Having discover that the new doorknobs (fancy Vacant/In Use) have a flaw, we also found that you can unlock them with a coin if necessary.
I am primarily posting this so that if you see a locked doorknob, and you know that it’s been that way for a while, you can address the problem. Certainly knock first to really, really verify that the bathroom is unoccupied. If it isn’t occupied, then you can unlock it with a coin.
Since this is easily remedied by most people, I’m not putting it into Issues, unless someone wants to put the older locksets back on.
I believe the older locks also had this flaw. Privacy locks can also be pretty easily bypassed with a paperclip or another long thin piece of metal. The current locks are a compromise between privacy and practicality, as the only real “secure” locks is a deadbolt or a mortise lock, both of which are overkill for bathrooms. And even then, those can have flaws that allow people to bypass the lock.
As you said, be excellent, knock first, and confirm that the bathroom is unused before you intrude on anyone. If you suspect that someone accidentally locked the bathroom, then instead please contact someone at logistics, an officer, or post an issue on talk lest you barge in. I don’t think there is a need to put back the older locks in and I’m not aware of any situations that have occurred recently as a result of them.
I do believe that it was much harder to shut the door while the door was locked on the other door knobs.
Still, the knowledge that one can get in when this accidental locking occurs is enough. For the record, the situation started Saturday afternoon, and was resolved by the discovery that it’s easy to get in Sunday afternoon.