Timeline for Why do door knobs still exist?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
14 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2, 2014 at 20:17 | comment | added | RBarryYoung | I have a cat that can open horizontal door levers, plus I have lost at least two expensive suits to getting one of the pockets caught on a lever handle. More than enough reason to prefer door knobs in many situations. | |
| May 28, 2014 at 15:27 | comment | added | GalacticCowboy | There are also safety systems that make it possible for an adult to open a door, but for children (with smaller/weaker hands) to be unable to do so. Of course, they only work with a round knob. | |
| May 28, 2014 at 14:34 | comment | added | Voo | I've seen the two cats of my friends open doors by jumping up and catching the handle - it got that bad that they now have to lock their front door all the time to avoid the cats getting out. So yep bad usability can be an advantage. On the other hand seeing a cat hang on a door handle is entertainment for hours. | |
| May 28, 2014 at 4:27 | comment | added | Brian S | @Ryan, I had a friend in high school who's Labrador would open doors with doorknobs, so it's not foolproof! :) | |
| May 27, 2014 at 20:19 | comment | added | Shaz | I just want to say that the whole reason I use knobs is so my dogs can't open doors. I've had a husky who was keen on opening doors, and my Great Pyrenees does it too. Both are capable of handling several types of locks as well. My Pyrenees and lab have even teamed up when attempting to open doors. There are a lot of breeds of dog that are smart enough to use doors if given the chance, so for owners of medium to large dogs, it's a very real concern. | |
| May 27, 2014 at 3:39 | comment | added | IQAndreas | I'm at the exact height so that I also constantly get belt loops stuck in the door handles. | |
| May 26, 2014 at 16:21 | comment | added | JonW♦ | Is this actually the reason for them existing though, or are you just applying some retrocausality - assuming a reason where one may not exist? Do the suppliers state this is why they make them or is it more "it's just how we've always made them"? | |
| May 26, 2014 at 14:24 | comment | added | AJ Henderson | I don't think it is worth adding another answer because this one already alluded to it, but keep in mind the knob also occupies less space in general, so if the handle is considered an eye-sore in general, the knob is the lowest possible profile. A lever is basically just a knob with a handle attached. | |
| May 26, 2014 at 12:41 | comment | added | Édouard Lopez | What @PlasmaHH describes is known as the network effect | |
| May 26, 2014 at 12:40 | comment | added | Édouard Lopez | I agree with the "catchy-thing" argument but I reckon the lever-style handles have a better call-to-action/affordance | |
| May 26, 2014 at 10:18 | comment | added | PlasmaHH | I still think those are not big enough (dis)advantages that any side switches to the other; people use them because people around them use them. | |
| May 26, 2014 at 9:37 | comment | added | Sebastian Negraszus | @MladenJablanović Depends on their age and whether you want them to be able to open the door :) | |
| May 26, 2014 at 9:24 | comment | added | Mladen Jablanović | I thought that difficulty for the kids opening them would be a disadvantage in most cases? | |
| May 26, 2014 at 8:59 | history | answered | Franchesca | CC BY-SA 3.0 |