Chris Downey: Design with the blind in mind

The speaker shares their journey of adapting to blindness, highlighting the challenges and insights gained. They describe how cities can be navigated using non-visual senses and emphasize the kindness encountered from others. The speaker advocates for designing cities with the blind in mind, suggesting that such designs would benefit everyone.

What was the narrator's initial reaction to the moving chair?

• He ignored it completely.

• He thought it was a ghost.

• He assumed it was a prank.

• He believed he was making a mistake.

What significant event led to the narrator losing his sight?

• An eye infection

• A genetic disorder

• A brain tumor surgery

• A car accident

What did the narrator realize about cities after losing his sight?

• They are dangerous for the blind.

• They are indifferent to the blind.

• They are fantastic places for the blind.

• They are inaccessible for the blind.

What does the narrator believe about the role of the blind in cities?

• They should be avoided in city planning.

• They should only live in rural areas.

• They are indifferent to urban development.

• They have a positive influence on cities.

How did the narrator describe his unsighted experience compared to his sighted one?

• Less enjoyable

• More confusing

• More multi-sensory

• Less sensory

What unexpected help did the narrator receive while crossing the street in Oakland?

• A person speaking in English helped him.

• A person speaking in French helped him.

• A person speaking in Mandarin helped him.

• A person speaking in Spanish helped him.

What does the narrator say about the sense of smell in the city?

• It is irrelevant for navigation.

• It is less important than sight.

• It can help locate places like bakeries.

• It is often misleading.

How does the narrator feel about the unsolicited advice he receives?

• He ignores it completely.

• He finds it mostly unhelpful.

• He finds it always helpful.

• He appreciates it in the grand scheme.

What does the narrator suggest about designing cities?

• Exclude considerations for the disabled.

• Prioritize car traffic over pedestrian access.

• Focus on aesthetics over functionality.

• Design them with the blind in mind.

What is the narrator's final takeaway about cities and the blind?

• Cities should exclude the blind.

• Cities should focus on technology.

• Cities need the blind for inclusivity.

• Cities are inherently inaccessible.