I never expected my coworker to see *that*...

[desh]

OK, help settle a ridiculously overanalyzed debate at work.

Assume you wish to enter a restroom you know to be a single-person restroom not restricted to any particular gender. The door is closed and you can't easily ascertain whether the light's on, and therefore whether someone's in it, or whether the door was just accidentally closed. Assuming the following additional information, do do you test the handle to see if it's locked (and open the door if it's not), or do you knock first (and then test the handle if you don't hear an answer)?

[Poll #1511654]

Comments

[smarriveurr.livejournal.com]

See, this is the thing - I'd far rather not communicate, in a perfect world, too. However, I don't see the difference between hearing someone try the doorknob and having someone knock. Either way, I feel like it's best/polite to inform the other party that the facility is in use, and at least, in the latter case, there's not the tension of "boy, hope the lock works" or "Damnit, you can't unlock this door once it's locked, why does no one remember and how do I blockade the door?"

I mean, I'm antisocial to a terrible degree, but this is one situation where I think volunteering conversation serves the greatest good.