Whoops....

[davidgillon]

In the accessible loo at my usual Saturday place, go to leave and the door is so heavy the chair moves backwards. So I gave it a damned good push....

... into the passing waitress. Bowl of rice flies through the air and god knows what else lands on the floor, I had to slalom around a big dollop of mayo or cream when I  did emerge. (I said sorry, she glared).

It's their fault for having such a heavy door,  but...

Whoops!

Comments

[serene]

Universal design benefits everyone! If doors are easier to use, that's better for you and the servers!

[untonuggan]

^^ this

(also people with young children, people with arthritis... )

[lilysea]

It's their fault for having such a heavy door

It *really* is.

[jesse_the_k]

I can so relate. That door was an "attractive nuisance." It appears to be useful, but bites when you try to interact.

Do UK access design guidelines include power door openers? (The government's "Opening Doors" campaign makes this particularly hard to search.) Tragically ADA only requires "5lb pull" while permitted heavier outside doors in windy conditions.

Driving skills in my powerchair took a year to be solidly available. But before then, I ate in restaurants where I could get through the door, but the table/chair situation was optimal for a preying mantis. I did manage to back and forth myself into place and scarf my delicious lunch. I then go full-power backwards into the condiments table, spraying soy sauce, pepper sauce, many salt & pepper containers skyward.

I felt like a deep-fried turd, but the manager apologized for the tight quarters.

[davidgillon]

It's in BS:8300 (BS = British Standard)

For disabled people to have independent access through single or double swing doors, the opening force, when measured at the leading edge of the door, should be not more than 30 N from 0° (the door in the closed position) to 30° open, and not more than 22.5 N from 30° to 60° of the opening cycle.

Where, in order to meet the above opening force limits, the door-closing device is insufficient to keep an entrance door closed against external conditions, consideration should be given to installing one of the following door closing systems:

a power operated (automatic) door - sliding, balanced or swing;
a low energy swing door;
a power operated revolving door assembly; [but note the caveats about use of revolving door assemblies in BS 8300 paragraph 6.3.5]
an entrance lobby or air lock system of inner and outer doors; or
for the purposes of Building Regulations in England and Wales, a low power rated door closer on a door fitted with a suitable latch.

(And a whole bunch more relating to special cases such as fire doors).

[jesse_the_k]

Brilliant!

Thanks for pointing me to the right direction. Maybe I can steal some wording for my crosswalk campaigns.

Can't quite tell from the wording whether the 30N max must be enforced, so therefore the "consideration" is mandatory or merely recommended.

It's hard enough decoding US regulations, much less leap cross the pond!

[davidgillon]

I suspect it's enforceable, but unlikely to be checked unless you've annoyed the building inspector.