Category: News and Views
Treasury Ordered to Make Bills Recognizable to Blind People
By The Associated Press
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By keeping all currency bills the same size and texture, the U.S. government has denied blind people meaningful access to money, a federal judge said Tuesday.
U.S. District Judge James Robertson said the Treasury Department has violated the law, and he ordered the government to come up with ways for blind people
to tell bills apart.
He said he wouldn't tell officials how to fix the problem, but he ordered them to begin working on it within 10 days. The American Council of the Blind
has proposed several options, including printing bills of differing sizes, adding embossed dots or foil to the paper or using raised ink.
"Of the more than 180 countries that issue paper currency, only the United States prints bills that are identical in size and color in all their denominations,"
Robertson wrote. "More than 100 of the other issuers vary their bills in size according to denomination, and every other issuer includes at least some
features that help the visually impaired."
Government attorneys argued that forcing the Treasury Department to change the size of the bills or add texture would make it harder to prevent counterfeiting.
Robertson was not swayed.
"The fact that each of these features is currently used in other currencies suggests that, at least on the face of things, such accommodations are reasonable,"
he wrote.
He said the government was violating the Rehabilitation Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in government programs. The opinion
came after a four-year legal fight.
"It's a landmark decision. I believe it will benefit millions of people," said Jeffrey A. Lovitky, attorney for plaintiffs in the lawsuit. (AP)
For so long, I have wished something like this would happen. As stated in the article, so many other countries have made their bills, so that they are recognizable to a blind or visually impaired person, and I have always wish so much that the US would do the same. I really hope something will be done. It will benefit so many people. I do wonder, though, what they will do with all of the money that is already circulating throughout the country. What if they come out with these new bills, and a blind person goes to the bank, store, etc., and ends up getting one of the older bills instead of a newer one? I just hope something is able to be done, and whatever that something is, I hope it works. I know that there are some blind people out there who Braille on there bills, but that's not all that reliable, since Braille can be erased, or destroyed, so easily.
I think it would be great too. I mean, it's so much hastle to ask what each bill is to fold it correctly (which by the way, I've never done, I just ask, lol.) It would be so great if it gets done.
I personally think its a crazy idea. It would cost to much money and take a considerable amount oif re-design by the business community.
They could buy every blind person in the US a handheld reader cheaper than re-designing the antion's currency.
I was wondering about all the old money too. Maybe people will have to turn it in at banks and get the new stuff. It will be twice as confusing to keep track of if we have both types of money in circulation.
I didn't realize until reading the article that so many countries make it easier for blind people to recognize paper money. I knew some do, of course, but I didn't know so many do and that the U.S. system is so out of touch with the rest of the world.
Here in the UK, our paper money are all different sizes, though only a very small difference. They used to be significantly different until all paper money was made smaller. What usually happens here is that when a new note is issued, there is a time during which both is legal, and then after a time, only the new note can be used. however if you find a stash in the back of the cupboard in a suit or something you haven't worn for years you can still take it to the bank. I believe we also have different coloured shapes on our notes to help partially sighted people to identify different denominations, they were meant to be tactile I think, but they're hard to feel if they are that way.
I think it's a good idea. I myself have a folding system but this would prevent someone possibly telling me that they gave me a 10 etc. and it turns out they lied and ripped me off.
Troy
I have to agree with Post 4. As good as it sounds to have our dollars in different shapes or sizes, they'd have to also change all the snack machines and/or other machines that take or give dollar bills. I wonder, if they could add tactile markings though since it is already legal to do that anyway. They could use a special ink (if possible) to raise the print that way it might not be squashed as easily.
Personally I think this is an excellent piece of news. As some of you will already know, I am currently in the process of moving to the states from England and certainly one of the things I don't like about being this side of the pond is the paper money situation. There's just something very reassuring about giving or receiving a note, bill to you Americans, and being able to verify within a matter of moments that it is what it is supposed to be.
I don't buy into this argument that this new sizing system shouldn't be implemented on the grounds that lots of machines would have to change. I look at it this way. If, for example, a vending machine company was told that they could double their revenue simply by installing a newer type of machine, you can be sure that they'd have those machines just as quick as they could get their greedy hands on them and if new machines can be gotten for those reasons, then they can just as easily be gotten to make other peoples lives easier.
So possibly this will end up costing big business some money. Well, in my view that is only more reason to do it. Is anybody picking up on the fact that I'm not a fan of the corporate World yet?
Any system that doesn't force blind people into situations of trust surely has to be a good thing after all. I mean it's all well and good to say just ask a friend or relative what money you have but in practice that isn't always possible. Especially for people like Shea and I who don't actually live with anybody sighted. With things as they currently are we have to take somebody's word for it that they're handing us back a $10 bill and not a $5 bill when making change for a delivered pizza to give but one example.
Folding money a certain way, Braille labeling your money, yes it can all be done but frankly it is horribly cumbersome and far from a completely reliable way of doing things. So far as I'm concerned this is definitely for the better and I look forward to seeing the changes.
Thanks. Dan.
I can see both sides of this issue. Personally, anything that would make my life that much easier is always welcome. However, from a practical standpoint, any change is most likely many years away in any event. That being said, I do think it's a great idea in principle.
$5 dollar bills and up to I think $100 dollar bills have large print numbers on the back. To reconise a dollar; I either look for two circles on the back and with the large printed word ONE in the middle. If you cannot see the best way to do it is folding - but then again you don't know if you're getting the right ammount of change back. This is why I try to pay with the closest ammouunt possible where I only get a few dollars and mostly change back.
Agreed: If we issue new paper money then we need to recall the old paper money. Like the idea but feel for the tax payers who'll be forking the dough to make the new money (if passed.).
The theory is that one dollar bills are not going to change, because these are the most widely used in vending machines. From what I have heard so far, they are looking at changing the five, ten, twenty and probably the fifty. Although this will require changing every single ATM in America, it won't be as bad as changing every single vending machine. The Treasury still has the ability to appeal this decision and I can't imagine why they wouldn't do this. Even if they don't, don't look for any changes in your money for at least a couple of years at the earliest. All this being said, I do think this is a great victory in the courts! The National Federation of the Blind is speaking out against this decision. If anyone hasn't seen that press release and wants too, let me know.
I'd be interested to read it. What is the link?
I mean, what's the address? *smile*
What in the world does the NFB have against making life easier for blind people? Is it just because the ACB is for it, so they have to be against it?
I like the idea of keeping one dollar bills the same and changing the rest.
Well, I'm one of those who can see both sides. Yeah, I'd like to see it happen, because any kind of small accomodation to make my life easier is helpful, but it's going to take more than ten days and a lot of testing and making of new equipment to do the task and whatnot. And before you jump all over me, sighted folk are always looking for ways to make their lives easier, because if they didn't, there'd be no computer or internet for example and we'd still be living in caves. LOL! But as for the NFB, and I may be coloring the statement because I disagree with them, but they think there are bigger issues and that this one is going to make employers not want to hire us because they'd think they'd have to adapt every little thing and it makes us look pittiful or whatever. At the risk of starting yet another pointless ACB vs. NFB war, it seems to me that the NFB thinks most accomodations for us will just make us stand out like sore thumbs and they're against that. I dunno, we as blind folks can blend in and pass as sighted folks only so much so we'll always stick out like said sore thumb. NFB needs to chillax and stop being so damn self-conscious. LOL!
The URL for the NFB press release is:
http://www.nfb.org/nfb/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=102&SnID=1265367220
I don't want to start an ACB versus NFB war here either, I just want people to know all sides of things.
OK, I like the idea of using raised ink, but I'm not so sure lengthening or shortening bills according to their denominations would work so well for me. I mean, what if I just had one bill and no other bills to compare it to? I'm not good at guessing that, oh, this feels like it's four inches long, it must be a twenty ... ugh. I think it's awesome that they're going to implement this new change with paper money, but I really hope they come up with some different ideas.
I wonder if other countries have organizations that are supposedly to help the blind but end up holding back progress by protesting things that might help us. The U.S. seems to be woefully behind in a lot of areas, and helping us to identify paper currency is just one of them. I understand the drawbacks, but I really feel we need some sort of system for this.
I think OrangedolphinSpirit made a good point about the size. If you don't have something to compare a bill to, then how would you know what it is? I'm sure they can come up with something, though. Look at coins. Everyone can tell which coin they have in their hand, because of the drastic size difference between the coins, and the ridges.
The coins also feel different themselves, though, besides being different sizes and having ridges.
Oh yeah, for sure, they do. I was just using it as an example.
I don't think it would be that hard. You could use your own hand as a measuring tool. For example, a 1 bill might be the length of your palm, a 5 bill be a finger joint longer, and so on. lol I'm sure it won't be that easy but it is a hell of a lot easier if you have your bills sorted out by length.
I think this is an excellent idea. I once gave a cab driver a hundred dollar bill instead of a ten. I'm good at folding my money etc., but I screwed up that one time and I guess the amount was too much for the cab driver, as he didn't say a word, but he was parked in front of my house for a long time, I assume he was wrestling with his conscience. I've never made such a lousy mistake again.
Anyway, others have made the argument that it is too expensive etc. We have been talking about this for years and it was too expensive when they started talking about it and the price continues to go up. So, if it's too expensive now, it's not going to get cheaper in the future and if they had implemented it years ago it would be blasé now.
I have a lot of respect for the judge that issued that order. He must have known he was going to get a lot of criticism for it, yet he went ahead and did the right thing.
Bob
You did what? Yipes! Did he tell you it was a hundred? Or did you just find out later?
Later. sheepish grimace.
I'm sure we've all been taken for a ride (not literallly though) because of not identifying our money correctly.
Agreed with ODS about compairing bills. I'd rather go with the raised ink because numbers are on all corners of the bill plus the back. And the raised ink on the cornes w/the numbers would be a much easier thing - well thats if you know your tactile.