Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Door opening question

This is topic Door opening question in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 09-30-2006, 08:53 PM:

Why is it that so many people will not open the second door when entering or exiting through a double door?

I can only think of three explanations:

1. People are lazy
2. It is considered rude(?)
3. people are sheep and are confused with why no other person has tried using the other door and to spare themselves from looking foolish they take no action.

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 09-30-2006, 10:23 PM:

I don't understand. If I'm walking by myself through a double door, and only need to open 1 of them to get through, why would I open both of them? [Confused]

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 09-30-2006, 10:53 PM:

I think Chris had a long line that annoyingly chose to file through one of the possible two doors, rather than opening a larger opening for the saunter out...

I call into question the same logic of drivers who refuse to use the left lane a passing lane. [Roll Eyes]

Posted by Michael Gonzalez (Member # 593) on 09-30-2006, 10:53 PM:

Unless your just kidding David what I think Chris is referring to is that if a crowd of people like say a group of people exiting a theater after a show, the entire line of people will go out through the same door of the double door instead of using both doors and thus being able to exit easier and faster.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 09-30-2006, 11:05 PM:

My guess is that most people, being sheep, follow along with the crowd.

It is traditional to always enter or exit through the right hand side of a set of double hung doors. That way, people don't run into each other.

Most people in a crowd don't want to break tradition.

Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 09-30-2006, 11:43 PM:

Here is what I mean.

There are ten people exiting single file through one side of the double door. One person needs to enter through the same set of doors, but instead of opening the other door they will stand there and wait for the whole line to go through and then use the same door.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 09-30-2006, 11:55 PM:

Well in that situation, I think I would stand and wait for the people to come out, just out of courtesy. There is always the chance that one of the cattle will break free of the herd and bust through the second door, risking injury to my person.

We have four, count'em four sets of double doors in the front of our building. (Two sets inner, and two outer.) We usually prop at least half, and sometimes all, of them open at the end of a show (depending on crowd size). If we somehow forget to do this, without fail the crowd will ALL squeeeeeze through one door, even though they could easily push on any of the other doors to open them.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 10-01-2006, 01:43 AM:

In the situation that Chris gave, I go for option #4: Some people are freakin' morons! When I go into a place that has double doors, I don't care if people are coming out... I'll use the other door to go in. That's usually how it works, anyway. So far this has caused no catastrophes, but then again people know I will ruin their shit if they mess with me.

Posted by Charles Greenlee (Member # 3856) on 10-01-2006, 02:31 AM:

Or, when we had one of our doors break, the closer broke, we locked it. But we had the 2nd door, in the double door set, unlocked and usable, not to mention, I'd also unlock the exit doors, which are with the entrance doors, to add a 3/4 chance of them getting in. Yet people will go to the locked door, and tug, and tug, and jiggle, adn cup their hand on their brow and look in, and jiggle, and knok. I can't tell you how many customers I had to go show that the other doors open too. I tell you, must come from drinknig out of the local river or something.

Posted by Michael Gonzalez (Member # 593) on 10-01-2006, 01:10 PM:

Nah, it because of public edu'ma'cation. [Razz]

Posted by Chad Souder (Member # 343) on 10-01-2006, 04:43 PM:

quote: Joe Redifer
but then again people know I will ruin their shit if they mess with me.

That's funny stuff and I'm not being sarcastic. You made me laugh out loud all by my lonesome, which is not usual.

quote: Charles Greenlee
Or, when we had one of our doors break, the closer broke, we locked it.

Whoah, don't let the fire marshall read that. I think you need to keep all doors free to open and if the closer breaks, you just make sure you close it when the show starts, until you can get it fixed. Here, our doors are required to close on their own and never be propped open for fire reasons, but if a closer breaks you must keep a door opening freely until you can get it fixed.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-01-2006, 10:09 PM:

That must be the reason for those dopey "This door must be unlocked during business hours" signs you see all over the place. Apparently they need to tell the employees which doors to unlock?!

Posted by Rick Hunter (Member # 1606) on 10-02-2006, 02:41 AM:

quote: Randy Stankey
It is traditional to always enter or exit through the right hand side of a set of double hung doors. That way, people don't run into each other.

Maybe in the northern hemisphere...<g>

Posted by Charles Greenlee (Member # 3856) on 10-02-2006, 11:50 AM:

quote: Chad Souder
Whoah, don't let the fire marshall read that. I think you need to keep all doors free to open and if the closer breaks, you just make sure you close it when the show starts, until you can get it fixed. Here, our doors are required to close on their own and never be propped open for fire reasons, but if a closer breaks you must keep a door opening freely until you can get it fixed.

Not locked where the pushbar won't open them, but locked where pulling the handle from outside won't open them. If a fire starts, and you go running an screaming into the door, and hit the bar, it will let you through, no violations here.

Posted by Chad Souder (Member # 343) on 10-02-2006, 07:54 PM:

Ahh, that clarifies it. You mean latched, not locked.

Posted by Edwin Sheldon (Member # 4001) on 10-03-2006, 04:42 AM:

It IS locked...from the outside. The ones at the buildings in which I've worked could not physically lock from the inside. The whole point of a panicbar is so people can exit no matter what.

Posted by Anslem Rayburn (Member # 1267) on 10-03-2006, 05:45 AM:

quote: Edwin Sheldon
It IS locked...from the outside.

We control the incoming traffic using this same strategy. Anyone can get out in case of emergency (which satisfies the inspector), but WE control who's getting in.

I see no problem with this. If we had to make all of our outside doors open from the outside, we would have to double our staff just to keep control. Everyone is still safe if a fire or bomb-threat took place, as they can get out by pushing the bar (same as if it were open from the outside). We can lock them from the inside, as well, but never do. We don't even do it when the building is empty at night. Therefore, it is LATCHED from the outside. LOCKED means it cannot be opened without a key, from either side.

Posted by Charles Greenlee (Member # 3856) on 10-04-2006, 12:28 PM:

At night, we LATCH, our exit doors, but LOCK the entrance. We have to because the key to open the door does not operate the latch. So if we want to be able to get back in in the morning, we leave the entrance unlatched, but throw the bolt lock. When we open, we unlock them, and we're good to go.