Vancouver Bans Doorknobs!

[Eldorado]

'Doorknobs are being phased out in Vancouver.

The new building bylaw, to come into effect in March 2014, bans doorknobs in new homes, favouring the more accessible door handle instead.'

'Vancouver Coun. Geoff Meggs said residents who want doorknobs in their new homes cannot install them.

"No, I don’t think so. They would be asked to put in an accessible doorknob,” Meggs said.'

Full story: http://www.torontosun.com/2013/11/20/vancouver-to-ban-doorknobs

What the hell is an 'accessible doorknob'?

[+OverSword]

weird

Edited November 21, 2013 by OverSword

[Bendy Demon]

How...moronic.

Who are they to assume knobs are "useless"? Don't they have real issues to attend to instead of dictating what peoples private homes "must" have" because some moldy, fuddy-duddy says something is useless?

[+and-then]

Maybe the offending idiot got hit in the backside by one

[Likely Guy]

What the hell is an 'accessible doorknob'?

It's a door handle that pivots like a knob, same physics. A guy I know had both his hands burnt off years ago in a powerline accident. He can't physically grasp a normal doorknob with his hooks (he's been trapped in more than one room), also a lot of the elderly and infirm also may not have the neccesary hand strength.

Part of the legislation I think also includes thicker framing in bathrooms to allow for the later instalization of 'grab bars' by the toilet and bath, also lower light switches I think.

By the way, this is only for new construction. I think it's a positive step in the right direction myself.

[Wickian]

I guess next they'll be telling you what colors you'll be allowed to paint your children's bedroom walls to "promote a positive ambiance".

[Bendy Demon]

I guess next they'll be telling you what colors you'll be allowed to paint your children's bedroom walls to "promote a positive ambiance".

Don't say that out loud or they'll hear you.

Seriously I am sure they are probably cooking up something much like that.

But if people just sit idly by and nod complacently then they shouldn't be surprised when the new laws become more and more intrusive and controlling.

Edited November 21, 2013 by Ryu

[zebra99]

This is typical civil servant interference to boost their self importance.Matters like this should be based on advice not compulsion.

[+joc]

...used to be you could escape to USA to get away from this madness...

[Frank Merton]

We need zoning laws and safety laws, and while sometimes they add expense and so must be weighed, this cannot be avoided. I hate to think what would happen to my nice tidy neighborhood if there weren't restrictions on opening businesses, construction standards, yard standards, and so on. Sometimes they are a pain and sometimes people go overboard. Part of living.

[Likely Guy]

Yes Frank, it will be part of their civic building code. But while others react to the apparent ludicrousness of 'door knob legislation', other people have to unneccesarily adapt to the dinosaurs who demand access to their unaltered god given right to a spherical doorknob.

Don't be a knob. Get a handle!

Edit: This was part of my earlier post.

[Frank Merton]

The thing about the States that always gets me is the 110 AC power supply. Talk about dangerous.

[Likely Guy]

The thing about the States that always gets me is the 110 AC power supply. Talk about dangerous.

Yeah, we got that here too, just for compatabilty reasons.

But seriously, here in western-most Canada we're actively trying to build an inclusive environment for the disabled, and here in this thread people mock it, or moan about 'their rights'.

Frank, you live in Vietnam. I imagine that your population is probably over represented in the disabled department, as well as Cambodia, Laos, etc.

[seaturtlehorsesnake]

in many public buildings, i believe it's required that they have ramps or some other form of access for handicapped people, and it's been that way for a while. people complained about that back when it was new, but it's a good thing. buildings should be accessible.

[Frank Merton]

Yeah, we got that here too, just for compatabilty reasons.

But seriously, here in western-most Canada we're actively trying to build an inclusive environment for the disabled, and here in this thread people mock it, or moan about 'their rights'.

Frank, you live in Vietnam. I imagine that your population is probably over represented in the disabled department, as well as Cambodia, Laos, etc.

The wars were over forty years ago so that generation is passing. Hell that includes me.

[Likely Guy]

in many public buildings, i believe it's required that they have ramps or some other form of access for handicapped people, and it's been that way for a while. people complained about that back when it was new, but it's a good thing. buildings should be accessible.

Yeah, but the 'weird' thing is that people will be required to build new houses (not public buildings) in mind that they should also be accessible.

Wow. What a progressive/fascist initiative, and I support it. It adds next to nothing to the construction costs but (Ooooh!) it may in the future, deny you your god given right to a spherical door knob!

As I said before to those people, get a handle on what's really important.

[Frank Merton]

Didn't car hood ornaments get banned under similar protest?

[Likely Guy]

The wars were over forty years ago so that generation is passing. Hell that includes me.

And me, but I'm only a few steps behind you (albeit a couple decades) but we should strive for physical inclusivity.

It's not a luxury, it should be a right. Yes?

[Likely Guy]

Didn't car hood ornaments get banned under similar protest?

That they'll stab pedestrians before/while you run them over after inflicting further unnecesary damage. Heck yeah. But that's not similar to this at all.

This isn't a 'protest', it's a civic initiative to strengthen current building codes that will further enfranchise the disabled and elderly, that won't cost that much to new construction, that's also yet to pass.

"/Don't worry yet, all you spherical doorknob lovers and patriots out there! Don't give up the good fight! Say NO! to handles!"

[Wickian]

Yeah, we got that here too, just for compatabilty reasons.

But seriously, here in western-most Canada we're actively trying to build an inclusive environment for the disabled, and here in this thread people mock it, or moan about 'their rights'.

Frank, you live in Vietnam. I imagine that your population is probably over represented in the disabled department, as well as Cambodia, Laos, etc.

I can see the logic in it I suppose, but how far is this banning going? If someone buys a new house, and decides they want a doorknob, will they be able to? Or is it just a ban on construction companies using knobs?

If it's just a ban on house construction using them, then who cares? If you're shelling out the money for a new house I'm sure you can afford a doorknob to install by yourself.

If it's a ban on their use entirely, then that's way too far. Why should you be mandated to use a type of doorknob you don't want to accommodate a fraction of the local population? If someone comes to your house without hands you'll probably open the door for them since they're a guest anyway.

[Likely Guy]

I can see the logic in it I suppose, but how far is this banning going? If someone buys a new house, and decides they want a doorknob, will they be able to? Or is it just a ban on construction companies using knobs?

If it's just a ban on house construction using them, then who cares? If you're shelling out the money for a new house I'm sure you can afford a doorknob to install by yourself.

If it's a ban on their use entirely, then that's way too far. Why should you be mandated to use a type of doorknob you don't want to accommodate a fraction of the local population? If someone comes to your house without hands you'll probably open the door for them since they're a guest anyway.

It's not an outright, immediate 'ban' on the spherical doorknob in existing homes. It will only apply to new construction. It's only a civic addition to an existing provincial/state building code.

It's sounds ludicrous, but it's practical and inclusive. Earlier I related to a guy I know that had his hands burned off in a powerline accident (he's been trapped inside in more than one room, not because of his mechanical claws, but because of spherical doorknobs). I've another friend that was severely burned inside an incinerator whose fingers are just burnt stubs. Try and wrap your mind around that, let alone your fingers around a spherical doorknob.

Not just them, but there's many others (elderly, infirm, arthritic etc.) that would applaud (if they could) this initiative.

[Lilly]

It appears they have a great deal of time on their hands up in Vancouver.

[Wickian]

It's not an outright, immediate 'ban' on the spherical doorknob in existing homes. It will only apply to new construction. It's only a civic addition to an existing provincial/state building code.

It's sounds ludicrous, but it's practical and inclusive. Earlier I related to a guy I know that had his hands burned off in a powerline accident (he's been trapped inside in more than one room, not because of his mechanical claws, but because of spherical doorknobs). I've another friend that was severely burned inside an incinerator whose fingers are just burnt stubs. Try and wrap your mind around that, let alone your fingers around a spherical doorknob.

Not just them, but there's many others (elderly, infirm, arthritic etc.) that would applaud (if they could) this initiative.

It would benefit them yes, but the fact still remains it's just plain wrong to control what style of legal accessories a person uses on their house. These aren't commercial, government, or public buildings. They're private homes. If someone owns a home, it's their choice if they want it to be handicap accessible or not.

By this logic only single-story homes should be built in the future to make life easier for those in wheelchairs or who have bad legs.

[Frank Merton]

I can see both sides of this. All I can say is next house I build will not have doorknobs. Something l never thought before; guess it shows how insensitive to those thing I am.

[Space Commander Travis]

I suppose it's because door handles are easier to use from, for example, a wheelchair, since you can open it by just pushing it downwards.Seems reasonable in public buildings, although as always extending it toe everywhere, even homes, seems rather nannying, perhaps.