For the last few years, nearly every time I use a public bathroom, I exit with something new to add to my "frustrations with public bathrooms" list (or at least an experience to re-iterate a point on my list). Today is the day that I want to publicly complain about what is in need of attention in many bathrooms.
1. Why is it that the toilet paper dispenser needs to be so difficult to extract toilet paper from? First of all, the mega-rolls are so gigantic that the first 10 feet of paper is nearly impossible to get in a sheet longer than on "square." I feel that I usually end up manually spinning the roll with one hand while gently quiding the paper out with the other hand so that I don't just get toilet paper shrapnel, which will do no good. Second of all, the difficulty is increased by the fact that the roll dispenser is located about 5 inches above the ground. This causes you to lean forward and reach down just to get to your toilet paper, which is really frustrating.
2. How difficult is it to flush the toilet? I won't even get into the frustrations on this one.
3. How difficult is it to clean up your own mess? In women's bathrooms, the "squatter," who is trying to avoid diseases, often leaves a mess, leaving the un-suspecting person who uses that stall next at a higher risk for diseases - and being disgusted. Other messes include leaving toilet paper and/or paper towels all over the floor.
4. Automatic flushing toilets. While these are often convenient, there are also some troubling moments. I don't like when the toilet decides to flush while I am still using the toilet, creating a tornado below me (scary!). Then, when I am in actual need of the flush, the toilet does not "sense" this need. Sometimes I try to fool the sensor by moving as far away as possible, and then closer, and then further away . . . and when this doesn't work, I have to find the small black button myself. For a humorous look at automatic flushing toilets, check out the book Praise Habit: Finding God in Sunsets and Sushi by David Crowder.
5. Automatic sinks. Again - often convenient, but still somewhat troubling at times. There is nothing like waving around your soapy hands angrily in front of a sink in public because the sink doesn't know you are there anymore. There are these sinks at newer WalMart Supercenters that are similar to the ones in WI rest areas (WI rest areas - with the exception of the older ones - make my list of top 5 favorite public bathrooms). These sinks (at WalMart) are designed as a big arc shape with many soap dispensers and faucet heads so many people can use them at once. But they are made so that they usually only sense one person at a time. But it's not a first come, first serve set-up. The sink will sometimes shut off, shunning you in the middle of hand washing, because someone else have walked up.
6. The "hug the toilet in order to open the door" set-up. I realize some places are tight on space, but is it really necessary to create swing-in stall doors that leave you no room to stand there while you open the door to escape? These are highly awkward and frustrating.
7. Lack of hanging hooks or shelves for purses, shopping bags and personal belongings. Especially in shopping malls, these are needed aid in the process or going to the bathroom when you have things to set down somewhere other than the floor. Props to Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, IL for getting this concept, even in the men's room (undisclosed source).
8. One-person bathrooms located right by tables at coffeeshops. How awkward for both parties. Also awkward is the bathroom set-up at The Chocolate Moon (a coffeehouse favorite in Elmhurst, IL), where you have to walk past the small barista/cash register area, and down a small storage hall-way to get to the small bathroom. I am not sure what health codes were the year they opened, but I hope they've changed.
9. A rolling-hand towel. Always wet (though it claims that the same piece of towel never comes around twice) and almost always broken in some way. There aren't many of these around anymore, but they are strange.
10. Finally, something I've only experienced once but is worth noting, mirrors on the ceiling. That's right, mirrors on the ceiling even above the stalls. You glance up (at a low ceiling) and there's you, upside down - how nice - not to mention that others can see you! I experienced this on a riverboat cruise on the St. Croix River and was quite disturbed. Luckily, my friends and I were the only ones in there.
1. Why is it that the toilet paper dispenser needs to be so difficult to extract toilet paper from? First of all, the mega-rolls are so gigantic that the first 10 feet of paper is nearly impossible to get in a sheet longer than on "square." I feel that I usually end up manually spinning the roll with one hand while gently quiding the paper out with the other hand so that I don't just get toilet paper shrapnel, which will do no good. Second of all, the difficulty is increased by the fact that the roll dispenser is located about 5 inches above the ground. This causes you to lean forward and reach down just to get to your toilet paper, which is really frustrating.
2. How difficult is it to flush the toilet? I won't even get into the frustrations on this one.
3. How difficult is it to clean up your own mess? In women's bathrooms, the "squatter," who is trying to avoid diseases, often leaves a mess, leaving the un-suspecting person who uses that stall next at a higher risk for diseases - and being disgusted. Other messes include leaving toilet paper and/or paper towels all over the floor.
4. Automatic flushing toilets. While these are often convenient, there are also some troubling moments. I don't like when the toilet decides to flush while I am still using the toilet, creating a tornado below me (scary!). Then, when I am in actual need of the flush, the toilet does not "sense" this need. Sometimes I try to fool the sensor by moving as far away as possible, and then closer, and then further away . . . and when this doesn't work, I have to find the small black button myself. For a humorous look at automatic flushing toilets, check out the book Praise Habit: Finding God in Sunsets and Sushi by David Crowder.
5. Automatic sinks. Again - often convenient, but still somewhat troubling at times. There is nothing like waving around your soapy hands angrily in front of a sink in public because the sink doesn't know you are there anymore. There are these sinks at newer WalMart Supercenters that are similar to the ones in WI rest areas (WI rest areas - with the exception of the older ones - make my list of top 5 favorite public bathrooms). These sinks (at WalMart) are designed as a big arc shape with many soap dispensers and faucet heads so many people can use them at once. But they are made so that they usually only sense one person at a time. But it's not a first come, first serve set-up. The sink will sometimes shut off, shunning you in the middle of hand washing, because someone else have walked up.
6. The "hug the toilet in order to open the door" set-up. I realize some places are tight on space, but is it really necessary to create swing-in stall doors that leave you no room to stand there while you open the door to escape? These are highly awkward and frustrating.
7. Lack of hanging hooks or shelves for purses, shopping bags and personal belongings. Especially in shopping malls, these are needed aid in the process or going to the bathroom when you have things to set down somewhere other than the floor. Props to Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, IL for getting this concept, even in the men's room (undisclosed source).
8. One-person bathrooms located right by tables at coffeeshops. How awkward for both parties. Also awkward is the bathroom set-up at The Chocolate Moon (a coffeehouse favorite in Elmhurst, IL), where you have to walk past the small barista/cash register area, and down a small storage hall-way to get to the small bathroom. I am not sure what health codes were the year they opened, but I hope they've changed.
9. A rolling-hand towel. Always wet (though it claims that the same piece of towel never comes around twice) and almost always broken in some way. There aren't many of these around anymore, but they are strange.
10. Finally, something I've only experienced once but is worth noting, mirrors on the ceiling. That's right, mirrors on the ceiling even above the stalls. You glance up (at a low ceiling) and there's you, upside down - how nice - not to mention that others can see you! I experienced this on a riverboat cruise on the St. Croix River and was quite disturbed. Luckily, my friends and I were the only ones in there.
3 comments:
Somehow I feel I failed at potty training.
I was at a mall recently (a mall not known for being clean to begin with) and decided to use the restroom before we left. While at the urinal, I could hear that there was a man in a stall (draw your own conclusions). As I turned around and walked toward the sink I SAW the man in the mirror. He was sitting on the toilet looking at the mirror! I washed my hands quickly and walked to a place in the bathroon where I could see his stall but not be seen by him directly or indirectly in the mirror. I realized that the man had no choice, there were NO DOORS on any of the stalls. I guess that means 1/4 of the graffiti to clean up, I guess. The man only had a choice (or did he?) whether or not to use the stall realizing it had no door. I rarely deuce in public as it is, except for at major name bookstores (take that Borders) because of the cleanliness and many choices of stalls in case of uncleanliness, but I would definitely not use a public stall with no door.
Hmmm, freshmen dorms . . .
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