Extra Shower Curtain Rod: Useful vs "normal"...

A brilliant suggestion from Parent Hacks (and through Lifehacker) is to add an extra curtain rod to your shower, on which to hang and dry the bathing suits and extra towels brought by summer swimmin'. The image at left is actually an overpriced "dual shower rod & towel rack," but an extra $10 rod from Walmart will do the trick just as well. It's not that this technique doesn't have its faults - after all, the drying items might get wet all over again anytime someone takes a shower - but it rates pretty highly for convenience.

So why isn't this seen in practice more often? Why isn't this the standard in homes, instead of a niche technique that needs to be discovered on a blog? It seems that this is a case of traditional, normal designs standing in the way of progress. A shower rod is understood, familiar, and has remained relatively unchanged for a century or more. No interior designer has ever earned the scorn of the client for sticking to the norm in this area. And so it stays the same, even when something more useful is out there - it's a cycle familiarity that's difficult to break. But, dare to break it, and there can be rewards in the form of a slightly easier, slightly more convenient life.