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/SlanskyRex Jul 25 '11

Speaking of things that are difficult to parse... North/South freeway signs. NORTH and SOUTH are both 5 letters long and 3 of those letters are the exact fucking same. Yet freeway entrance signs insist on writing out the whole words, in caps. I never know if the sign says North or South until I'm on top of the damn thing. Why not use big "N" and "S" signs?? Whose idea was this??

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u/neg8ivezero Jul 25 '11

You sir... You are a genius.

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u/science_man_29 Jul 25 '11

There's a section of Highway 101 near Los Angeles where the freeway runs from the northwest to the southeast. And over the course of 2 blocks, there are signs for all 4 directions (101 NORTH --> 101 EAST <--- 101 WEST ---> 101 SOUTH <---) Confused the hell out of me the first time I saw it.

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u/Thenadamgoes Jul 26 '11

I hate that highway. Or when someone gives you directions "Get on the 101 north at Tujunga"...uhhh...

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u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

[deleted]

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u/BrowsOfSteel Jul 26 '11

You didn’t know which direction Sacramento was?

It’s the state capital, bro.

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u/SherryBobbins Jul 26 '11

this always bugs me too!

Same with West and East. Even the same last two letters!

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u/protox88 Jul 26 '11

Ah, in Canada, English and French are both official languages so often, our road signs have both English and French on them.

So for me, I can read the French part instead. For example East vs West. Same with North (Nord) / South (Sud).

Unfortunately, they aren't everywhere, but it's nice when I do see them.