The Beep I Once Mocked: A Humbling Reminder of Design with Purpose

Back in Ghana, I often saw visually impaired people being assisted when crossing the street. I was watching a visually impaired man and his guide dog from a distance, curious about how he would manage to cross on his own. I observed as he located and pressed the button on the traffic light pole. I wondered how he would know when the light turned green.

Then I heard a beeping sound as the light changed—it was the signal that alerted him it was safe to cross. I had heard that sound at traffic lights many times before during my time in Ghana and used to mock the engineers who designed it, not realizing it actually served a meaningful purpose.

( Shared by Nii Odoi on Trotro Diaries Group )