UFOs Testing GDOs

© 2000 Door & Access Systems
Publish Date: Winter 2000
Author: Tom Wadsworth
Page 42

CLIPPINGS
Garage Doors and Openers in the Media


UFOs Testing GDOs

According to this Web site devoted to UFO enthusiasts, folks in Abilene, Kan., say "their automatic garage doors have gone berserk, mysteriously rolling open and slamming shut at all hours of the night, and they blame their troubles on UFOs from outer space."

One neighbor, Frank Forester, is reported to have seen strange saucer shaped UFOs hovering over houses there. Sophisticated electronic equipment from the alien spaceships also is blamed for problems with TV sets, dryers, and other electric appliances that have gone bonkers, "even when the electricity is turned off."

Alvin Turner, Frank’s next-door neighbor, reportedly "had to leap for his life one night" when his automatic garage door suddenly banged shut without warning. The site says that Turner supports Forester’s claim of alien spaceships. On three different nights, Turner says he witnessed an apparent alien spaceship buzzing the neighborhood, with flashing blue and green lights. Turner says he’s afraid to go near his garage door after dark. For the full story, see http://www.ufobbs.com/txt1/034.html.


Curiosity and the Cat

In a Letter to the Editor, Veronna Ladd laments the loss of her cherished cat, Topaz, who had been sleeping on top of an opened garage door. When the garage door opener began to close the door, Topaz didn’t jump to freedom fast enough, "getting her hind quarters caught between the door and the garage frame," says Ladd.

"We thought it was a fluke accident when she got caught in the top of the garage door. But the veterinarian said that this kind of accident is all too common," she writes.

Ladd urges cat owners to check atop the door before closing it. She says, "Those extra few seconds … just might save you and your pet the terrifying scene that we experienced upon our return home."


Tips for Successful Door Dealers

Shaun Webb of GADCO authored this article that explores what makes a successful commercial door dealer. Meeting the customer’s needs, he says, is paramount.

He notes that a current trend in the commercial garage door industry is the appeal of aesthetics. "Even a few years ago, buyers and architects were limited to ribbed doors in white or brown," he writes. Raised panels and different colors, he says, are now increasingly sought for commercial facilities.

Still, he adds, the primary concerns of buyers are durability, insulation, and overall cost. Webb notes that more than half of all commercial garage doors sold today are insulated.


Garage Doors and Golf Clubs

Thieves are finding that valuable golf clubs are often waiting behind garage doors. This article says, in summer 2000, 11 cases were reported clubs being snatched from garages in Ashburn and Sterling, Va. In one case, a man left his garage door open to walk the dog, and when he returned, the clubs were gone.

"We must have a Tiger Woods ‘wannabe’ around," says Capt. Randy Badura. Authorities were reported to say that the surging popularity of golf has contributed to the thefts.


Car Ashtrays Out, GDO Controls In

Consumer demand is causing many automobile manufacturers to eliminate ashtrays and lighters from newer models, according to this article. Chrysler started the move in 1995; now, other carmakers are joining in.

Dashboards and interiors are evolving, says the story. In the 1950s and '60s, lighters and ashtrays were often in every door. Today, consumers need a place for cell phones and garage door remote controls.

The car of the future, it reports, will include global positioning systems and computer interfaces.