I Hate Automatic Faucets

I had a devil of a time finding a place to shave today. The first place I tried was out of hot water due to the severe storms that had passed through the area and knocked out part of their power system.

The second and third places both had those annoying automatic faucets. One can't possibly adjust the water temperature to get nice hot water from those things. It's also a pain to have to keep waving your hand under it to get water flowing to rinse the razor every few seconds.

I finally found a place that had real faucets, lots of nice hot water, and a decent sink area where I could lay out my gear.

There outta be a law that requires at least one real faucet in truckstop restrooms. After fighting with my rig through those rough storms I was looking forward to a nice shave and didn't want to fight with high tech faucets in the bargain. grrrrr

Oh man I never even considered this problem when traveling. That sucks Mason. I can't rinse my razors under faucets anyway unless the water pressure is really good. I have to swish them pretty good in a sink full of water instead.

I am laughing my tail off.. not at you Mason but at me.. I had to pick up something from the computer store yesterday and used the bathroom and they had an automatic faucet. I had never seen one before and had a heck of a time figuring out how to work it. Once I did, I have to admit I started giggling and waving my hands under it just because I thought it was so cool.. I thought this was the first one in the world of course....and I am not admitting to the happy dance. I wouldn't even feel so bad about this, but all the way home I kept thinking it was the coolest thing I had ever seen.....

I will go crawl under my rock now....

Mason, a suggestion. If you have a rag with you or if the washroom has paper towels instead of blowers, take that and place it over the sensor, it should keep the water running. At work there is sometimes the opposite problem. They have the autoflush toilets in the restrooms, but they can be a bit hypersensitive, flushing if you move wrong. People have started taking post-it notes to cover the sensors till they are completely finished.

Yeah, we have those in our bathrooms at work now. Honestly, they are great for that. They give you water when your hand is there, and not otherwise. The temp is fine. The squeamish don't have to touch anything. But somewhere where a person would be trying to shave, I see why it would be a REAL pain.

Oh, we have automatic soap, to. Same deal, there is another little faucet looking think sticking out over the sink to one side. You put your hand in front of it, there is a whirring noise from the ceiling, it goes "splut" and squirts a little liquid in your hand.

-Mo

I absolutely hate the automatic toilets...nothing worse than sitting there doing your business when it decides it wants to flush. Scares me every single time....I am always trying to stand up off of the toilet a bit so as not to get wet. And that water aint exactly clean until its done flushing......what is that an automatic curtesy flush? argggghhhh...they need a warning.

I always cover the sensor on those toilets with a bit of toilet paper. Doing it with the faucets may work but you still have no way to adjust the water temp to get good hot water for a shave.

Mama Bear, I find it hard to believe you've never seen those before. They've been out for like 10 years now. Many truckstops these days have automatic faucets, soap dispensers, paper towel dispensers, and toilets.

When did people become so phobic about germs? I can understand not wanting to catch anything but good grief!

But then, I don't eat at buffets due to the far too large number of people who fail to wash their hands after using the restroom and then head straight to the buffet. Yuk!

Just one good old fashioned faucet. Is that too much to ask?

MasonM said:

When did people become so phobic about germs? I can understand not wanting to catch anything but good grief!

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Its really funny -- people go around all day touching doorknobs, railings, elevator buttons, writing utensils, electronics, etc etc etc, and the fact of the matter is that many of these surfaces are every bit as germ-ridden as the bathroom faucet.

I'm not sure why we're so paranoid about the bathroom fixtures. In fact, the paper ***-gaskets blow me away too. The fleshy part of your butt is one of the cleanest parts of your skin. I understand if you're in a bathroom with a serial "splatter" problem, but its completely ridiculous to use one of these and not even shirk at the door handle on the way out of the bathroom.

We humans are a hardy breed. We have the amazing ability to fend off pathogens of all varieties, and we're rather well evolved to handle the normal flora that'll undoubtedly pop up in the bathroom, automatic faucet or no. In my expert opinion, automatic toilets and faucet handles are red herrings of sorts with respect to the microorganisms we encounter everywhere else. There's no avoiding it people! Deal with it!

I think one of the reasons for the automatic faucets is to cut down on water. You can't easily leave an automatic faucet on and then leave the bathroom.


Andrew

bearbeard said:

I absolutely hate the automatic toilets...nothing worse than sitting there doing your business when it decides it wants to flush. Scares me every single time....I am always trying to stand up off of the toilet a bit so as not to get wet. And that water aint exactly clean until its done flushing......what is that an automatic curtesy flush? argggghhhh...they need a warning.

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I was just talking about that with my wife the other day and she rolled her eyes at me. "Dont we have anything better to talk about then why you cant use the toilet right?" is the response I got. I thought I was the only one! You have to spend like 10 mins moving around, finding just the right spot where the sensor dosent pick you up.

Mini-T said:

I think one of the reasons for the automatic faucets is to cut down on water. You can't easily leave an automatic faucet on and then leave the bathroom.


Andrew

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Yeah, I always figured we were "blessed" with these infernal contraptions because some dimwit couldn't figure out that they should turn the faucet off! Same with the toilet. Nitwits that couldn't see fit to flush after doing their business.

Alas, I believe we are more a victim of our collective laziness rather than germ-o-phobia.

MasonM said:

But then, I don't eat at buffets due to the far too large number of people who fail to wash their hands after using the restroom and then head straight to the buffet. Yuk!

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Yikes! I'll never eat at a buffet again!

Mason sorry for your bad experience. I've never had to shave anywhere outside of my home. (If I went on vacation I grew a beard).

I too despise automatic faucets and I've only washed my hands in those sinks. I can't imagine trying to shave there. I would have ripped the pipe out of the wall, now that'll give you as much water as you need.

Mama Bear said:

I am laughing my tail off.. not at you Mason but at me.. I had to pick up something from the computer store yesterday and used the bathroom and they had an automatic faucet. I had never seen one before and had a heck of a time figuring out how to work it. Once I did, I have to admit I started giggling and waving my hands under it just because I thought it was so cool.. I thought this was the first one in the world of course....and I am not admitting to the happy dance. I wouldn't even feel so bad about this, but all the way home I kept thinking it was the coolest thing I had ever seen.....

I will go crawl under my rock now....

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Mama Bear, you really need to get out more.

Now that we have automatic faucets and automatic toilets and urinals, I 'm waiting for the deluxe automatic urinal that unzips you and provides a "gentle shake" when you're done. Now that would be progress.

Larry C in Texas said:

Mama Bear, you really need to get out more.

Now that we have automatic faucets and automatic toilets and urinals, I 'm waiting for the deluxe automatic urinal that unzips you and provides a "gentle shake" when you're done. Now that would be progress.

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Yeah, maybe a little TOO much progress!

fuerein said:

Yeah, maybe a little TOO much progress!

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That does not mean it would necessarily be bad though

Alas, I believe we are more a victim of our collective laziness rather than germ-o-phobia.

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I have to agree with you on that.

I dunno, for the shaving it is a problem, I agree. But they are there to save water, more than anything to do with germs. And frankly, for bathrooms where people pretty much just wash their hands, I'm not sure they are such a bad thing. Even for people who can remember to turn off the water, these will save it. It's easy to get annoyed, but frankly, spend some time studying water supplies, especially out west and/or south Florida, and what we are doing in order to continue to provide water at the rate we use it, and you might not object so much to the annoying water saving measures.

That said, Mason, I would still be pretty POed about having to SHAVE with one. That crosses the line. I mean, don't they know - it is a truck stop bathroom, for heaven's sake - people are going to be using the sinks to shave.

-Mo

Mo, being originally from New Mexico, I agree with you about the need for water savings. In many rest stops, etc. out West you are likely to see waterless toilets or urinals.

But shaving with one of these sinks is definitely a setback to civilization.

Mama Bear said:

I am laughing my tail off.. not at you Mason but at me.. I had to pick up something from the computer store yesterday and used the bathroom and they had an automatic faucet. I had never seen one before and had a heck of a time figuring out how to work it. Once I did, I have to admit I started giggling and waving my hands under it just because I thought it was so cool.. I thought this was the first one in the world of course....and I am not admitting to the happy dance. I wouldn't even feel so bad about this, but all the way home I kept thinking it was the coolest thing I had ever seen.....

I will go crawl under my rock now....

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She doesn't know how to use the three seashells!





(Demolition man, anyone? )