Lately I’ve been thinking about something stupidly small but somehow important. It hit me at this restaurant I visit a few times a week. Great food. Terrible toilet design.
To get into the toilet, you have to wave your hand at the door. Fine. I don’t hate tech. I’ll wave. But once you get inside, the door refuses to close for a good thirty to forty seconds. I actually timed it. You can’t push it shut. You can’t force it. You just stand there like an idiot waiting for the future to catch up.
And honestly, I don’t know who designed this because it’s the opposite of practical. Sure, wave-to-flush is nice. Wave-to-open? Also fine. But wave-to-open-then-wait-half-a-minute-for-it-to-close-while-you-stand-exposed is insane.
I keep running scenarios in my head. What if I’m trying to get away from someone? What am I supposed to do—wave at the door while they’re right behind me, then wait politely for thirty seconds?
What if I’m seconds away from destroying the place with a smell that could kill a small animal? I need that door shut immediately. Not in half a minute. And definitely not while people are walking by catching a preview.
Or the worst: you open the door, someone’s right outside, you’re already pressed, and now you’ve got to start your business while the door is still sliding shut like it’s in slow motion. Zero privacy. Zero dignity.
And I’ve seen this same system in gyms, schools, random public places. It’s like someone decided “innovation” means ignoring common sense.
I’m not anti-tech. I just care about things actually working in real life. If a new design makes the basic user experience worse, it’s not innovation. It’s pointless.
Anyway, maybe this sounds like a rant, but I know I’m not the only one who’s dealt with these useless futuristic doors. They’re hilarious in concept and annoying in practice.