Feb. 6, 2008

Pet Peeve #1

By G. Rendell

I’m not sure what my pet peeves #2 through n are, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out in time. #1 is pretty clear, though. It’s students (some staff, a few faculty, but mostly students) who open the doors to go into or out of campus buildings by pushing the “handicapped” button. You know, the big square blue one with the picture of a person in a wheelchair?

I don’t mean students who are actually in wheelchairs, or on crutches, or even in a walking cast with a cane. I mean students who walk without a perceptible limp. Students who certainly appear to be in good health. Students perfectly capable of opening the door for themselves, and for little old ladies, and for anybody else within shouting distance. Students who hit the button out of sheer laziness.

I see a lot of this kind of behavior — more than I ever would have imagined — whenever I go wandering around campus. On our campus, it’s most prevalent (or maybe just most obvious) at our library. But I’ve seen it at a lot of academic buildings. Some administrative buildings. Even a recreation center. (Go figure!)

I’ve had conversations with other sustainability administrators, and it appears the problem is widespread. Maybe it’s generational — I don’t know. I don’t really care. It needs to stop.

When someone hits the blue button rather than opening the door the old-fashioned way, two things happen, and neither of them is energy-efficient. First, electricity gets burned opening the fool door. Second, that door gets held open (burning more electricity) for a long enough time that a person who really was in a wheelchair would have a chance to get through it and clear on the other side. That’s far longer than an able-bodied student needs to walk through that door, and heat (or cold) is escaping from the building the whole time.

What to do? Well, we’ve had some discussions. We’ve talked about awareness campaigns. We’ve talked about putting signs up. We’ve talked about putting a proximity card reader on the stanchion, so that the button only works when someone with a special card (someone actually physically disadvantaged) was nearby.

My preferred approach is simple, yet effective. I think we should put a 10-second delay into the system — 10 seconds between the time the button is pushed and the time the door starts to open. For those who really need it, 10 seconds won’t matter at all. For those who are able-bodied, 10 seconds is just long enough for them to stride up to the door and smash their noses into it.

Not that I’d ever want to see anyone hurt themselves, of course!

(I’ll let you know how it works out.)

Comments

Hey, that’s a pet peeve of mine, too. But instead of having conversations with administrators, I had conversations with the people who do it.

It’s not laziness, or at least not for the students I spoke with, it’s the “cool” factor of making a door open by hitting a target.

I like the idea of the 10-second delay. It might also work to change the look and feel of the target that has to be hit, so it looks less like something that gets you a prize when you hit it at the carnival.

Terry Calhoun, Society for College and University Planning (SCUP), at 2:15 pm EST on February 7, 2008

Pet peeve #1

Hey people, get a life! You can’t always tell from outward appearances whether someone is handicapped or not. Even for the able-bodied, some of those doors are damn heavy and hard to open. The button is there for a reason! It’s to make it easy to open the door for ANYONE who needs to open it. It’s kind of hard to believe that anyone would actually bother to be bothered by this kind of trivia. Get over it, and be damn grateful you are not one of those who rely on such to open doors for them.

agnes, Take a Pill, at 8:45 pm EST on February 7, 2008

How much is burned?

How much electricity is actually burned? I think you will find there are many better ways to be efficient and save electricity on campus than worrying about whether or not able-bodied individuals use the automatic door openers.

There are some signs on my campus that read something to the effect of, “only use the automatic door opener if you really need it.” Those signs rub me the wrong way and I feel like they do not encourage an open and welcoming environment for individuals who do need to use the automatic door openers. I suggest dropping the issue and focusing your energy elsewhere.

T-bone, at 9:55 am EST on February 8, 2008

I have seen the time delay implemented, and it works. Good idea. I don’t think it’s ten seconds, though — more like five.

Pippin, at 11:05 am EST on February 8, 2008

Re: Pet Peeve #1

I agree with Agnes. How do you know by outward appearance whether someone has a physical limitation or disability which requires him/her to use the automative door openers? I had a mastectomy 6 years ago and have been instructed to protect my arm to prevent lymphedema. I routinely use those door openers. Are you judging me because I don’t walk with a limp? Focus somewhere else on your quest to “go green.” Do I need to wait outside in the cold and rain just to prove my worthiness?

Out in the Cold, at 4:50 pm EST on February 8, 2008

Don’t take it personally

Sure, there are folks with invisible disabilities. No argument there. In some non-obvious cases, use of the blue button is entirely justified. That’s why it’s there.

But, in a student population with an average age of (maybe) 21, those cases don’t make up 60% of people going through a library door. And 60% is a reasonable estimate of the button-pushing population.

Maybe it’s not laziness. Maybe it’s the “cool” factor. Maybe it’s something else. But it’s not need.

G. Rendell, at 10:25 am EST on February 9, 2008

pet peeve #1

A colleague of mine who is in a wheelchair has long complained about this — the more people who use these openers, the more likely (and sooner) the mechanics will wear out. Leaving him (and anyoen who really needs it) unable to open the door. I’ve never used them unless I’ve had to ever since.

Annie, at 2:10 pm EDT on June 25, 2008