Londoners are being warned that leaning on any door across the capital could cause the immediate surrounding area to come to a halt.
It has long been known that leaning on the doors of a moving tube train breaks a circuit in the system, causing the train to brake and the driver to lose another three minutes of his/her life through stress.
But scientists now believe that such a circuit applies to every door in the Greater London area.
A door expert told Londonist, "This finding helps explain many recent phenomena in the city. West Ham's stop-start season at the London Stadium? Probably someone leaning on a turnstile.
"The financial crash of last decade? Multiple people leaning on the doors at Lehman Brothers."
The UK as a whole, meanwhile, may not have been working properly for years, due to someone leaning on the door of Number 10 Downing Street.
When asked for advice to Londoners, the expert said, "Please do not lean on the doors, I repeat, do NOT lean on the doors.
"Someone's still doing it... ladies and gentlemen, DO NOT lean on the doors" she added, wearily.
Also read: what actually happens when you lean on tube doors.
