Know what irks me?

lunchbox

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When fully able-bodied people, instead of using their arm to open a door, have to push the blue handicapped button to get the door to open for them. They're willing to wait the 10 whole seconds for the door to open automatically than to open it themselves which would take maybe 2 seconds and prevent repetitive strain on the mechanism.
 

valanhb

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I hear you there! It's one thing when it's a little kid who just likes pushing buttons
but another when it's someone who knows what the button will do.


And what's worse is when these able-bodied people refuse to help those who actually do need assistance getting through those heavy doors (especially if the building has negative pressure and you really have to push or pull to get the door open). You know, the older folks in walkers and wheelchairs, the mothers with strollers, people on crutches. It's like no one even notices that there is another human being in the world besides them!
 

mirinae

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Not to sound offensive or rude, but how do you know they're fully able? I might look perfectly healthy, but I have carpal tunnel syndrome; on a good day, there's no pain, just a mild tingling in my fingertips, but on a bad day I'm in pain from my fingertips to my shoulder. Opening a door can be agony. Heck, even reaching for the blue button can hurt sometimes. As a result, I'm very appreciative of the people who hold doors open for me. I don't look like I need the help, but sometimes I really, really do.
 

gailuvscats

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You know, those doors with the handicap buttons are REALLY heavy. I really have to push hard to get them open. I don't think lightweights could do it.
 

pami

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Originally Posted by valanhb

And what's worse is when these able-bodied people refuse to help those who actually do need assistance getting through those heavy doors (especially if the building has negative pressure and you really have to push or pull to get the door open). You know, the older folks in walkers and wheelchairs, the mothers with strollers, people on crutches. It's like no one even notices that there is another human being in the world besides them!
That is what "irks" me. It seems its been lost in our society, for the most part.
 

gingersmom

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I'm on the other side of this a bit - I generally push those buttons FOR people (then sneak through while they're still open 'cause yes, I'm lazy!
) I also hold doors open for folks with strollers, the elderly, etc.

I can't tell you how many times I have held the door for someone who walked right past me like I'm not even there, as if the door was opened and held open by magic! The worst offenders of this are old men, obviously not gentlemen!

I generally say, "You're WELCOME!" really loudly. It usually doesn't do anything except make me feel better, but I still think holding the doors is the right thing to do.
 

fwan

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that doesnt irk me.
What really irks me is that in the middle of winter, there are many women with strollers and people who are in weelchairs trying to get into a store, and alot of people will just walk past them as if they are invisible.
Once it took about 3 minutes as it was rush hour in frankfurt city, people were walking in and out of stores like crazy ants, and this lady was trying to get into the department store BUT NOBODY would hold it open for her! they would walk against her, infront of her as if she was nothing.
I held the door open for her, and for another two people in weelchairs.
Its really cold out here in winter im sure it is too in america, and i am just appaled that people my age, or even just a little older have no respect!
 

lilleah

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That doesnt irk me either.
I do that quite often actually. It's fun. My daughter gets a kick out of it, and so do I. And more times than not, someone will walk in behind me as well...
Guess I've never thought about the "repetitive strain on the mechanism".
I'm too simple for that.
 

babyharley

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It doesn't irk me either - but I do hold doors open for others, and help those who do need help - always. I know that if I were the one needing help, iId want others to be kind enough to help me too.
 
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lunchbox

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I sat there in the parking lot for about 20 minutes and people were just walking up, pushing the button. Young people, older people, men, women...

It was a strip mall, not a doctor's office or hospital.
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by lunchbox

I sat there in the parking lot for about 20 minutes and people were just walking up, pushing the button. Young people, older people, men, women...

It was a strip mall, not a doctor's office or hospital.
Yes some may have been truly abled bodied but I am sure there were a few like me ... Young and healthy looking... well I am not and sometimes I need that assistance
 

starryeyedtiger

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Originally Posted by gailuvscats

You know, those doors with the handicap buttons are REALLY heavy. I really have to push hard to get them open. I don't think lightweights could do it.
....I have to put my full body force behind it to open those doors! UHHHH They're sooo heavy!
 

jean44

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Originally Posted by valanhb

And what's worse is when these able-bodied people refuse to help those who actually do need assistance getting through those heavy doors (especially if the building has negative pressure and you really have to push or pull to get the door open). You know, the older folks in walkers and wheelchairs, the mothers with strollers, people on crutches. It's like no one even notices that there is another human being in the world besides them!
Yes, this is what makes me angry. For the last two years of his life my husband used a walker or wheelchair. He had a manual wheelchair because that is what our insurance would pay for but because he had a stroke he could not operate it and I had to push it. For the most part people were polite about opening doors for us but there were times when I struggled to hold a door open and get him through it in the wheelchair and no one helped.


So- let people push the button all they want. Just have enough consideration and compssion to help those who truly need it. You may be there yourself someday.
 

jean44

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Another side to the button pusher situation. This happened when I worked for the State of Hawaii. I worked in a large state office building with offices for many different state departments including Human Services (welfare) which was where I worked. All of us had seen people, employees and customers/clients, use the rest room and leave the room without washing their hands. Some of my coworkers became very concerned about this and wondered what kind of germs might be on the door handle to the rest room as a result of people using it with dirty hands. So they routinely used the opener button to open the door. But even in that case they used a paper towel to push the button, fearing there might be germs there too. I know this doesn't apply to most situations. Just an interesting thought.
 

katl8e

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Not everyone, who pushes those buttons has a VISIBLE disability. My late husband had a heart condition, lungs full of shrapnel and arthritis. I have spinal arthritis. These conditions can make it painful, to wrestle with a heavy door.
 

cat mommy

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And what's worse is when these able-bodied people refuse to help those who actually do need assistance getting through those heavy doors (especially if the building has negative pressure and you really have to push or pull to get the door open). You know, the older folks in walkers and wheelchairs, the mothers with strollers, people on crutches. It's like no one even notices that there is another human being in the world besides them!
Yes! What is wrong with people today? No one else thinks about anyone else... all they see is themselves
I worked customerservice until recently and I saw it every day. People pushing, running into each other with their strollers trying it get ahead of each other, just so they could all wait in line. People hardly say thank you anymore or please. What I couldn't stand was people not acknowledging my "hello". Common politeness... hello! It doesn't kill you to say hello back to someone! Off my
 
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lunchbox

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Ok this is the other one now (Cel). Instead of creating a button that you could use why not just make the whole door an automatic one. There are some that have difficulty with letting others know that they are not as able as the next person wether it be tendinitis, OCD, stroller, walker, or wheelchair. Make the door open as the norm not the norm being able to open the door. For me I know that those door handles to strip malls and even doctor's offices are NASTY!!!! I mean are those handles ever disinfected?
I was happy when two of our local supermarket chains put in those disinfectant wipes by the carts.
Now what really gets me is when I see people walking in or out of that strip mall with their pets (A Petco is inside) and letting them poop in the parking lot and they just leave it there.
Oh heck some owners I have seen don't even pick it up when the animal does it in the pet store. EEEEEWWWWW. Ok I am done my soap box.
 

4crazycats

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Originally Posted by lunchbox

When fully able-bodied people, instead of using their arm to open a door, have to push the blue handicapped button to get the door to open for them. They're willing to wait the 10 whole seconds for the door to open automatically than to open it themselves which would take maybe 2 seconds and prevent repetitive strain on the mechanism.
I sometimes push the button but most of the time I dont go places that you have to open doors. LOL I'm always surprised when Igo to a door and it doesnt open for me. I've ran into lots of doors. Sometimes because I walk to fast for thm to oen and sometimes because I thought they opened on there own. I guess that makes me lazy!
 

oscarsmommy

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Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

....I have to put my full body force behind it to open those doors! UHHHH They're sooo heavy!
I agree. If the doors weren't so heavy, I wouldn't push the button. I am not a strong enough person to open it. I DO however hold doors open for people all the time. And it does bother me when they don't say thank you. Where are your manners!? My three year olds have better manners than this.
 
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