• Hideakikarate@sh.itjust.works
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    1 day ago

    Just like the “close” buttons on elevators. They make you feel better. Often, the buttons don’t actually exist, and the “walk” light is on the same system that allows cars to go the same way.

      • idiomaddict@lemmy.world
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        23 hours ago

        There’s lots of places they do work, even in the US, which is the only place I’ve heard about them not working, it’s just not universal.

        In Germany, they often just don’t have close buttons, which is better than the placebo, but still annoying

        • Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz
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          18 hours ago

          I lived in the US nearly all my life and literally never saw one that worked, they must be extremely rare.

          • idiomaddict@lemmy.world
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            13 hours ago

            I’ve timed them in multiple public and housing buildings in New England and New York (but like, handfuls, not thousands- I’m just exactly this type of curious and autistic, so whenever I use an elevator for long enough to get the opportunity, I do experiments). Around half work in my experience, but that may change depending on where you are.

            • Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz
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              12 hours ago

              Timed them?

              Is there a delay before they work? Over here in asia, you press close, it instantly starts closing. Maybe thats why I assumed they never worked in the US.

              • idiomaddict@lemmy.world
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                12 hours ago

                Generally, yeah. Sometimes it’s as little as one or two seconds, but it can go up to fifteen seconds (it doesn’t sound like a lot, but it really feels like it).