A disabled guest’s take on gizmos

As a frequent traveler and a bit of a gizmo junkie, I enjoyed reading Jane Engle’s article, “Who’s in Control Here -- the Guests or the Gizmos?” [Travel Insider, May 8].

I am visually impaired, and I’m somewhat amused that, until recently, my first complaint about hotel rooms was not being able to tell the shampoo from the hand lotion. But just like able-bodied users, I feel increasingly left in the dust by all the new gadgetry.

Touch screens -- not accessible. Remotes with lots of buttons -- not accessible. On-screen menus, complicated phones, and forget the alarm clocks -- all not accessible.

Hotels have a legal obligation to provide reasonable accommodation to disabled people, and installing inaccessible technology is moving in the wrong direction, especially when a little thought, planning and research could make all the difference.

Lisa Larges

San Francisco