Auto-anything, such as toilet flushing, soap squirting, sink faucet running, and paper towel dispensing

The idea behind the automatic/automated-any/everything was and is brilliant – why touch the same toilet flusher/soap dispenser/sink faucet handle/paper towel dispenser that a million other nasty germy people have touched before you, when an automatic sensor could sense your presence and give you what you need without you having to do anything but be there? I’ll tell you why – because the sensors NEVER work.

Whether you try the “place your hands in a different spot every few seconds” technique, the “wave your hands frantically” approach, or any other idea you think will work, the flush/soap/water/paper towel is not going to come at your bidding. It’s just not. These machines have terribly insensitive sensors, a lag between sensing and operating, minds of their own, or a combination of all three.

Auto-anything: Ideally supposed to save us from touching various handles/buttons other people have touched and potentially infected with their germs. In actuality, auto-anythings are typically more troubling and time-consuming than they’re worth.

Let’s start a petition to bring back manual handles and dispensers… they still have them in the Midwest, and as far as I know those people aren’t any more germy than the people on the coasts. Who’s with me?!