Automatic faucets

By Jeff Becraft

Have been on the road a lot this week and have hit quite a few rest areas and quite a few truck stops… and quite a few automatic faucets.  Among other things, these automatic faucets save everyone from having to turn handles on and off.

But most of the ones I have run into, turn off after 3 seconds.  The CDC says you are supposed to wash your hands for 20 seconds.

I wave my hand in front of the faucet to try and get it to turn back on.  No go.  I step away from the faucet and then step back up to it, trying to trick it into thinking I am a new person.  No go.

I go to the next faucet.  I am waving my hands in front of it.  It doesn’t turn on.  The next person comes into the bathhouse and he thinks I am practicing my kung fu maneuvers in front of the mirror.  The faucet finally turns on.  But shuts off after 3 seconds.

I have now spent 65 seconds in washing my hands.  What I want to know is, does this meet the CDC criteria for 20 seconds?  I am way beyond that number.

But my hands have actually only been under the water for 6 seconds… and there is still soap on them.

Maybe the CDC and the automatic faucet people need to get together and figure out this situation.

Regardless, I am extremely thankful for these rest areas and truck stops.  They are a major part of any road trip.

It’s a great day to have a great day!

Jeff Becraft is the Interim Director of Our Place of Hope and the Director Emeritus for Youth Corps and has dedicated much of his life to helping shift the vision of people’s lives. Youth Corps is a life-changing leadership development experience that inspires high school students to be leaders in the Midlands and beyond. You can connect with Jeff at  [email protected].