Putting a “pull” handle on the push side of a door. Here seen with the classic “hastily-laserprinted-correctional-signage” in the BBC New Media reception area.
What’s your T.T.D.D.T.D.M.T.M.M.E.E.?
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Update: As Chris Barrus points out… “Don’t these new media guys read The Design Of Everyday Things?”: Don Norman would indeed be pulling his beard out.
Petafloptimism 
I see this *way* too often. Depending on my mood, I either groan or laugh. Thanks for the observation.
What’s my T.T.D.D-what?
I’ve just moved to New York from Australia and have noticed the “pull handle on the push door” problem everywhere – much more so than Australia. Very frustrating. I groan.
or when you read ‘pull’ on a door – and fail to notice that the text is inverted and printed on the other side of the glass door – for people on the other side of that glass door…
The most upsetting thing in the world may be when I call a company and get bumped to an automated message that tells me to enter my zip code (or account number) for “speedier service.”
Then when I finally get to talk to an operator, invariably, the first question they ask is for my zip code (or account number).
Gah! Idiots! Maybe it’s the fault of the IT people who implement this garbage, but I’m blaming the designers who allow it to happen.
They put handles on both sides of glass doors so you don’t put your grubby fingermarks on the glass. imagine how filthy a busy door would be after a day?
A bank here in town had a horizontal bar which afforded “pull”, although it apparently was intended to be pushed. I used to enjoy myself watching prospective customers trying to enter the bank, failing to do so and then leaving, presumably thinking the bank was closed.
Just wondering, if Don Norman pulls his beard out, is it because it has such a lovely affordance?
I could swear the doors used to open freely in either direction up until a very recent spot of DIY in the foyer.
It’s always the post-build tweaks that cause the big problems 😉
The reason they’ve done it is simple: when the doors were originally installed they could push *and* pull so handles were on both sides.
Over the last couple of weeks they put in new security devices so that the doors only open one way but didn’t take off the surplus handles. If they didn’t have signs then people who originally pushed, would be pulling…
So blame LST, not the designers…
Being annoyed by everyday things
Over at blackbeltjones, Matt moans about daft design, in this case a door you can’t guess whether to push at
Crap Design
Now I know that Microsoft are crap but this one really takes the biscuit: I am trying really hard not to go on a rant about how crap the design of that is. Reminded me of this entry on Matt…
Don’t these new media guys read The Design Of Everyday Things?
Matt Jones points out a hilarity on the doors of the BBC’s New Media office (and like Matt, it’s a constant source of irritation for me) Putting a “pull” handle on the push side of a door. Here seen…