Still in the concept stage, the Watergate is an alternative to the turnstile. If you’re disabled, getting through a turnstile can be a challenge. That’s why designers Michael Tatschl, Sascha Mikel and Martin Schnabl came up with this solution. It would allow disabled people to get through, and spray everyone else with water.
An Advocate
"It would allow disabled people to get through, and spray everyone else with water."
Let us define people as the people they are, not by their disabilities.
"It would allow people with disabilities to get through, and spray everyone else with water."
astrodex
So if you are willing to get a little wet you don't have to pay?
CJ
If you run through you'd barely get wet. Water doesn't seem to me to be much of a "psychological barrier..."
Maybe jets of fire would work better? That I'd like to see.
SenorMysterioso
so now you dont even have to jump over the turnstyle you just walk through a little bit of water
MrJawbones
Seems like it would be effective, unless you live in a hot area. I wouldn't want to be soaking wet on a subway.
Johnny Cat
Jets of fire could be ran through as well. How about spraying those people without disabilities with polonium?
nolly
High-powered lasers might be more effective.
Kev
"water" whatever, we all know the water will be replaced with shoplifter's ink!
Skipweasel
I can see the kids playing in it happily.
Matt
This idea is almost as brilliant as the Jump To Conclusions Mat.
Anonymouse
A tripwire. People in wheelchairs could just roll over it.
Torley
If these were the same high-powered water lasers that precision-cut metal, they'd be painful. :O
Christophe
ooooh, water is scaaaaryyyy!
whitcwa
They already make "turnstiles" which accommodate wheelchairs.
Kalel
Link it to the urinals for greater deterrent.
ted
@An Advocate.
Let's not play semantics. The distinction you make is negligible.
How does this "detect" a disability? Is it just for wheelchairs, or should we somehow code people, say with a microchip, according to their abilities? What if a person in a wheelchair is being pushed through? Does the person pushing get sprayed with water?
The Manticore
@ted
it's for everyone to use, but it's designed to be easier for people in wheelchairs to get through, no little turn thingies or doors. but able bodied people will be able to use it normally too.
DannyArcher
why don't they just make a universal turnstile for disable and able people? Why separate them? We don't have separate lifts, why turnstile?
ted
@The Manticore
It's not a turnstile for people in a waterpark. The water's supposed to discourage everybody who isn't in a wheelchair. My point is that there are a lot of people who don't use wheelchairs and who still can't use turnstiles easily. They would get wet using this.
Native Speaker
Am I missing where it says only those using a wheelchair would be able to use it?
No?
It's only a concept with no guidelines or suggestions for implementation?
Ohhhh...
Thanks for reminding me why I don't read Neatorama comments. At least it's better than Youtube.
mike 3
Its a drinking fountain!!!
!!Or maybe just squirt some bubble bath or dish soap into the system for fun!!! Cant wait to see someone doing that on Youtube!!!
Fran
Now if they can only come up with a deterrent for those non-disabled who park in handicapped parking spots!
Noelegy
They could have given the name a bit more thought.
ted
@Native Speaker.
That was my original question. How would the turnstile be able to detect a disability? It's supposed to be automatic, or it would be pointless to create.
You're saying it's perfectly fine to create a concept without any idea or suggestions as to how it would have any practical use?
That's as stupid as "We don't have warp drive, and we have no idea how to make a warp drive, but if we did, it would look exactly like this".
Cola
Wow Ted. Native Speaker did not say it's okay to create a concept with no suggestions for implementation or practical use. NS said that Neatorama did not fully explain that this design is still very preliminary, so we don't know everything the makers have planned for it.
Cola
Also, it's a turnstile. I don't think it needs to "detect" disability any more than the big stall in the public restroom. The expectation is that putting this in a public place creates the requisite pressure to use it correctly.
Apparently, if you go to the link, the designers were concerned about people in flight in case of an emergency as well. This way people don't hurt themselves on a metal turnstile if there's a fire or something.
ted
Cola, pardon me for assuming that people with disabilites wouldn't want to be sprayed with water. That is the deterrent factor here, isn't it?
PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT
Comment RSS
Got
a neat story? Share it with the world by writing your very own Neatorama
blog post with the Upcoming
Queue. Who knows, you might just win something ... 
