January 2009
The Archives
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Elevators
Elevator Etiquette Part 6: The Open and Close Door Buttons
They don’t do much, at least not mechanically
The Open and Close door buttons are not there in the elevator so that impatient people can press them thirty-five times every time the elevator stops. Most elevator doors open for a set amount of time. Once the people getting out have gotten out, the doors tend to close up again rather[...]
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Customer Service
On Customer Service Part 3: Physical Presence Trumps Technology
People in the store get helped before people on the phone.
This one seems obvious, but in today’s world of telephony everywhere, many employees seem to have forgotten that servicing a customer on the telephone while customers in the store are waiting is a big no-no.
I understand that stores tend to be understaffed. And I know people call stores constantly with some of the most inane questions imaginable.[...]
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Restroom
Men’s Room Etiquette Part 5: Lifting the Seat
It doesn’t always need to be down
I’m going to buck conventional wisdom a bit on this one, so bear with me, please. I know it’s practically considered gospel that toilet seats should always be left down after use, but I just don’t agree.
Women always need the seat down. Men need it down sometimes, up other times. So mathematically speaking, it is true that the seat is used in the down[...]
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Driving
Regarding Driving Part 5: Stop Signs
They don’t turn green
Many native Californians have told me that when they were taught how to drive, the official instruction for stopping at a stop sign was to stop completely, count to three, and then start up again.
This is ridiculous.
Let’s take a moment to step back and think about why stop signs[...]
