Non-Minimalist instructions and Door handles

Subject: Non-Minimalist instructions and Door handles
From: Yvonne DeGraw <yvonne -at- SILCOM -dot- COM>
Date: Wed, 5 Feb 1997 08:11:02 -0800

The gym where I lift has leg press machines with labels that say, and *I'm
not making this up*:

"Prior to initiating and upon completion
of exercise, make certain safety hooks are
fully engaged."

I cringe whenever I read this. (MS Word says the readability grade level is
around 14.)
-----------
An aside on door handles/bars: According to a safety engineer I once knew,
if a door to a public building doesn't open outward, it's a bad design no
matter what type of handle it has. In a fire, a crowd may push against the
door -- preventing the person closest to the door from opening it.


Yvonne DeGraw, Technical Services o Technical Writing
yvonne -at- silcom -dot- com o Web Authoring
http://www.silcom.com/~yvonne/ o Database Design and Publishing
Tel: 805/683-5784 o User-Interface Design

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