Yellow armband with three black dots

Hi,

today in the U-bahn I saw a guy with a yellow armband, three black dots forming a triangle. Later on, by coincidence, saw an ad on TV related to the Worl championship where two guys (with sunglasses) held the same bands.

Googling, I can see that there was something similar to identify visually impaired people during the war and also after. But I cannot believe that people are still relying on something such as this today, can't recall any other country that has it.

Anybody knows the purpose of such symbol?

Thanks,
Etur

What should they rely on instead? The dark Roy Orbison sunglasses? It's for seeing-impaired people, as you first thought.

white canes are official internationally (says wikipedia), but the symbol you mention means deaf people in Lithuania.

Depiction of elderly and disabled people on road traffic signs: international comparison

What should they rely on insetad?? On nothing, what happens in other countries?? In fact, you may be around invisually impaired people and not notice it. I believe it makes their life easier for sure. The question here is why do we need to distinguish if a person has some "impairment"; what is next, a symbol to distinguish a guy that has a shorter leg because he cannot cross the street as fast as the others?

I also don't see why such symbol would help. Even for drivers, it's easier to see a guy with a cane than a small symbol on a sleeve... To me, it just seems that some of the old ways (here is: let's categorize things) didn't change yet.

Anyway, thanks for the answer.

I'm sure nobody forces them to wear the armbands. It's not a law, is it?

In that case they are wearing it voluntarily because they think it's better for them to wear something obvious that lets others know that they are blind.

What do you want to do? Ban them from wearing it??

I think it should be compulsary for everyone who has seriously impaired vision to wear such an armband, at least that way football referee decisions would be easier to explain!