5. About the mean entrance doors

Apartment entrance door

In Germany, the flat entrance door closes automatically, meaning that when the door shuts, from the outside, you can only open it with the key.

Germans seem to love it because it feels safe and for insurance reasons but I find it very very inconvenient and stupid: those doors can be open very easily if it is just closed and not locked, especially from experienced thieves or anyone who has access to the Internet with the right material.
Whenever I venture outside my flat, forgetting my keys is a huge source of anxiety and I wonder in case of emergency whether I would have the presence of mind of taking my them with me. I guess the only way to make sure you do not forget them is to have them 24/24h on me, which is not realistic.

A lot of Germans I know live not far from their parents or close relatives so they can still leave a spare key at their place but my parents live 1200 kms away and even if I were able to make friends in Bayern, I would not trust them with my keys.
My only solution is to make sure I do not forget my keys even when I just take my bin out.

Building entrance door

My shitty newly built building is promoted as disabled-friendly with 1 meter inner doors, lift, and other norms.
However, although being an average human, I always struggle to push or pull the building front door as it is way too heavy, on either sides.
My mother who is almost 80 year-old and not very strong or a person in a wheelchair would not be able to open it since the key needs to be inserted in the lock, then turned to the right while still in the lock and while maintening the key to the right, pulling the heavy door, then remove the key and enter.
A lot of entrance doors are similar in Germany, in shops or clinics, minus the keys.

In most of the old buildings I lived in in France, one need the "Digicode" only and the door opens automatically and easily. In case there is a blackout, most could be opened with a key.

More from The Rambler
All posts