Saturday, June 30, 2007

funny doors

today i had some great bad door locking moments. the first involves a change room in a mall. i entered the change room and couldn't figure out how to lock the door. i looked at the handle, nothing. i look around the handle, nothing. then i look up and notice a lone screw, sticking up at the top of the door, about half a room above my head. here it is:



what would you do with a screw like this? well, i turn it, and it starts going in. then i turn it the other way, and it starts coming out. but neither action actually locks the door. here's my sister and i, filming an interaction with the door.




and now here's the mechanism (shot from above, door in locked position):



the second door locking problem is even more amusing, but i didn't take any pictures because my sister somehow convinced me not to. i go into a bathroom stall in a ukranian cultural center in new jersey, and i can't lock the door. the alignment of door latch to lock is all wrong, and so the door cannot be locked. i puzzle for a moment, conclude that this door must be broken, and go to the next stall. the same thing! so i try a third stall. the same thing, again! i can't lock the door. is this some kind of sick joke? i can't find anyone to ask, but i'm sure it must be.

4 comments:

Hein Roehrig said...

That store must have been quite fancy :) I think this lock is for the shop assistants, one of whom was supposed to have shown you to your change room and have unlocked the door for you.

om said...

i thought about that but it doesn't seem right. just give me a normal door with a normal lock and i can figure out how to open and close it. in the video, you see the girl's hand appear to let me out -- that's actually quite disturbing. i shouldn't feel locked in the change room! i think they might've had the idea as you describe it, but it doesn't make sense in my mind.

bea said...

Huh---I wonder if I should use those locks in the bathrooms--it would be amusing to see everyone so confused!

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