In the interests of [brevity] : A mixer tap/faucet, whose default position is cold.
For those who, like myself, have no interest in brevity ( although if I displayed no interest in brevity the previous paragraph would not exist) a faucet/tap whose default position (i.e. control lever centered both vertically and horizontally on the spout) is cold.
Pre-amble: The renovations to my abode are complete. We have achieved this in a record five (calender) months. Unlike the [wagster]s of the world we have not conceived, before, during, or after the process. Praise be to god on that one. One of the curioius anomalies of the "new" house is the ubiquitous existance of mixer-type taps. A product of my wife's arthritic condition and my small children.
Amble: The mixer type tap regulates rate of flow in the vertical direction, and regulates mix (cold and hot) in the horizontal direction. The current most used position (mixer lever (vertical, horizontal) at (1,0)) is tepid water at maximal flow. Most owners of said mixers are as unconscious as I. Of the fact that they place a load on their geysers every time they position the lever (and therefore rate of flow) in the maximal vertical direction (obviously looking for flow as opposed to temperature) to simply wash their hands. Leaving the control lever in the cold position after every wash is an untenable situation, for you will always return to your mixer type tap in its chrome impression of Marshall Mathers (baseball cap askew).
To this end I propose that all mixer type taps/faucets have, as their resting point, (0,0) and as their maximal flow point vertically above the resting point (1,0) a purely cold tap with maximal flow. Mechanically this is mandane, bordering on trivial, to execute. The bunny-huggers may sleep in peace. Your C12 footprint might shrink. Those with colour deficient vision at last know that fucking center is cold and to each side it gets hot, instead of fucking guessing.-- 4whom, Mar 02 2008 Shifter Cage http://www.act-labs.../images/shifter.jpg [Klaatu, Mar 02 2008] This is not a rant. It is not the scalding of toddlers that worries me. I have daughters. They seem to distinguish between blue and green (some taps), blue and red (some taps) and green and red (some taps). I am the only arse-part that burns himself. But my, presumably reasonable, concern is the load on the geyser multiplied by the prevelance of mixer-type taps.
If the starting point for maximal flow is cold, bearing in mind this is the most oft used, then the load on the geyser is reduced. Ergo, the load on the power stations is reduced.-- 4whom, Mar 02 2008 Why not have presets, similar to a shifter cage <link>. That way, you would have presets for cold, tepid, warm, very warm, hot, scalding. If it included revving sounds too, it could prove useful for preventing burns in the blind/elderly/stupid.-- Klaatu, Mar 02 2008 Wasn't fairer faucet one of the original Charlie's Angels?-- xenzag, Mar 02 2008 Yes. Both sides were hot.-- Amos Kito, Mar 02 2008 Mixer taps were forged by Lucifer himself. If I had the cash, I'd replace them all in my house. Guests not only waste copius hot water, but they also cause mighty water hammer by going from full flow to zero in 0.013 seconds.-- Texticle, Mar 03 2008 random, halfbakery