[Closed] Spodsnet: AIBU in using the disabled toilet at work?

AIBU??

So long as your not using the ladies it shouldn't be an issue.

"Am I Being Unreasonable", presumably.

How much use does the disabled loo get? If it's as close to "none at all" as makes no odds then I'd have no issues whatsoever in going for a 'luxury poo' if the mood took me.

Them there loo's are always being used by blokes here, some run into work, some ride, best place to clean up I say.

Just limp as you walk in and out of the toilet door.

Reminds me of my days of having to go and work in the TI fabrication plant in Dallas. I'd normally get everything out of the way before leaving my hotel room in the morning, but as luck would have it, one day (during my first ever visit) I needed to use the plant loos (nothing particularly wrong in that, being a semicon plant, everything was spotlessly clean) and all was well until I had my slacks down around my cankles, sat on the loo and noticed a frickin' HALF INCH GAP RIGHT DOWN THE LENGTH OF THE DOOR. What's worse - it was a busy loo and I could see EVERYONE milling around outside. 😯

Well, that was it - turtle tailed and nothing happening...I had to do a quick grab and wipe and find the only private loo in the building to which I had access - which was a disabled loo in the depths of the basement. I never once felt guilty about using it. 🙂 Mind you, my walk there that day was the campest mince I've ever walked - and that's saying something.

I use disabled loos whenever it's expedient. Am I wrong? Are there disabilities that require both immediate toilet facilities and ease of access?

Are there disabilities that require both immediate toilet facilities and ease of access?

I would imagine there are yes.

Are there disabilities that require both immediate toilet facilities and ease of access?

Hmnnn, at a guess, I reckon yes!

I use disabled loos whenever it's expedient. Am I wrong? Are there disabilities that require both immediate toilet facilities and ease of access?

This is precisely why you should not use disabled bogs

I use disabled loos whenever it's expedient. Am I wrong?

HALF INCH GAP RIGHT DOWN THE LENGTH OF THE DOOR

Strange that Americans, who are otherwise so prudish, are accustomed to having a crap in public. The public toilets at the Galleria posh shopping mall in Houston don't (didn't) even have doors at all, though that was probably to do with drugs and "cottaging".

This is precisely why you should not use disabled bogs

Theres no need to be so black and white Mike. If an able bodied person was really [i]that[/i] desperate it'd be different, but for convenience is different. And there is always the very real chance that a disabled person may crap themself waiting while you are in there.

I never saw the harm in using an unoccupied disabled bog, but a freind with chronic progressive MS pointed out what it could (and had) meant to him.

Sounds like my office. I use the disabled toilet, or "Fortress of Solitude" as I call it, because it's more comfortable than the normal stalls. A place where a man can read the paper in peace, or maybe do a bit of sudoku or a crossword.

I see nothing wrong with your behaviour.

I'd rather see an able bodied person crap themselves then use a disabled loo....

Even if that person was you ?

I guess it's the same argument for using the disabled bay at the supermarket "It's quiet and no one's using the bay so I'll park in it."

You have no idea what's going to happen in the next 10 minutes but do it regardless?

If the disabled cubicle also doubles as a shower room then I'd happily take a shower in there but not poo.

In New Mexico I stopped at a truck stop and the crapper was just three pans against the wall, no doors or walls or anything 😯 my need to defecate went away after seeing that and ended up using a Arbys.

Have also been subjected to the inch wide gap Darcy was talking about, actually had some kid wathching me untill I told him to go forth, that was in a Wal Mart I think.

Worst bog I have ever encountered was in Chile at a resteraunt in the Atacams desert, trully offensive 🙁

I'd rather see an able bodied person crap themselves

Can I suggest to anyone who is put off by the toilets in North America that you never travel in Africa. You really won't have a very pleasant time.

I would imagine there are yes.

Go on? I'm not after an argument, I just want to know so I don't cause any trouble.

Also - is it only wheelchair users that need the disabled bogs?

As for gaps under doors in the US - an inch? Most public toilets I've used have about 18" under the door, and they are only about 6ft tall. I think it's to discourage anyone behaving improperly.. but I guess it would also allow you to crawl under the door if you got stuck.

I think using it somewhere quiet where you're confident there's no disabled people about is one thing - using them all the time because you're too lazy to walk up some stairs is another. I do some support work for a guy with disabilities and there are definitely occasions when you might need to get to a loo quickly.

Many things in everyday life generally take longer and are more faffy for disabled people so anything that adds to that is not great really.

Can I suggest to anyone who is put off by the toilets in North America that you never travel in Africa. You really won't have a very pleasant time.

Hole in the floor at a roadside cafe in Greece. There wasn't even a handle or anything to hold onto! How are you supposed to squat down over a hole without a handle to hold onto! More to the point, how do you get back up again!!! 😯

I use the disabled loo to change after cycling in.

In 2 years in this building I have never seen a disabled person use it. There are quite a few people with disabilities on the site but not in our building/on our floor. And there are very few people in when I arrive anyway.

I only use it to change in either end of the day. All other toilet requirements I use the normal gents loos

Go on? I'm not after an argument, I just want to know so I don't cause any trouble.

Have you ever looked after a child ?
If so, need for very urgent access to a toilet should be familiar.

Put that child in a wheelchair and see how much more difficult things get,
Possibly add a multitude of other physical or mental problems into the mix and it gets a lot worse.

Can you honestly not work this stuff out for yourself ? 😐

I'm amazed.

I always use the disabled bog at my office. Rails to hang ones clothes on, a little shelf for accoutrements, padded backrest - what's not to like. And since I broke the lift [s]playing[/s] testing it, wheelchair drivers cant get up to our floor anyway.

If you work in an office that has no disabled workers and is not open to the public I can't see what harm you are doing in using the facility.

However, using disabled facilities in shopping centres etc. is obviously wrong.

As above really, my comments were in connection with ....

I use disabled loos whenever it's expedient. Am I wrong?

Which doesn't refer to a specific "never used" office facility, but a more general useage.

To be honest, with the use of the word "expedient" it suggest he already knows its wrong.

(Or didn't know what expedient meant but used it anyway ?)

I think he used it because it sounds intelligent.

[i]wheelchair drivers cant get up to our floor anyway.[/i]

you do know that not everyone who might need to use an adapted cubicle will be in a wheelchair?

I use the disabled loo to change after cycling in.

I only use it to change in either end of the day. All other toilet requirements I use the normal gents loos

I know from observation that able-bodied colleagues sometimes use the disabled loo, and I've always thought that that was a bit off-side.

Hole in the floor at a roadside cafe in Greece. There wasn't even a handle or anything to hold onto! How are you supposed to squat down over a hole without a handle to hold onto! More to the point, how do you get back up again!!!

They actually aren't that popular now, lived there for a few years and most places use the normal sit down jobies (which normally look as though a Tsunami of Pi%% has just done the rounds)...

The only thing that worried me about the "Turkish" 🙂 bogs was you'd stand up and find your Red Wood had landed in your pants and not gone down the hole....shudders......

To be fair they pretty much guaranteed a clean breakage...which must never be underestimated.

you do know that not everyone who might need to use an adapted cubicle will be in a wheelchair?

For instance, molgrips, when it's expedient.

As for gaps under doors in the US - an inch?

They're not talking about gaps [i]under [/i]doors, but round the sides. Where UK cubicle doors overlap the frame, US public thrones typically have the doors inset into the frame; whilst an inch is an exaggeration, they quite often have sufficient gap that you can still see people milling around outside whilst you're mid-thrutch.

I dunno, pondo, someone has been beating me to it around 4pm the last couple of weeks?

Indeed, as Cougar says, it was down the length of the door. I reckoned on a half inch-ish...whatever it was it was [i]enough[/i]. 🙂

My recent experience in Greece (and I go there at least twice a year) is that the standard is much better than the UK. Nepal, now ... that's a different matter ...

what's the official "ruling" on disabled loos? Disabled car parking are (afaik) prohibited to everyone except blue badge holders, fair enough, but what about other stuff? Access ramps are there to help dis/less-abled people get into buildings but I doubt anyone is going to complain about able bodied people walking up and down them. Is there an official line on loos?

I've encountered the bogdoor gap in the dominican, presumably US influenced, didn't overly bother me, like at the urinals just be careful where you look.

About 20 years ago had to use the facilities in a greek bar, was literally a hole in the floor, a porcelain one with feet indents but still a hole in the floor, bleurgh.

I lived in Italy in the 80s. Virtually every public toilet was a squat type. Once you are used to the techniques (such as only pulling trousers halfway down) they actually make perfect sense. There are cultures where it is considered wrong to touch a toilet with anything other than the soles of your shoes and if you think about it, the hygiene implications of full backside contact with a seat that has been used by God knows who else is far more disturbing to the fastidious amongst us than using a Turkish style sluice.

As for using disabled loos, well, as long as you aren't preventing any disabled person from using them, surely common sense should prevail?

Not everyone is obviously disabled.
Not everyone wants their colleagues to know they have a disability.

Please don't, unless it's a genuine emergency.
You mess up someones day and might just leave them in the shit.
Literally.

surely common sense should prevail?

... which is where it all goes wrong.

My local 24h Tesco has, for reasons best known to itself, maybe thirty disabled bays taking up two almost full rows in front of the store. I once parked in one at silly o'clock to go get a bottle of milk or something, when there was only a handful of vehicles in total in the car park. Got out and was met with a full-on English passive-aggressive scowl of disapproval from some woman who was walking past. There may even have been some tutting.

Now, I appreciate that I shouldn't really park there and I would never dream of doing it during the day, but come on, are you expecting a sudden rush or something?

Scapegoat - Member
I lived in Italy in the 80s. Virtually every public toilet was a squat type.

I had to use one last week at the Oval in Turin! For any other traveller faced with such a contraption, there is a useful Wiki guide on use here: [url= http://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Squat-Toilet ]How to use a Squatty Potty[/url]

Wow, I didn't think this was worth such nastiness. I'm asking a question because I really don't know. I don't know why you (nealglover) are being so nasty to someone who just wants to do the decent thing.

And just to clarify, I was only talking about using the disabled loo in offices where I've worked for a while, and where I know there aren't any wheelchair users in that part of the building. I have never used a public one.

Not everyone is obviously disabled.

This is very true, and sadly I know a few people in exactly this situation. Plenty of people have the attitude of "well, you don't look ill" which really doesn't help.

That said, I'm struggling to think offhand of a disability which would necessitate use of the accessibility features of the disabled loos, but would still be a 'non-obvious' disability. Unless you [i]need[/i] to go and the regular toilets are all engaged, I guess?

I know there aren't any wheelchair users in that part of the building.

I'm sure you realise this but of course they're not just intended for use by wheelchair users, despite what the logo would have you believe.

It's like a car driver using an ASL as he can't see any cyclists in it.

So longs you didn't overtake anyone in a wheelchair molgrips who was currently heading that way I reckon your fine 😉
But in all honesty I don't see an issue with it in a private office block.

I'm sure you realise this but of course they're not just intended for use by wheelchair users

Yes of course. But one would assume that if you are able to move about normally but have some other concealed kind of disability that you could use the normal toilets? I mean deaf people are disabled, but should they use the disabled loos?

This is why I asked the question. It was not a rhetorical one. I don't have much experience of disability, so I was hoping someone who does could help me learn more.

It's like a car driver using an ASL as he can't see any cyclists in it.

To be fair, I expect that the majority of drivers who ignore ASLs do so because they passed their test before ASLs existed and don't actually have the first idea what they're supposed to be doing with it.

I mean deaf people are disabled, but should they use the disabled loos?

Do the disabled loos have a visual indicator for the fire alarm perhaps, where the regular ones don't?

No cougar, not required under regs.

They usually have a bell for room service.

Do all the other rooms in a building have visual fire alarms for the deaf (not being sarky either, just never noticed such a feature).

I use our disabled loo for changing in (and general ablutions). I'm not aware of anyone sharing the same office floor who would need the enhanced space and access facilities provided by said toilet. And, the alternative is to use a toilet which is minging 🙂

Noisy areas within factories etc have them but in standard offices its smokes, with heat detectors in canteen areas then just sounders when the alarm kicks in.

Many years ago I needed a number 2 at Paddington station. Each cubicle door was half glazed with frosted glass and the attendant walked up and down checking that there was nothing untoward going on in each cubicle. A bit off-putting but when a man's got to go............

I also work in an office where there is nobody who looks as if they have a disability that requires the use of the disabled loo. As our only shower cubicle is out-of-bounds I get changed in the disabled loo. I really can't see as it is a problem..........

I would say that if there where showers in the disabled toilet they expect able bodied people to use them for showering purposes.

My shower at work is in a disabled toilet, in fact all the toilets in my building have disabled facilities in them, and there are no disabled people in my building.

I worked with a chap for quite some time and knew that occasionally he'd be off work for a while with a recurrent illness, but knew no more. I'd known him for the best part of ten years before I found out (he told me) that he'd had an [url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostomy_pouching_system ]ostomy[/url]. This is not the kind of thing you can easily deal with in shared loos, but not the kind of thing that's an "obvious" disability

having said that in our building all the "disabled" loos (one on each floor) are also the ladies loos, as we have only a few women working here and far more men. And I still use the ladies/disabled looks for changing when I cycle in as it's more convenient to do so in terms of physical space and there's only usually one or two other people in. Wouldn't use it during normal office hours

Do all the other rooms in a building have visual fire alarms for the deaf

My logic was that in most other places you're likely to have other people around you so that if you are so stone deaf that you can't hear a fire alarm then the mass exodus of everyone else might tip you off. OTOH, if you're on your break and nicely settled in with the Times Crossword whilst you wait for nature to take its course, you don't usually have company (unless, seemingly, you're in Paddington Station).

Though thinking about it, a) it's a pretty fringe situation to start with and b) if you were unfortunate enough to be so profoundly deaf, then relying on others to give you the Team America signal is probably unacceptable from a H&S point of view irrespective of whereabouts in the building you are at the time.

My brother-in-law had some 'personal issues' and had to give a semen sample. He was expecting to be shown to a private room with perhaps a magazine or a few films but instead had to perform in the disabled loo (in which someone had just taken a dump). Not the most inspiring environment.

Can't imagine it being wholly pleasant for the next disabled person to have to use the facilities for their intended purpose there either, TBH. I hope his aim was good.

Wow, I didn't think this was worth such nastiness. I'm asking a question because I really don't know. I don't know why you (nealglover) are being so nasty to someone who just wants to do the decent thing.

How was I being nasty ?

You asked a question and I explained a perfect example of what you asked for.

And I am amazed that you needed to ask the question at all, as I said.
,

You said.....

I use disabled loos whenever it's expedient. Am I wrong?

No mention of a private office area, toilet never used by disabled people etc.

you made it sound (intentionally?) like you do it all the time, wherever you happen to be.

And I responded accordingly.

And as I said before, do you actually know what "expedient" means ?

Because possibly by using that word, you made it sound very different from what you intended.

Whilst lay on the MRI scanner at a nice private hospital I had a little snooze, music gently playing away in my ears. I awoke to the stop of the table sliding back out and the operator frantically waving to me at the viewing window to get out. On removing the headphones I could hear the fire alarm. Cue the fastest get change in history!

I'd have no issues whatsoever in going for a 'luxury poo' if the mood took me.

I believe the correct term is [i]"a handicrap"[/i] 😆

(and yes I've made guilty use of the disabled loo at the office on occasion, when the stalls of the main loo next door are occupied. But I'm not too concerned as it is mainly used as a Cleaning Supplies cupboard and you have to move mops and buckets out the way to get to the seat!)

How on earth can you wear headphones during an MRI? Do they have special non-ferrous ones?

If it's inconsiderate to use a disabled bog in case an incontinent person is desperate to use it, why does that make it any better for the desperate one if it's a disabled person in there?

Equine Altitude Sickness prevails.

I'd imagine they might use special "air tube" headphones which don't have wires or metal in them - they just modify the pressure of the air.

at my work they are called the VIP toilets.

How on earth can you wear headphones during an MRI?

http://www.scansound.com/mri-music/pneumatic-mri-headphones/mri-noise-reduction-headphone.html

molgrips - Member

And just to clarify, I was only talking about using the disabled loo in offices where I've worked for a while, and where I know there aren't any wheelchair users in that part of the building. I have never used a public one.

Cougar - Moderator

That said, I'm struggling to think offhand of a disability which would necessitate use of the accessibility features of the disabled loos, but would still be a 'non-obvious' disability.

Gentlemen. 🙂
Please don't take offence, but this is the root of the problem.
You both come across as intelligent people who are happy using your judgement and acquired knowlege.
And you'll usually find that your judgement is correct.

Sadly, this can cause issues when you are dealing with a seemingly illogical situation of which you have little experience.

There are many situations where someone with a non obvious disability would need to use a disabled loo.
Please, just take my word for it. 🙂

molgrips - Member

Wow, I didn't think this was worth such nastiness.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
You don't always know best.

This is why all the public disabled loos in Caderdale have to have locks on them.
Because seemingly intelligent people can't understand that their (usually self determined) impeccable logic could ever be wrong.

So please.
Don't use disabled loos unless you have to.

We have one loo at work. It's been converted so that disabled people can use it . The hand rails are covered with clothes and samples, there is in fact a rather fit bloke getting changed in it right now ( fire suit sample fit and photoshoot) there's some sweaty palms amongst the girls and Simon

I need a wee though

Don't use disabled loos unless you have to.

D0NK - Member
wouldn't it be easier for all to differentiate? Have disabled only and disabled shared use variants?

But that's what we do have:
Disabled only & shared use.

Edit - do you mean that normal loos should have disabled facilities too?
I can see what you mean, but it's often not easy to maintain someone's privacy and dignity when trying to share a loo.

The work showers are in a disabled loo

The male bogs on our floor were converted to a single occupancy disabled toilet, the sign on the door is the standard disabled one but on the lifts/building map there are male and disabled toilets advertised on our floor, but they are one and the same. So our employer (who are normally right on, equal opportunities, PC gawn mayyyd types) certainly seem happy with shared use in some cases.

Your employers sound like a bunch of muppets, tbh. 😀

There are cultures where it is considered wrong to touch a toilet with anything other than the soles of your shoes

zippykona - Member
Wonder how many people fall off?

One foot in the gravy?

[img] https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSpMe7yn0DL8aZtM8ByWbErs462kUjJ01BY-cwlmarzj1eVOIGk [/img]

Edit - do you mean that normal loos should have disabled facilities too?

I'd imagine they might use special "air tube" headphones which don't have wires or metal in them - they just modify the pressure of the air.

Ah, I know the things. They used to have them in aircraft a few years ago.

Sadly, this can cause issues when you are dealing with a seemingly illogical situation of which you have little experience.

There are many situations where someone with a non obvious disability would need to use a disabled loo.
Please, just take my word for it.

You misunderstand, I think. I wasn't trying to justify their (ab)use, it was a genuine question as I couldn't immediately think of a scenario. I could take your word for it, or you could just give me an example or two of these "many" situations? The 'ostomy' example given by someone earlier, for instance; they don't need the modifications per sé, but they do need more privacy than afforded by conventional 'shared' facilities.

I'm well aware of difficulties and prejudice faced by people who don't "look" disabled; my partner is thusly affected, for a start.

certain sections of society insist on standing on the toilet rather than sitting.

Some societies use squat toilets so that is how some folk are used to using them.

All you need is a sign explaining the correct position on a Western toilet:

[img] [/img]

heres some maths:

each floor in my office has a seperate loo for the disabled.
each floor then has another disabled cubicle in the usual toilets.
note: assuming theres one in the womens too.

that means each floor has 3 disabled loos.
the total number of toilets is 7 per floor.

I have never seen a wheel chair in the building and even given that some people may have a more discreet disabiltiy surely thats way more disabled toilets than needed? Or do the powers alocating numbers expect us all to get a disability sometime soon?

zippykona - Member

My brother has to routinely fix the bogs at Gatwick sorting office as certain sections of society insist on standing on the toilet rather than sitting.
Wonder how many people fall off?

Good debate..

The Internetz is alive & kicking 🙄

Good job you're here to move the discussion on with your insightful contributions then, hey?