric cars will be totally silent! All the future hydrogen fuel cars will need a perimeter sensor of some kind to avoid massive accidents

[camgear]

Dont see why you need to hear in order to drive, I can hear fk all when I'm on my motorcycle...

Edited by camgear on Wednesday 17th June 00:10

[gadzookz]

The Highway Code being in braille is also good. Blind people have to use the road. And if they are not as thick as Blunkett could offer some insight into the problems they face.

All government publications should be available in braille AND audio as well as simple plain text or PDF. They should also be free considering taxpayers paid for them. It costs sweet FA to stick them on a website.

However, the PC monstrosity of never ending translation exponentialism - ie, now its in Braille for the English, it should be translated into Welsh Braille, and then onto Arabic Braille (if they even have such a thing? the enlightened buggers - not)... Please fk OFF.

Stop with all the Urdu, Kosovo, Somali, Arab ste - just publish in English in whatever medium end of.

[Defcon]

gadzookz said:

Defcon said:

Yes, it is available in Braille, as are many aircraft spotters guides, silent film review journals and comic strips, people campaigned to get every piece of literature in Braille and this is rightfully the result, as everyone should enjoy entertainment as everyone else. Will your friend get a licence? No. Is that result ridiculous? No. Blind people should be allowed the option to read any literature in Braille. They should be able to 'read' anything, but they can't see it. To drive, you really need to use at least 3 of the traditional senses (sight, hearing and touch). A completely safe drive also needs smell and a bloody good extra sense . You might be able to drive on a track alone with just sight and touch but on road, and in an every day scenario you need more.

Apologies for turning your thread serious, but should deaf people be given a licence? Apparently so...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbouch/F2322274?thread=34...

A few deaf drivers believe that they are equally as able as those with perfect, acceptable or 'undeclarable' vision and hearing abilities, In my horribly warped sense, its more worrying that deaf people are allowed to drive any vehicle rather than blind people being allowed to read the highway code.

Note: If I've misinterpreted the law then I'll be reassured.

Edited by Defcon on Tuesday 16th June 23:32

Blind people clearly shouldn't be allowed to drive obviously. But I don't understand your problem with deaf people?

There are more fking chavster cars on the road with fking ridiculous big-ass bass speakers and blacked out windows pumping out "wigga-toons drum'n'bass" ste than any sensible deaf person driving a Micra to the shops and back.

Laws exist to fine those which pump out hundreds of decibels in public areas, either from the exhaust or 'ICE', as they bother those outside of the car at all hours, it ignores the sensory and observational skills of the driver, yet they are still penalised.

gadzookz said:

The other end of the scale are the silent Bentleys and Rolls Royces driven by chav footballers or SurrAlan. No noise whatsoever to suffer for the driver or passengers.

'Silent' luxury vehicles attempt to block out tyre and wind noise, go for a trip in a Rangie, Roller or something which you perceive a non footballer, non previous AMSTRAD owner would own (anything with leather seats?).

gadzookz said:

I would imagine deaf people are far more aware of their sight and will use constant mirror-signal-mirror-manouever than anyone else. They will also "feel" the prescence of cars from vibration.

Try closing your eyes on a tight blind corner (or not), vibration or not you can't hear a car using its horn to warn you of its presence, the same applies to an urban roundabout with heavy traffic, a siren carries much further than an emergency vehicles lights in daylight.

gadzookz said:

You also need to worry about the future - Electric cars will be totally silent! All the future hydrogen fuel cars will need a perimeter sensor of some kind to avoid massive accidents

Yes, they won't have warning buzzers, horns, wind noise, emergency vehicle sirens or parts which drag along the ground. At least half of all mechanical failures have an audible cue way before they are picked up by sensors and ultimately fail (bearings, tyres, suspension, brakes, exhaust, belts etc).

Its definitely relevant to car drivers around bike riders, as unfortunately many use their rear view and side mirrors to keep their silver locks in shape, or simply ignore them along with speed limit and give way signs, gears, the clutch and the brake pedal.

I don't have a problem with deaf people, I have a problem with deaf people driving on public roads.

camgear said:

Dont see why you need to hear in order to drive, I can hear fk all when I'm on my motorcycle...

Edited by camgear on Wednesday 17th June 00:10

Next time you're filtering on your bike at around 30mph and someone pulls out in front of you knocking you off the bike, despite your full beam, I hope you forgive the driver, because he couldn't hear you.
Once again, this is going off topic so apologies to the OP.

Edited by Defcon on Wednesday 17th June 01:09

[sherman]

gadzookz said:

Defcon said:

Yes, it is available in Braille, as are many aircraft spotters guides, silent film review journals and comic strips, people campaigned to get every piece of literature in Braille and this is rightfully the result, as everyone should enjoy entertainment as everyone else. Will your friend get a licence? No. Is that result ridiculous? No. Blind people should be allowed the option to read any literature in Braille. They should be able to 'read' anything, but they can't see it. To drive, you really need to use at least 3 of the traditional senses (sight, hearing and touch). A completely safe drive also needs smell and a bloody good extra sense . You might be able to drive on a track alone with just sight and touch but on road, and in an every day scenario you need more.

Apologies for turning your thread serious, but should deaf people be given a licence? Apparently so...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbouch/F2322274?thread=34...

A few deaf drivers believe that they are equally as able as those with perfect, acceptable or 'undeclarable' vision and hearing abilities, In my horribly warped sense, its more worrying that deaf people are allowed to drive any vehicle rather than blind people being allowed to read the highway code.

Note: If I've misinterpreted the law then I'll be reassured.

Edited by Defcon on Tuesday 16th June 23:32

Blind people clearly shouldn't be allowed to drive obviously. But I don't understand your problem with deaf people?

There are more fking chavster cars on the road with fking ridiculous big-ass bass speakers and blacked out windows pumping out "wigga-toons drum'n'bass" ste than any sensible deaf person driving a Micra to the shops and back.

The other end of the scale are the silent Bentleys and Rolls Royces driven by chav footballers or SurrAlan. No noise whatsoever to suffer for the driver or passengers.

I would imagine deaf people are far more aware of their sight and will use constant mirror-signal-mirror-manouever than anyone else. They will also "feel" the prescence of cars from vibration.

You also need to worry about the future - Electric cars will be totally silent! All the future hydrogen fuel cars will need a perimeter sensor of some kind to avoid massive accidents

Theres a 73 year old deaf guy that lives round the corner from me and he drives so it is more than possible for a deaf person to be allowed to drive.

[Lil' Joe]

gadzookz said:

They will also "feel" the prescence of cars from vibration.

What, thorugh the vibrations of his own car? Give me a break. You need all your senses to drive, except possibly smell.

[sherman]

You need smell as well. It lets you know if you have cooked your clutch or brakes .

[LoveMachine]

Hang on a fking second. This is all very well. On my computer, I have Steven Hawking who I can access to read stuff for me. Can't this lot have one of those instead?

Listen to the radio FFS. Radio 4 has everything a person needs!

[Strangely Brown]

jeevescat said:

Can someone please explain the need for a braille version of the Highway Code, or have we all gone stark raving bonkers!!

The Highway Code is not just for drivers. People seem to forget that rather too easily.

[MacGee]

At top of Rockefeller centre NY....in the open lower tier theres a sign pointing up to a slightly higher tier up a small stair which says "upper level" and below in braille...made me chuckle as how can a blind person see the view


I know, I know they just need to know where the stairs go ....but ironic at the time.

[Fidgits]

jeevescat said:

Can someone please explain the need for a braille version of the Highway Code, or have we all gone stark raving bonkers!!

because the highway code isnt just for drivers, it also has sections for pedestrians as well as other road users

[Semi hemi]

Fidgits said:

jeevescat said:

Can someone please explain the need for a braille version of the Highway Code, or have we all gone stark raving bonkers!!

because the highway code isnt just for drivers, it also has sections for pedestrians as well as other road users

Evidently it is for extremely stupid people as well