There are 8 floor-designating buttons on the elevator here at work, 'G' and 1-7. Each button is circular and rests flush on the panel. They are activated by depressing them into their allotted recess. The problem is that they rotate. If you draw a line perpendicular with the plane the buttons reside on and intersecting each button at its centerpoint, they rotate about that axis. Such, they can easily become askew -- the 'G' could be upside-down, the 2 could be positioned 15° off, the 7 could be rotated 90°, etc.
So, I see this; and it drives me crazy. I try to resist. Whilst other riders are accompanying me, I usually do. But, when it's just me and those buttons riding up the elevator, I can't contain myself. Here's the catch. The amount of force it takes to generate enough friction with your fingers to rotate the buttons is nearly equivilent (within 1 micro-Newton) to the amount of force it takes to depress the button thus selecting a floor.
What this results in is me, about once or twice a day, making a stop at each and ever floor as I am hunched around the panel with two gingerly pressing fingers meticulously placing the buttons in their correct upright positions.
Me [addressing group]: Hi, everybody, my name is Jeremy...
Group [in unison]: Hi, Jeremy.
Me: I have a problem....
[extended pause]
Group Leader: It's okay, continue.
Me: My problem is you dumb fucks keep fucking up the damn elevator buttons! Can't you see they have a correct restful state, and they should always be serialized in that state when not in use!! Listen you fuck-tards, if you fuck up the positioning of the elevator button, replace it to its correct position!! If you fix it while that floor is already selected, I won't have to sit there...
Group Leader [interrupting]: Maybe we need to try a different approach.
Me: If people would just adhere to the right way, this wouldn't be a damn problem! *grumble* *grumble* damn crotch-weasels...
Comments
Two words.
Packaging tape.
The clear kind.
Suddenly the buttons are externally anchored and all is well until the tape gives out. Granted, a more permanent solution would be to drill a small hole into them and insert a paperclip or something to likewise hold the little bastards in place.
Or you could also just create nice flat black covers for the buttons so that nothing shows through. If you can't count, you should take the stairs anyway.
I was going to say sticky-tack -- that way you can grip the buttons with less normal force. Of course, that still leaves you in the grips of your OCD...