What Are Those Bumps At Every Corner?

 

Ever since I've gotten a walker, I've been aware of coming to a corner and having to cross it, with my walker and hands shaking, because of the "bumps" that have been installed there. It seems it is not just me, but other people with a mobility aide or a personal shopping cart have issues with these bumps. I could think of no reason, but one. They were installed so that blind people would know that they were at a corner. Fine. But I came across another question? Do these "bumps" actually help blind people? I have helped blind people cross a street if I am there, though some New Yorkers are too in a hurry or not aware to help anyone. But I would think, and hope, that if one comes across a blind person at a corner, one would ask if assistance it needed. Some of the corners near me have heavy traffic and, even with stop lights, turns and bicycles ignoring signs if they can, crossing a street can be threatening to anyone, let alone a blind person. Despite signs and rules, there is comfort in numbers, so that people can more easily cross a street if there are more than one or two people crossing.

So I investigated some more. The "bumps" are called a number of things: warning signs, tactile cues, truncated domes, braille paving. Here in the US, the Americans with Disability Act mandated some of the changes. And some countries are way ahead of these domes in years and product. Not all blind people are completely blind, too. Only a very small percentage are. Some have varying degrees of sight, and some can "see" a brightly colored pattern, which is why these bumps are mostly yellow. And, the bumps can be designed for braille users differently based upon the circumstance ahead.

More questions: Are these bumps too much in other areas of the world? Or is there a design that is better, instead of a design that is popular?

 

People can be inconvenienced by these bumps, for sure. Using a walker, I am. I would hope that the design can be different so that all people can benefit. Manhattan is not designed for anyone who is ability challenged. It will take some time (a lot of time, I think) for the city to be truly friendly to pedestrians, bicycles, delivery people, scooters, impaired walkers...and blind people.

ADDED: We have a name! Seiichi Miyake. According to Google posting: In 1965, Miyake spent his own money to invent tactile blocks (or Tenji blocks as they were originally known) to help a friend whose vision was becoming impaired. The blocks come in two predominant types: one with dots, and the other with bars. The dotted blocks alert the visually impaired when they are approaching danger, and can often be found at the edges of crosswalks and railway platforms. The barred blocks provide directional cues, letting users know that they are following a safe path.

More here: Japan Forward Site