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Redbox sued over access for visually impaired
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/national_world&id=8503403 ^

Posted on 01/12/2012 10:15:06 PM PST by Orange1998

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- Redbox is being sued by a group of people with disabilities. The federal civil rights lawsuit says the giant movie rental service discriminates against blind people.

Many movies are dialogue driven and can be enjoyed by the visually impaired.

"You can enjoy large aspects of the narrative without needing to see the visual aspect of the movie at all," Disability Rights Advocates lawyer Michael Nunez said.

Friends and family can also help.

"If there's kind of a non-verbal part of the movie happening, you know, they'll describe what's happening to me," lawsuit plaintiff Lisamaria Martinez said.

But the kiosks of the video rental giant Redbox are difficult, if not impossible, to use for those who are blind and visually impaired. The lawsuit says Redbox needs to change the technology in their kiosks so the visually impaired can rent movies too.

"They have neither tactile buttons nor any other screen feature that would allow blind people to navigate their way through the kiosks," Martinez said.

Martinez and Nunez are almost totally blind. Martinez is suing Redbox. Nunez is a lawyer from Disability Rights Advocates, who's filed the civil rights lawsuit.

For Martinez and others with the same disability, Redbox's touch screen is just another flat surface.

(Excerpt) Read more at abclocal.go.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: redbox; sourcetitlenoturl
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To: dfwgator

DAMN good point! Gators’d eat ‘em, though!


21 posted on 01/12/2012 11:06:01 PM PST by JennysCool (My hypocrisy goes only so far)
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To: Orange1998

ADA playgrounds - you see them at virtually every school, and that probably cost $380,000 + $50,000 per year upkeep, even if the school has never hosted a student which required such facilities.

ADA bathrooms - Likely your local elementary school lost a full bathroom + 2 stalls to make the bathrooms ADA compatible, likely costing another $300,000 in conversion. Adding ramps and other amenities totals it up to a million dollars per elementary school. All to prevent schools which may never have had a wheelchair bound student from being sued.

All it takes for the most insane and stupid ideas is a compassionate conservative.. Think EPA, ADA, Amnesty, etc... And thank a Republican.

Yeah, a conservative congress will be TOTALLY able to control the liberal Mitt Romney...


22 posted on 01/12/2012 11:09:18 PM PST by kingu (Everything starts with slashing the size and scope of the federal government.)
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To: Orange1998
This is right up there with the requirement to add disabled access to the showers at a hockey rink based on a plastic surface with silicone oil. It was a bitch of a surface for recreational skating. Nobody in a wheelchair would ever be skating on the surface, nor have a legitimate need to shower after skating. The rink had to choose between spending lots of money to comply with the disabled shower or close. It closed. Thanks jackasses.
23 posted on 01/12/2012 11:26:55 PM PST by Myrddin
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To: kingu
..."All to prevent schools which may never have had a wheelchair bound student from being sued."...

One of the things that has me shaking my head every time is when I have to design around ADA in an upper level location that is only accessible by stairs. I'm not kidding, even though there is no possible way to access a space by wheel chair, if you are remodeling that space, outside of a narrow few exceptions, it must meet ADA specs.

One time I've actually had an inspector giving me grief over a door to a mechanical room not complying with ADA. This room was located on a roof that was only accessible by a ship's ladder. I eventually won that argument but it cost the building owner at least a day of billable time.

24 posted on 01/12/2012 11:46:16 PM PST by voteNRA (A citizenry armed with rifles simply cannot be tyrannized)
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To: voteNRA

I hate the ADA.

As of March 15th, public pools will have to be outfitted with accessibility chairs so handicapped people can enter the pool. If you have a very large pool which a lot of apartment complexes have, you have to have TWO chairs. And if you have a spa, that has to be outfitted to. These chairs are gonna cost anywhere from 5 to 8 thousand EACH! If you think so what, this doesn’t effect me, think again. The govt is offering complexes $10,000 tax credits to help offset some of the extravagant costs.


25 posted on 01/13/2012 12:14:17 AM PST by hillarys cankles
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To: hillarys cankles
I haven't heard of that HC.

Do you know if that is a Fed or state mandate?

Currently we are operating under IBC codes however many ADA requirements are enacted by individual States.... many start in California.

26 posted on 01/13/2012 12:28:44 AM PST by voteNRA (A citizenry armed with rifles simply cannot be tyrannized)
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To: voteNRA

Im a pool guy here in CA. I just heard about it from one of my suppliers yesterday morning.

Heres some info. Just do an ADA, handicap pool access search on google and you’ll find more info.

On September 15, 2010, the Final Rule for the Accessible Design for Recreational Facilities, including public pools and spas, was published in the Federal Register. These standards becamethe law of the land on March 15, 2011, and compliance is required by March 15, 2012. Compliance with the 2010 Standards for Accessible Design for pools and spas will be required for pools and spas that serve the public.


27 posted on 01/13/2012 12:35:46 AM PST by hillarys cankles
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To: goodnesswins

“... who drove them to the REDBOX?”

I guess the same person who drove them to the ATM (they have braille). Never understood that one either.


28 posted on 01/13/2012 3:29:48 AM PST by momtothree
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To: Orange1998

One of the stupidest things I have ever heard. Wow!


29 posted on 01/13/2012 3:41:51 AM PST by vpintheak (Occupy your Brain!)
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To: Bobalu

The person that took them to the store can get a film for them.

That would be considered “normal”.

Can’t have that in a world run by abby and the lawyers.


30 posted on 01/13/2012 3:42:59 AM PST by wita
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To: Orange1998
Next you know they will be suing Apple for no tactile keys.

Apple provides Voiceover to allow the blind to use an iPhone. The system "speaks" the letters on the virtual keypad and then you double-tap to enter a particular key. I guess with millions of phones out there, Apple wanted to be sure it wasn't hit with silly law suits such as this one against Redbox.

31 posted on 01/13/2012 3:45:15 AM PST by 6SJ7 (Meh.)
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To: Orange1998

My fantasy of the day is making a video of breaking this lawyers’ fingers while he screams “I CONFESS! I’m a greedy piece of snakeshyt AIIIEEEE!!!”


32 posted on 01/13/2012 3:47:40 AM PST by AnTiw1
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To: P-Marlowe
The Americans with Disabilities act was signed and promoted by George Bush I.

Recently, I was told that the Federal Gov., thus it's buildings, is exempt from the Americans with Disabilities act?

Can anyone confirm?

33 posted on 01/13/2012 3:48:48 AM PST by Ramcat (Thank You American Veterans)
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To: kingu

When I was in high school back in the 70’s, we had a student who had muscular dystrophy and was confined to a wheelchair. The school was two stories and had no elevators. How did he get to his upstairs classes? The school athletes (football players) carried him and his chair up and down the stairs. It was a thing of honor to help him.

Of course, students today couldn’t care about anyone but themselves.


34 posted on 01/13/2012 4:09:14 AM PST by fredhead (Vegetarian - Old Indian word for poor hunter.)
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To: JennysCool

35 posted on 01/13/2012 5:17:19 AM PST by whd23 (Every time a link is de-blogged an angel gets its wings.)
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To: goodnesswins

“UM...who drove them to the REDBOX??? Or...don’t they have a friend or relative they could get to get the movies...sheesh...this is ridiculous!”

Its all about Money and control, “F” both of them!


36 posted on 01/13/2012 5:23:19 AM PST by mongo141
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To: P-Marlowe
Here's what Newt Gingrich had to say about the importance of passing the Americans with Disabilities Act:
Mr. GINGRICH. Mr. Speaker, The National Council on Disability is an independent Federal agency comprised of 15 Presidentially appointed members. The Council's mandate is to review policies and programs which impact upon persons with disabilities and make recommendations to the President and the Congress concerning how these policies can be improved. In 1984, the National Council issued a policy statement entitled `National Policy for Persons with Disabilities ,' which articulated the need for legislation which would provide comprehensive civil rights protections for persons with disabilities . After the publication of this statement, the National Council held numerous forums across the country in which it heard from literally thousands of persons with disabilities about the discrimination they face every day.

In February 1986, the National Council issued a major report to the President and the Congress entitled, `Toward Independence.' In this report the National Council outlined the key components required for comprehensive civil rights legislation protecting persons with disabilities . This report was well received by the Congress and has become central in the development of the `Americans With Disabilities Act' [ADA]. In January 1988, the National Council issued another report, `On the Threshold of Independence,' in which the National Council authored the specifics of the `Americans With Disabilities Act of 1988.' The goals of the ADA, currently being debated by the House of Representatives, are to remove attitudinal, architectural, transportation, communication, and employment barriers which exist for persons with disabilities in American society.

I agree with the National Council on Disability in its belief that the provisions of this legislation send persons with disabilities a clear message that their dream of equal civil rights protections will soon become a reality.

THis was when GIngrich was a solid conservative, in the 1990s.
37 posted on 01/13/2012 5:30:24 AM PST by CharlesWayneCT
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To: P-Marlowe

Gingrich Also voted for it. And so did almost every other Republican — there were only 28 votes against it, 23 republican and 5 democrat.

You can’t pin that on Bush. It was the entire Republican party.


38 posted on 01/13/2012 5:33:47 AM PST by CharlesWayneCT
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To: hillarys cankles

They will set there and rust up due to non use, either that or the kids will break them up playing on them.


39 posted on 01/13/2012 5:36:44 AM PST by Venturer
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To: P-Marlowe
Of course, 6 years later Gingrich was attacking the law he spoke so highly of, to prove his conservative credentials Find Law Articles - Nov/Dec 1996:
Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has labeled the ADA "a dumb use of resources," while House Majority Leader Dick Armey blasts it as "a disaster" and "an abomination."

40 posted on 01/13/2012 5:37:11 AM PST by CharlesWayneCT
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