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Comment by talldan | Hacker News Reader

I've seen a similar solution in the swimming pool changing cubicles at a Center Parcs in the UK. The cubicles have two inwards opening doors opposite one another. Once inside, you close both doors and fold down a bench which blocks the doors shut and gives you somewhere to sit. Very clever solution.

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There is better solution used everywhere else.

The bench stays in place. Both locks are linked by a bar, that can be conveniently hidden under the bench. When rotating any lock, they both rotate together.

If you have to fold the whole bench to get out you are less likely to accidentally leave something behind. But I guess the real reason for this design is probably that folding the bench saves some space.

Except if there is a fire and you realise it's stuck. A normal lock can be kicked in if not opened with master key, but that contraption sounds hard to break in to.

I feel like a fire at a swimming pool might be more rare than a fire elsewhere, just by virtue of being surrounded by water (pool, showers, etc). Maybe I'm wrong.

True. You might get smoke from somewhere else in the building though.

A fire? At a sea parks?

I'm imagining that doors on "swimming pool changing cubicles" are flimsy enough to kick outwards.

No idea about this specific example, but if it is anything like normal bathroom locks, I'd expect that you'd be able to rotate the bench back upwards with some sort of key/screwdriver/lever from the outside.

I'd worry about someone being ill while sat/leaning-on/collapsed on the bench though meaning you cant rotate it. I guess this is an issue for any door where a body could block it being opened? At the least in a changing room cubicle these are usually open at the top so someone could climb over in an emergency.

There are large gaps above and below, plus the hinges are plastic and the walls are plastic covered chipboard (or something similar.

The bench lifting is part of the system - you can't leave rubbish or water on the bench.

You could solve a safety access issue by having the bench corner removed and replaced with a breakable component; but I'd speculate the materials are such the hinges already serve that purpose and changing the corners would lead to a lot of accidental breakage.

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