Idiots and Doors

[South Texan]

My office has an exterior door. The building's interior has been remodeled so many times, there is no telling what the door's original purpose might have been, but it is still functional as an emergency exit.

There is a large sign on it stating it is not an entrance to the building, and a big arrow accompanies a statement as to where the main entrance is. At least five or six times a day, I hear someone yanking on the door handle (sometimes savagely) or knocking on it to have it opened. When I don't respond, at least half the time the person will tap on my window to get my attention. If I then point out the sign, they look dumbfounded and often very confused.

I just had someone yell at me that since I would not allow her in through that door, then I had "legally prevented" her from resolving her tickets since it was "illegal for any door to a public building to be locked", so she was "legally released from the charges". I told her to try that one on any judge when she gets picked up for her warrants and see how far it gets her.

I wonder if she ever came in.

[Jay 2K Winger]

I see that the Midvale School for the Gifted is still churning out graduates.

[Grumpy]

I told her to try that one on any judge when she gets picked up for her warrants and see how far it gets her.

Seeing that would be worth a day's pay.

[dalesys]

Could you install a lawn sprinkler that covers the door area with a control for the valve at your desk?

[notalwaysright]

There is a large sign on it stating it is not an entrance to the building, and a big arrow accompanies a statement as to where the main entrance is.

Ah, yes I think I've seen that... Hundreds of times? More? Yet these people have "never" come across it before in their entire life, and obviously can't figure out what an arrow means. Maybe they think you're going to shoot them with an arrow?

[Marmalady]

I see that the Midvale School for the Gifted is still churning out graduates.

Gary Larson ftw. It's been a while since I saw his cartoons, have to go look them up again.

[South Texan]

Could you install a lawn sprinkler that covers the door area with a control for the valve at your desk?

Evil, but would it ever be fun!

[Mr Hero]

Maybe they think you're going to shoot them with an arrow?

Arrows are a very serious matter. I can't count the number of knee injuries that have occurred because of them.

[Argabarga]

Well, seeing as traffic court is bound to collect people predisposed to not follow arrows in the first place........

[Shyla]

Fascinating legal argument. I don't think I've heard that one before.

[csquared]

Could you install a lawn sprinkler that covers the door area with a control for the valve at your desk?

Evil, but would it ever be fun!

Actually, that would be pretty easy to setup. Can I help?

[evilhomer]

I just love when people start spewing out "legal" precedents; as if saying it with authority is going to somehow make it true. And I can just see the subsequent trial: "Yeah, I yelled these through a window at some guy.... I can go now right???"

[Brojekk]

Arrows are a very serious matter. I can't count the number of knee injuries that have occurred because of them.

Yes...there's been alot of that lately...so many people can no longer be what they once were because of an arrow to the knee.
I can just picture South Texan slowly turning the valve...all the while never breaking eye contact with the SC outside the door.

[Ironclad Alibi]

... since it was "illegal for any door to a public building to be locked", ...

I wonder if she will try that argument at the jail?

[wolfie]

since it was "illegal for any door to a public building to be locked"

My guess is there's some truth to that, but it got distorted all out of proportion in the retelling.

It would be reasonable to require that during business hours (i.e. when the public has access), all doors in a publicly-accessible building not be locked in such a way that they can't be opened FROM THE INSIDE. This would be for fire safety purposes - anyone inside can exit via the nearest door without worrying about whether or not it's locked. On the other hand, fire safety does NOT require that people be able to ENTER via any door, so it would be quite reasonable for secondary doors to be locked from the outside but have a "panic bar" to open them from the inside.