Electricity, Automation and the Flip Side

So there are a few things i've noticed about electricity in France. Of course, being the electrical engineer (and a geek, as some people reading this wud say), and this being my trade, its obviously the first thing i notice.

First things first, the plugs and sockets in this place are a spectacle. In India (and i dont know where else), the earthing pin is always on the plug (For the electrically impaired, or the plain ignorant - the earthing pin is the big one on the plug, that forms the top vertex of the triangle), is bigger and longer than the other two pins. In fact, even during school and engineering, we learnt that this pin is made bigger than others so that it makes electrical contact first. But in France, the earthing pin is on the wall, and not on the appliance !!! On the other hand, the plug on any appliance has a hole in it, to accomodate the earthing pin !!! Also, the earthing pin is the same size as the other pins, which completely busts the theory of the earth contact being made first. I'm coming to believe that in France you actually put the socket into the plug, and not vice versa.

Maybe i'm being a bit critical, and i'm sure the experts who designed this system know more than me about electrical engineering. Ok, let us assume that this system is better than the conventional 3-pin system. But then, the French don't beleive in using a switch when u plug in the appliance !! So the moment you put the plug into the socket (or socket into plug), your appliance is running. Of course, someone told me that the reason for this, that it is a foolproof method to avoid accidents. For example, an iron box is safer when unplugged, rather than switched off and left in the socket. I suppose that makes sense, but i'd still prefer a switch to go with my plug, thank you.

Back in Bangalore, my colleagues and I had the habit of leaving our workstations on overnight. Saved us the trouble of starting up next morning, cuz it took forever on the Dell Precision 670. A friend (he'l know i'm talking about him when he reads) once told me that in a country like India, which already has a shortfall of energy, we're abusing the availability, and advised me to turn the system off.
In France, everywhere, i've found automated lights, that go off after a certain time lag. You switch them on, they stay on for a fixed period, and then turn off. You can find them in dark staircases, corridors in apartment buildings, lavatories etc.
It's a great idea. You get out of the lift in your building, the corridor is dark. You turn on the light, walk to you apartment at the end of the corridor, open the door, and by then the light goes out. Fair enough.

But sometimes, it's not so cool. For example, this morning, i decided to take a leak in the men's room, at work. The light was already on, so i didnt bother about it. Can you imagine my disorientation when the lights go out halfway through a pee??? Damn it, i didnt know if my direction was correct, or i was hitting the wall !! To top it off, once i was done, i had to feel my way along the wall, and then turn on the light.

I went back to the men's room later that afternoon. The light was on again. This time, i thought i was smarter, and hit the light switch anyway. But then, again halfway through, off goes the light !! Apparently if the lights are on, it doesnt help if you press the switch again. But twice in one day???

I suppose automation is good, especially when it saves effort, energy and money.
But seriously, i dont want to be like a blind man in a dark loo, twice a day, for the next 1.5 years !!