Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Apartment Buzzer

This photo shows a somewhat antiquated apartment door buzzer at an apartment building in SoHo. Most newer security systems have either a camera above the buzzer for guest identification or a nice looking panel with clearly labeled names on it.

My building has double door buzzer and a two-way intercom system. But I only respond to the buzzer when I am expecting someone to visit. This is because sometime, people would ring all the buzzers hoping someone in the building would open the door downstairs without identifying who is the visitor.

So what kind of door bell or buzzer do you have in your home?

22 comments:

TCho said...

no picture of any cute Fleet Week guys?

Anonymous said...

Very nice find! I love these old buzzers but, well, yes, annoying when somebody pushes them all.

At our house: Camera and intercom. The door opens with number-code, ergo, I never have a key with me. Once, I had a *whitebrainmoment* and couldn't remember the number. Even less after I panicked. Good thing somebody was home. Climbing up to one of the windows wouldn't have been an option either. Often, I really prefer the *old style way of life*... '-'

Olivier said...

j'ai horreur de ça. on en a chez moi, et souvent dans la nuit, des gens s'amusent a appuyer sur tous les boutons ;o( depuis je l'ai débranché et mes amis me préviennent par téléphone portable quand ils arrivent chez moi).

I hate that. it was my home, and often at night, people play a pressing all the buttons ;o( since I've disconnected and my friends warn me by phone when they arrive at me).

Chuck Pefley said...

Hmm, I've seen that ring all the buzzers scam on tv and in movies. Interesting to hear it happens in your building. Quite unsafe I would think. Never know who your neighbor might let in unwittingly.

Anonymous said...

Wow. I guess people want to hurt people? Do you feel secure?

Anonymous said...

I used to have the old style intercom, which they recently upgraded.

Paz

PeterParis said...

Codes, keys... The problem is to remember all these (changing) codes! Unfortunateley, where I live, the "concierge" is not there any more!

Bel said...

I love that red brickwork of the building - I wonder how many name changes those buzzers have had in their lifetime! ;o)

I don't have a door bell or a buzzer at my house...just a front door and flyscreen.

HZDP said...

I can't agree with you more.never respond to the buzzer when you are not expecting someone.You cannot imagine how crazy those door-to-door salemen are..

Chris said...

How tall is that building?? Wow!

Our doorbell works, but no one has to use it because I have two Welsh Terriers that will announce anyone (or anything) that comes anywhere near our house. :-D

Missy,Mrs and Mum said...

I have noticed a little floral theme on the blog the last few days. Very pretty. Blimey wouldn't like to have to search for the right buzzer!

The fella has a ding dong door bell and being flat 1 everyone presses his door bell and then ask us if the people living upstairs are home. The problem is most of the time I am on my own there and the 'guests' tend to be drunl and weird. In the middle of putting a complaint in.

Leena said...

Believe it or not, our street door is not locked at all... anyone can walk straight in. So they just have to knock on our apartment door (c:

I live in Copenhagen, Denmark, in a very safe neighbourhood.

Dorothy said...

Ming...interesting photo...We have a door bell...The front door has cut glass in various shapes..We can see out..but looking in is distorted for those outside. We also have a security system in place...We never answer the door unless we know who it is, unlike in Denmark neighborhood...

Anonymous said...

Wow. Did they get a 4th grade special ed class to design that thing?

Sara said...

My apartment building has a disconnected intercom system - it is no longer used...and the doors are unlocked.

I wish we had the intercom system - it would keep a lot of people from wandering through the building - kids looking for their friends...etc...

marley said...

I have a buzzer too. I answer it with a phone in my flat. At night I put it on mute as kids sometimes ring the buzzers :(

Unknown said...

we respond to the mobile phone better ;-)

someone will call us on our mobiles if they are coming to visit us.

Knoxville Girl said...

Wow, I wonder how old this buzzer system is. And look at all the people named Blank. :P
I have a doorbell, but no buzzer, so I lean out my window to see who's ringing - friend, or random drunk person, before I go down to open the door.

crittoria said...

No buzzer or door bell out here in the country - just the dogs barking!!

Anonymous said...

I live in a small midwestern town, and my doorbell is the knuckles of whomever stops by. No need for a doorbell when God gave man the means to knock. In the twenty years we have lived here, we have never locked the doors. When we spent the months of Jan-March in Palm Springs we considered having a lock installed. But really neighbors who know us, care for us, and recognize everyone in town is the best security system ever.

NormanTheDoxie said...

Interesting photo. We have a doorman who rings us up when guests arrive. My daughter lives in a walkup, but there is a camera security system, so she can view whoever is ringing in.

Todd HellsKitchen said...

Oh... that is prehistoric!