Clever thinking

No more banging at hotels

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They don’t make hotels like they used to. Gone are the days of double-brick solid walls that contained the noise where it belonged. Sure, the very old hotels had creaky floors and squeaky beds, but the new ones seem to have paper-thin walls. It’s bad enough having to listen to the chatter or domestic arguments next door, or having to endure the late-night drunken stupor or the early morning ablutions, but now we hear a lot of banging in the form of drawers and wardrobes being slapped about by guests as well as housekeeping staff who have no idea that noise travels so well, that one could swear that it’s all happening right there in one’s room. They tried to limit the sounds from the televisions by somehow locking the audio to a certain maximum, which I find annoying.

Anyway, I am happy to announce a new discovery: drawers that no longer slam. What a great idea. I happened to be a guest of Jupiters Casino in Townsville, and the general manager was a gracious host who upgraded me to their best room. It was well appointed with all the modern conveniences, including these innovative silent drawers. As the video below will show you, no matter how hard I try to slam them shut, they will not slam. A hydraulic system absorbs the impact by slowing the draw, and then gently closing it. Perfect for hotels and cosy apartments! Especially where banging would disturb other guests.

P.S. There is a debate going on about the designer’s intent. A friend of mine says that these drawers were not so much designed to ‘not bang’, but to close fully at the slightest of suggestions. One simple flick and the draw closes all by itself, all the way, without needing any follow-up. If that be true, then, my goodness, what a load of engineering to cater to the lazy.

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