
How to Open a Public-Restroom Door - bdfh42
http://www.freakonomicsmedia.com/2011/03/10/how-to-open-a-public-restroom-door/
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muhfuhkuh
"Touching a doorknob or push-plate means you take a chance of picking up a lot
of terms."

Really? Is "hypochondria" one of them?

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epochwolf
I believe you are looking for "Mysophobia"[1] not "Hypochondria" </pedantry>

[1]: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysophobia>

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reneherse
Nice idea, but trying to look at this from a facility manager's perspective
(their primary customer), I'm concerned about product durability. How will
such a long lever arm survive in the hostile environment known as a public
restroom? "Hey bro, push open the door while I stand on that thing, hehehe."

As it is, their site is primarily focused on the idea of the product, but does
not discuss its engineering, durability, installation, etc. What alloy are
they using, and is it cast or welded? This type of information is very
important to the facility managers and architects who would be specifying this
thing. There are also potential benefits they've forgotten to discuss if
indeed this product solves the problem of people's reluctance to touch
restroom doors: Decrease in restroom floor litter and savings on paper towels
and extra trash cans.

From a use point of view, have they tested the product to see what percentage
of people will actually use their feet to pull open a door? Some doors are big
and heavy, and some people aren't. I doubt anyone in heels is going to want to
use the Toepener.

The idea seems like a good possible stopgap for an unfortunate design pattern
on many school campuses: Narrow hallways best suited to in-swinging doors
(where allowed by code). But a better solution to avoiding the transmission of
germs on restroom doors is more fundamental: Design the doorway to swing
outwards, with push and kick plates, and use anti-microbial stainless steel on
the former.

Regarding the toepener.com visual design, I find the blinking Step-Pull-Walk
image animation quite jarring to the eye. Should have a fade or dissolve
transition between images; Who of the twelve is in charge of UX? ;)

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jaredmck
wow the new freakonomics blog design is really cluttered- front page feels
almost unusable.

this toepener is not terrible idea given how much people buy hand sanitizers,
but their site is basically devoid of information- you'd think out of 12
people it'd be easy to put up some content about why people should be afraid
of the big bad germs...

speaking of public restroom innovation: how can it be 2011 and automatic
toilets still don't work correctly most of the time? so annoying when it
flushes prior to your opening the stall door and you then end up double-
flushing with the supposedly eco-friendly toilet.

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kevindication
Because every surface from the bathroom to your desk isn't covered in the
germs of everyone else?

Personally, I look at exiting the bathroom as a chance to strengthen my immune
system.

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sili
Have you ever had a situation where you are pulling to open the door from one
side and another person, unknowingly, pushing it from the other (happens often
for me). I wonder what awkward position the guy on the inside would end up in
in this case.

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zdw
It took 12 people to develop this concept?

<http://www.toepener.com/aboutus.html>

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yellowbkpk
From your link: "Forge, LLC was formed in 2010 by group of students at the
University of Minnesota's Carlson _School of Management_ with the intent of
developing simple solutions for everyday problems." (Emphasis mine.)

They don't train you to actually develop concepts at a management school, they
train you how to tell others to develop concepts.

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naqabas
Why even have a door? I like how restrooms at the airport are set up. You just
walk in.

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mynegation
it is a good concept, but you don't always have the luxury of enough space for
a curved foyer.

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TheAmazingIdiot
Or, owners that have public facilities can re-install the doors so that they
open outward from the inside. That way, you can use any part of the forearm to
push any part of the door.

Or they could pay a bit extra and install double hinge doors like the ones you
see for wait staff at restauraunts.

Either way, it's not expensive, nor are there needs of a toe opener.

