Good Design, Bad Design

I love this Schlage door lock.

It’s heavy duty yet it looks good. The smooth curves of real brass feel nice to the touch. See how the light dances around it.

I don’t have to worry about forgetting my keys when rushing out in a hurry. Intuitive to use, entering the four-digit code uses muscle memory even if you stumble with the numbers. All the buttons light up when you touch any one. A nine-volt battery keeps it going for years.

I thought long and hard about installing an unconventional lock, but I am glad I did. I am also glad that I did not choose that latest type of lock that interfaces with a smartphone. That type uses way more power, and I am even more likely to forget to take my smartphone with me than my keys.

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This fire hydrant has bothered me the entire 25 years I have lived in this house. Cars park in front of it frequently, as this is a “hot” neighborhood with very few available spaces. Yet what other city paints its hydrants dark green to make them difficult for drivers to see at night?

As my house was built in 1861 before modern fire standards, it’s important that the Fire Department be able to access that plug unimpeded. I admit to being the self-appointed vigilante who surreptitiously sprays weed-killer around the hydrant a couple of times a year. One of these days I might sneak up on it with neon-orange spray paint. Although a part of me would like to see the DCFD smash the windows of a car parked in the way of their hoses. Preferably a Range Rover with Virginia plates. Yes!