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Blind people sue Target because they can't access Target's website.

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shmokes:

--- Quote from: tommy on October 06, 2007, 05:28:05 pm ---
--- Quote from: tommy on October 05, 2007, 06:32:12 am ---Is there any point in me making my online site for selling contact lenses blind friendly? When i say " is there any point" i mean, if i were a billion dollar company and someone wanted to sue me over it, should i be worried?

Answer that first, then we can talk.

--- End quote ---

That's where i was going with this post, and they won't bother if a person could not actually use the product or service.

I feel there is no difference in this and a target website, they would and could not ever really use it.

And, they could not ever really buy anything at the store. Someone would have to do it for them.

--- End quote ---

Well . . . who knows?  I suppose a blind parent might say that they need to order contact lenses for his non-blind son.  I really have no idea how a court would weigh those circumstances.  Maybe if making a website ADA compliant is almost no extra work whatsoever, they would consider the rare situation that a blind person would have a reason to access the site as enough.  Or maybe, regardless, they would say that the possibility of a blind person having any use for a contact lens site is simply too remote to require the site operator to have to worry about it.  I'm guessing as much as anyone.  I have no familiarity with ADA legislation or lawsuits beyond what little I've read about it for this thread.

leapinlew:
Not that it matters much, but I've found this thread to be very educational and informative for me. My knee jerk reaction was similar to one anytime I hear a frivolous lawsuit. Lack of ADA compliance knowledge is the culprit.

Now I am curious of the details surrounding this case. As in, what did the blind folks do to try to get Target in compliance? It seems it would  make good business sense for Target to make their website more ADA compatible. I'm sure in hindsight they would much rather make their website more accessible than spend dollars on legal issues and the related PR issues.

shmokes:

--- Quote from: tommy on October 06, 2007, 05:28:05 pm ---

I feel there is no difference in this and a target website, they would and could not ever really use it.

And, they could not ever really buy anything at the store. Someone would have to do it for them.

--- End quote ---

Tommy, you made this argument earlier, and I thought it was as crazy then as I do now.  How can you possibly conclude that a blind person would have no use in accessing the Target website?  Can blind people use iPods?  Dumbbells? Telephones? Sheets?  Stereos?  CDs?  Audiobooks?  Cookware? Glasses (the kind you drink with, not the kind you read with)? Towels? Shampoo? Soap? Diapers? Plates/bowles? Toasters? Coffee Makers? Microwave ovens? Teapots? Toothpaste? Alarm Clocks?  GPS navagation units (with text-to-speach directions, of course)?

All this and more can be found on Target's website?  Now . . . imagine for a second that you are blind.  Close your eyes if it is helpful.  Here is the scenario:

You cannot drive, obviously.  You wish to obtain a set of 35 Lbs. dumbbells, a clock radio, a frying pan, and the new Modest Mouse album.  There is a Target store barely a mile away from your house - a 30 minute walk for a person with usable eyes.  A couple of hours for you, but certainly doable.

Now, Tommy, think very hard before answering this question.  As a blind person, which of the following would you prefer:

A) Two hours to walk to the store, make your purchases, and the 8 hours to walk home (with 70 Lbs. of dumbbell, and a bunch of other ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- to carry).

or

B) Twenty minutes to add items to a virtual shopping cart, five minutes to check out.  All items delivered directly to my front door by my friendly neighborhood UPS man.


Are you really entirely sure that a blind person has no use for Target's website?  Because, while it is certainly a convenience for me, a person with perfect vision, it strikes me as a ---smurfing--- godsend to a blind person who literally risks his life every time he ventures out to make use of the brick & mortar store.

tommy:

--- Quote from: shmokes on October 07, 2007, 02:32:02 am ---Are you really entirely sure that a blind person has no use for Target's website? 

--- End quote ---


I feel that even with anything software would add to a site to aid in helping the blind that it would still never really, fully, make this person able to use the site with absolutely no help from a person who can see and translate all that into shopping on their own. In that case, there is no need to change the site and just let another person help you out to find what you need.

Blind people are at a disadvantage, its a sad thing, but it's true and i really can't see this little thing making any real difference in their buying habits.

There is no substitution for sight and i do not feel your other senses can replace them in anyway. You will need help from another person. Period.

patrickl:
That's where you are wrong. Blind people are perfectly capable to use websites on their own. It just takes some consideration from the site builders.

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