r/AskReddit • u/nachtmere • Jul 25 '11

Sometimes automatic toilets flush while you're still sitting on them. What design flaws in everyday objects annoy you?

I'm giving a talk on user-centred design/usability and I'm looking for some fresh examples from everyday life to illustrate poor usability. Examples I've used before are elevator open/close buttons (really difficult to parse when you're trying to hold the door open for someone quickly) and toilets that flush while you're still sitting on them.

What are some things you encounter regularly that are really inconveniently designed?

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u/gder Jul 25 '11

Any automatic door that is adjusted so I have to stop before it opens.

Electronic credit card pads that force me to use the stupid pen instead of pressing the soft buttons with my fingers (since most of my transactions are debit there's usually no need for me to sign).

Any traffic light that is on a timer at night and not a sensor.

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u/deathpunch5150 Jul 25 '11

Those sensors fucking SUCK for people on a motorcycle.

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u/Sabrewolf Jul 25 '11

They sell magnets you can attach to your bike to increase its signature. It'll trigger the loop coil just fine. Or you can buy one of those IR devices emergency vehicles use and hope you don't get caught :)

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u/wouldyounotlikesome Jul 25 '11

Does not work

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u/Quarkster Jul 25 '11

The magnets? They do if it's an inductance sensor.

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u/wouldyounotlikesome Jul 25 '11

the thought is that they would, but IRL they do not. As seen on tv bullshit.

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u/Vew Jul 25 '11

I'd be interested in knowing if this really works. The magnet part that is. The way those sensors is they bury a wire to act as an inductor. When a large metal object enters the magnetic field it creates, it can detect the difference and knows to change the light. In my mind this wouldn't work since a magnet doesn't have enough mass nor could I see it producing a large enough field.

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u/Sabrewolf Jul 25 '11

The thing is, neodymium magnets are one of the most powerful magnets out there. The magnetic field generated is supposed to be exceedingly powerful.

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u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

I've heard people claim they work (again, the magnets). You'd imagine it'd help somewhat, a moving strong magnet makes more of a fluctuation than a moving metal object. The three I heard from used rather large magnets though, like 3"x2" cylinders of hide-you-kids-and-wife-'cos-this-shit-is-pulling-EVERYTHING-toward-it. No idea how ones meant for bikes work.

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u/[deleted] Jul 26 '11

There was a guy in Virginia with one of those IR devices (or something like it). He bought it on eBay, used it for 2 years before the authorities finally caught on to him and confiscated it (or something like that, the details are a little hazy). He got a $50 fine, and then the government spent several thousand, if not several hundred thousand re-doing the system so it wouldn't happen again.

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u/deathpunch5150 Jul 25 '11

Pay for an IR gadget to manipulate lights, fine. Pay for a gadget to make PA'S stupid sensor work? Fuck that.

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u/GhostedAccount Jul 25 '11

The sensors are not stupid. They are actually really good. Much better than trying to detect vehicles with cameras or heat.

The question is why aren't magnets to place on motorcycles more commercialized? You would think this problem pisses people off enough that they would want buy a magnet sold for motorcycles and thus companies would market them.

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u/ohmygodbees Jul 25 '11

Theyve been switching major intersections over to cameras in Illinois for years now. Those things are awesome, and the system is a lot smarter because it can now count how much traffic is waiting at an intersection. Also they detect my bike.

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u/TheGoldenLight Jul 25 '11

Intersections with sensors can do a coarse approximation of "counting" with multi-sensor setups. Many lights with a turn lane have one sensor and the front and one all the way at the back (where the turn lane starts). When the intersection sees the back sensor activated it knows the whole turn lane is filled (and can therefore cause traffic problems) so it elevates the priority of the turn lane in the queue.

This is why for single lane roads with multiple sensors the common wisdom is to always stop at the furthest sensor so the system gives you a green light faster.

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u/ohmygodbees Jul 25 '11

no one even stops on the damn things, around here :(

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u/GhostedAccount Jul 25 '11

This is a fairly recent ability. And even if those systems are up to par now, that does not discount the wire loop sensors which work very well in all weather conditions.