Hacker News Reader

Comment by bobajeff | Hacker News Reader

Let's break the toilet taboo already. I'm tired of every public restroom I go to being pull to open. Sometimes even the stalls are pull to open (which is hard to do in such a tight space).

Also, how about those self cleaning toilets Japan has? And paper seat pads that actually fit the seat they are intended for. Maybe put some elastic band in the paper to hold the paper on the seat.

View on HN

The "open inwards" issue is due to building codes prohibiting doors from blocking traffic in a hallway. I think you'll find that most doors that aren't in hallways actually do open outwards.

Many restrooms that aren't in a hallway still open inwards in my area.

"Pull to open" is ambiguous, as doors that pull to open are push to open when you go the opposite direction. Which way does the door swing (into the room or out)?

It seems he refers to pull-to-open when exiting.

In a stall, it's hard because there's no space. For the main door, it's unsanitary, especially if there are no paper towels (but rather air drying).

Yep that's exactly what I mean.

Lack of paper towels always kind of irks me... "but the trees" they're a renewable resource... With paper towels you can wipe down the handle after washing, toss the towel and you're good and the handle is cleaner.

Can you elaborate on "pull to open" and why it's a problem. I'm not sure what you're talking about.

Pulling towards you as you exit. Particularly with stalls: This means you're unhygienic hands are touching a handle that everyone else will have to touch (and has touched). With respect to the bathroom exit: Somehow grown men (and women? Don't use their bathroom so can't say for certain) haven't learned to wash their hands after using the toilet. At least I know who not to shake hands with in my office, and who isn't allowed to touch my workstation.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com