# Question about double doors...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-double-doors/193702>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 7, 2003, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-double-doors/193702 "2003-08-07T23:44:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SweetLucy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@SweetLucy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SweetLucy)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-double-doors/193702/1 "2003-08-07T23:44:55Z")

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Why, when there is a set of double glass doors at a business, is one of the doors always locked? That bugs me. Not only is it a real nuisance, but it could be a fire hazard.

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**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-double-doors/193702/2 "2003-08-07T23:48:29Z")

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Laziness.

Rule of thumb: When approaching a double-door, the one with the keyhole will always be the one that’s unlocked.

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-double-doors/193702/3 "2003-08-07T23:52:49Z")

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Often the opening door will latch into the closed one and the closed one will bolt into the floor/door frame; in this case, unlocking both means that there is no way for the doors to close positively and the are blown open by gusts of wind, annoying the receptionist.

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**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-double-doors/193702/4 "2003-08-09T03:48:13Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by friedo \*  
> Rule of thumb: When approaching a double-door, the one with the keyhole will always be the one that’s unlocked.

Well, not in my experience. There’s a nearby store in the habit of doing this and once every 4 days or so it’s the opposite of the door that’s usually locked. Learned to be careful and test first. Basically they’re looking for a lawsuit it seems to me.

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**Author:** ![Osip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4491bb/32.png) [@Osip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osip)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-double-doors/193702/5 "2003-08-09T11:45:06Z")

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No really, Friedo is right.  
Most buisness Double doors are a standardized glass aluminum frame set up. The passive door has flush bolts in the door jamb at the top and the bottom to secure (Latch) the door to the frame.  
The active door (one with the lock) latches into the passive door. ergo, if only one door is unlocked then it is the door with the door lock.

I have seen few doors where the lock is on the passive door. they are the exception for the rule in my book.

love to talk more but I am away for the next week on vacation.

Osip