Stuck

"smobgirl" (smobgirl) 04/04/2016 at 13:17 • Filed to: None

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My doctor’s office is being rehabbed, and I had an appointment for the last set of X-Rays on my foot this morning. They set up the appointment and left me in the room with the door shut until the X-Ray tech came to get me. At which point they realize that the door knob has been installed incorrectly and they are unable to get me out.

Spent half an hour trading tools through the ceiling tiles and disassembling the doorknob while the PR folks for the practice had a panic attack. It was all rather funny to me after this weekend (post coming...eventually) but they gave me a gift card and were very thankful that I didn’t get mad.

(Baby ducks because they're cute)

TheRealBicycleBuck > smobgirl 04/04/2016 at 13:21

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Too many people overreact to these situations. In most places, even if they can’t get the door open, you can easily exit a room through the wall. Drywall isn’t that tough....

Scotchead > smobgirl 04/04/2016 at 13:26

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And you got a gift card out of it... I would let them know that your professional rate for general handyman / construction is 225/hr, minimum 2hrs

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > TheRealBicycleBuck 04/04/2016 at 13:29

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Walls might have X-Ray shielding in them. Usually that is lead and even if it isn’t that thick, you probably don’t want to smash it and get lead everywhere.

But in general, outside of a radiology department you are right.

shop-teacher > smobgirl 04/04/2016 at 13:29

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Wow, that’s a new one!

DrJohannVegas > smobgirl 04/04/2016 at 13:32

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Next time, they’ll up the game:

TheRealBicycleBuck > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 04/04/2016 at 13:37

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I don’t think that the patient was locked in the X-Ray room. But if that was the case, you are right, there would be the expectation of some shielding in the walls.

CB > smobgirl 04/04/2016 at 13:38

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I was going to say “if it was just a wood door, you could have probably kicked it down”, but considering you were there for a foot x-ray, that would probably be a bad idea.

Xyl0c41n3 > smobgirl 04/04/2016 at 13:39

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Dang. That simultaneously sucks and is awesome.

I remember one time in college I left a sculpture drying in the painting room of the sculpture studio. The janitors would come and lock the doors at 11 p.m., but I wasn’t done with the sculpture yet and it was due the next day. Luckily, the door hinges were on the side of the main studio. A couple of my classmates knocked the pins out from the hinges and pulled the door partway off the frame. I grabbed my work, they put the door back, and our prof was none the wiser the next morning. :)

Steve in Manhattan > smobgirl 04/04/2016 at 13:44

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I’m not too well versed in home repair (set a commode once, minor plumbing and electrical, patching drywall) but I have never messed up an interior door knob, much less an exterior knob or lock. The automotive equivalent would be ... changing spark plugs that you can get to easily? Wiper blades?

Funktheduck > smobgirl 04/04/2016 at 13:45

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I would've laughed too. That's all you can do sometimes. Getting angry means you don't have a clear head for a solution. Glad you know how to disassemble a door knob. Too many people can't even identify a screwdriver.

Steve in Manhattan > DrJohannVegas 04/04/2016 at 13:47

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Well, he did get out and kill ... nope, will not spoil it even though it’s a few years old.

DrJohannVegas > Steve in Manhattan 04/04/2016 at 13:50

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smobgirl > TheRealBicycleBuck 04/04/2016 at 13:56

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I would've been fine going through the ceiling but I didn't have any furniture tall enough!

PatBateman > smobgirl 04/04/2016 at 13:56

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The only time I'd be angry at this situation is if I had to pee. Otherwise, it makes for a good story.

smobgirl > TheRealBicycleBuck 04/04/2016 at 13:57

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Yeah, correct, was just an exam room. I bet the X-ray room would be tough.

smobgirl > Steve in Manhattan 04/04/2016 at 14:00

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It looked as though maybe the knob was installed too close to the edge of the door. You could see the latch move when the knob turned but it didn't move enough to be fully opened. Today was the grand opening of that wing of the building so I guess no one had tried it yet.

yitznewton > smobgirl 04/04/2016 at 14:04

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Oh gosh, once we were having lunch with a couple friends’ families, and one of the other visiting kids locked themselves in the bathroom. Nothing wrong with the door, just locked it. The kid totally lost their mind in there, the hosts had to burrow around in their closet for the “key” - it was one of those interior locksets. But yeah, IME it’s not too hard to mess up a doorknob install such that the door either doesn’t open, or doesn’t latch/lock right.

TheRealBicycleBuck > smobgirl 04/04/2016 at 14:09

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I’m surprised they didn’t try the old credit-card trick. Which way did the door swing, into or out of the room?

smobgirl > TheRealBicycleBuck 04/04/2016 at 14:26

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They did, but even with the knob turned the angled portion was fully inside the wall. Wondering how much the construction crew got yelled at after I left.

TheRealBicycleBuck > smobgirl 04/04/2016 at 14:27

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hehhheheheehehehhehehhe

Steve in Manhattan > smobgirl 04/04/2016 at 14:30

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Tell them to get a pre-cut or pre-hung door next time. Saves time and money!