Having just played around for a while, trying to get one of those automatic faucets to actually turn on, it occurred to me that perhaps the best way to frustrate every bathroom user would be to arrange the sensor so that the water turns on only if the hands are about 6 inches too far in front.

When the hands are underneath, the faucet turns off again.
-- Ling, Sep 12 2007

Star Trek TNG Episode 183 http://www.g4tv.com.../Final_Mission.html
[Klaatu, Sep 13 2007]

I have to say that I think this is Baked.
-- DrCurry, Sep 12 2007


But if you laugh in an evil way, then it works properly.
-- hippo, Sep 12 2007


What if one hand is under the faucet and the other is 6 inches in front of it? Can you trick it into helping you?
-- phundug, Sep 12 2007


Perhaps when you cup your hands underneath it should say <cockney (real cockney that is)>Pardon me guv'nor couldn't spare 'arf a shillin' could ya?<c(rcti)>
-- marklar, Sep 12 2007


[phundug] Not if the tap is continually monitored by someone via CCTV - they'd be able to tell you were trying to trick it and they'd turn it on full blast so water would splash out of the basin onto the front of your trousers making it look like you'd wet yourself.
-- hippo, Sep 12 2007


This reminds me of the Star Trek (TNG) episode where there's water gushing in a cave but every time someone approaches it, a force field protects it.
-- phundug, Sep 12 2007


holy crap, i remember that episode! *shudders*
-- k_sra, Sep 12 2007


hippo, the evil laugh will only activate the hand dryer. We need something different for this, perhaps an evil twirling of one's moustache while saying "I have a plan. An evil plan."
-- Canuck, Sep 12 2007


How about you turn on the tap when someone holds their hands under the hand dryer, and turn on the dryer when someone holds their hands under the tap.
-- jutta, Sep 13 2007



random, halfbakery