RANT: Workplace bathrooms

I’d like to write about a topic that every so often drives me absolutely nuts. In my workplace, we have the automatic door openers that are required because of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In particular, beside the door for the men’s and ladies’ rooms, there are big, shiny, metallic buttons with the familiar “outline of a wheelchair” logo. Now, call me a purist when it comes to things meant specifically for the handicapped, but I don’t use these buttons. I don’t park in handicapped spaces, nor do I take advantage of automatic door openers (unless, of course, that’s the only way into a place).

What drives me nuts is when perfectly healthy people use these buttons to open the door. My instinct is to scream “When did YOU become too good to open a door?”, but because I’m a quiet, reserved guy by nature, I only think-scream it. It drives me crazy to see people walk up to the button, press the button, then stand there in the doorway, waiting for the door to open. Thought-scream: “GO ON THROUGH ALREADY! IT’S NOT LIKE YOU’RE THE BRIDE AT A WEDDING!”

Now, I’ve tried to consider the arguments for using the buttons.
(1) The door is covered with germs. Reply: so is the button.
(2) I’m a wuss. Reply: You indeed must be if you can’t push the door open, even with your arm/elbow/shoulder/back.
(3, which happens for the button on the inside of the restroom) I just washed my hands. Reply: So you’re going to take your clean hands back to your cube, put them on those nasty chair-arms, sit at a dusty, germ-infested desk, and type on a keyboard that was last cleaned WHEN?

In other words, if you’re able, show some dignity and belief in the good-old quasi-American attitude of not needing help for things you can do well on your own. This intended convenience is just a small part of the larger growing issue of doing only enough to get by.

And frankly, I’m part of that issue myself.