4 ms·

Weird, I can't think of a single such placebo button that I press in my everyday life. Maybe this technique isn't as widespread here. For example, if I don't pr

by Kenji 11y ago

Weird, I can't think of a single such placebo button that I press in my everyday life. Maybe this technique isn't as widespread here. For example, if I don't press the button on pedestrian crossings, it'll never go green. If I don't press the button of the train door, it won't open or the train will even skip the station if nobody presses the button. That being said, I hate the new trend of 'touch' buttons. I really like a tactile feedback, telling me that the mechanism registered my interaction. It feels more solid and reliable.

hellweaver666 11y ago
Are you sure? Have you ever risked not pressing the door open button on the train?
- Kenji 11y ago
  Yes. The results I described have all actually happened.
- metasean 11y ago
  My experience is the same. If I don't press the open door button on the train then the door doesn't open; if I press the button, then the door opens. One of my train start locations is at the end of the line. The train idles there for 10-15 minutes and because of supposed placebo buttons I've actually used this time to experiment and see if the doors will trigger based on anything other than the button and they do not. In the same vain, I'm sure there are city intersections that always trigger regardless of pressing the button, but when I've had the time, I've waited patiently through up to three full rotations of intersection lights without getting a pedestrian crossing in either direction. But, lo-and-behold, when I finally press the button, I'll get the pedestrian light in my direction and the the other one still doesn't trigger.
  - aidos 11y ago
    I used to take the train everyday out of London (SW trains). As an optimisation geek I wanted to know the fastest way to get the doors open at the station. If you just keep the button held down from before you arrive into the station the door will open as soon as the conductor flips the switch. Though there's a weird awkward social thing, because you know the people behind you are staring at you thinking "take your finger off and push it again and the doors will open, idiot!" I go through pedestrian crossings regularly when you absolutely need to push the button or they never trigger. You can tell if someone hasn't been through for a while because the crossing changes straight away.
quarterto 11y ago
On the London Underground, every single "Open Door" button is a placebo. All of the doors open all of the time (unless the platform's too short). It's not the case on main line trains or the Docklands Light Railway.
- notauser 11y ago
  They sometimes active the Open Door buttons at outdoor stations when it is very cold / snowing. For example I've been on an underground train where this happened at Hendon station on the Northern Line.
- crottypeter 11y ago
  Maybe in zone 1, maybe in zone 2 ... at some stations you have to press the button to open the train doors.
erikb 11y ago
These kind of buttons aren't commonplace in many areas of that planet. But they are very common in elevators for the door closing. In other areas I also have never seen one, but in many elevators of Berlin the button for closing the door isn't even connected to the electricity.
- chrisBob 11y ago
  The elevator door close buttons may not do anything most of the time, but they aren't there just for decoration. Their primary purpose is for emergency personnel who have turned the key to the emergency or firefighter setting. When in that mode the doors only open when you push open and only close when you push close. I would be very surprised if you could confirm that you have been on an elevator where these buttons weren't wired up.
  - erikb 11y ago
    Interesting information. I'll look into that when I'm in an elevator the next time. With our office elevator for example I don't remember that you have "superuser" control from the inside at all. I always thought it's only possible from the security office next door or if you are on top of the elevator.

by Kenji 11y ago

hellweaver666 11y ago

Are you sure? Have you ever risked not pressing the door open button on the train?

Kenji 11y ago
Yes. The results I described have all actually happened.
metasean 11y ago
My experience is the same. If I don't press the open door button on the train then the door doesn't open; if I press the button, then the door opens. One of my train start locations is at the end of the line. The train idles there for 10-15 minutes and because of supposed placebo buttons I've actually used this time to experiment and see if the doors will trigger based on anything other than the button and they do not. In the same vain, I'm sure there are city intersections that always trigger regardless of pressing the button, but when I've had the time, I've waited patiently through up to three full rotations of intersection lights without getting a pedestrian crossing in either direction. But, lo-and-behold, when I finally press the button, I'll get the pedestrian light in my direction and the the other one still doesn't trigger.
- aidos 11y ago
  I used to take the train everyday out of London (SW trains). As an optimisation geek I wanted to know the fastest way to get the doors open at the station. If you just keep the button held down from before you arrive into the station the door will open as soon as the conductor flips the switch. Though there's a weird awkward social thing, because you know the people behind you are staring at you thinking "take your finger off and push it again and the doors will open, idiot!" I go through pedestrian crossings regularly when you absolutely need to push the button or they never trigger. You can tell if someone hasn't been through for a while because the crossing changes straight away.

quarterto 11y ago

On the London Underground, every single "Open Door" button is a placebo. All of the doors open all of the time (unless the platform's too short). It's not the case on main line trains or the Docklands Light Railway.

notauser 11y ago
They sometimes active the Open Door buttons at outdoor stations when it is very cold / snowing. For example I've been on an underground train where this happened at Hendon station on the Northern Line.
crottypeter 11y ago
Maybe in zone 1, maybe in zone 2 ... at some stations you have to press the button to open the train doors.

erikb 11y ago

These kind of buttons aren't commonplace in many areas of that planet. But they are very common in elevators for the door closing. In other areas I also have never seen one, but in many elevators of Berlin the button for closing the door isn't even connected to the electricity.

chrisBob 11y ago
The elevator door close buttons may not do anything most of the time, but they aren't there just for decoration. Their primary purpose is for emergency personnel who have turned the key to the emergency or firefighter setting. When in that mode the doors only open when you push open and only close when you push close. I would be very surprised if you could confirm that you have been on an elevator where these buttons weren't wired up.
- erikb 11y ago
  Interesting information. I'll look into that when I'm in an elevator the next time. With our office elevator for example I don't remember that you have "superuser" control from the inside at all. I always thought it's only possible from the security office next door or if you are on top of the elevator.