Description
Taxi Hand Signs for the Blind is a groundbreaking extension of Susan Woolf’s work documenting South Africa’s taxi hand-signal system. Recognising that blind commuters were excluded from a crucial part of daily transport culture, Woolf developed a unique tactile symbol language that translates each hand sign into a raised, readable form.
This Braille-printed book introduces those tactile symbols alongside clear explanations, giving blind users direct access to the same route-finding knowledge sighted commuters rely on. The system is designed not only for independent use, but also for teaching — enabling blind parents to explain the symbols to their sighted children, and vice versa.
By turning a visual, informal communication system into an inclusive one, Taxi Hand Signs for the Blind fills a gap that had existed for decades. It stands as one of the first attempts in South Africa to create a universally accessible reference for taxi routes, combining art, design and practical mobility in a way that empowers real-world movement and independence.
