New Thing #247--Step It Up

We got a new garage door opener several years ago. The new model had all the current (and new to us) safety features, such as a photo-electric garage door sensor that senses if anything is blocking the door. If anything is in the way, the door will stop and reverse. The sensor consists of two electric eyes, one on each side of the garage door frame.

The feature works well, for the most part. Even though we don't have small children at home any more, I like knowing that if something was to be directly under the garage door when it was closing, it wouldn't get trapped.

The sensor does have one disadvantage, though. When the garage door is open, if something breaks the sensor beam, the overhead light will come on, and stay on for several minutes. On days like today, when I was continually in and out of the garage doing yard work, that turns into a real pain. After I had set off the light several times, I entered the garage by stepping over the motion sensor beam.

It wasn't too hard. The eyes are mounted about six inches above the floor. I was carrying a trash can full of yard waste; I lifted it up to waist height, then did some high stepping up and over the sensor. It was so easy, I put down the trash can, repeated the process empty-handed to go out of the garage, then marched back in again. The light remained off the whole time!

After my mini stepping session, I went into the house.