OT: public rest rooms hygiene question

It wouldn`t do for me to try THAT! I`d be flat on my back!

Pat

"Dawne Peterson" wrote

It is interesting to compare the terminology. In Britain it's a public lavatory, in North America it's a public washroom or a public rest room. Bruce

Hmmmm... wouldn't it be easier to phlush with your nose? I mean, it's closer to the phlush button and far less likely to land you in a compromising position than if you tried to hop round on one leg to phlush with your phoot... Don't you think?

In Oz, it's 'the toilet' or 'the dunny' or 'the loo'.

Makes sense to me---but, in view of previous discussion, would one have to wear a finger stall on one's nose to do so???? Dawne

And don't forget to remove the finger stall from your nose before appearing in public Bruce

Here in Australia we also have a National Public Toilet Map, very handy when travelling.

Edna in Sydney

Oh my! Thank you for that, Edna! I had no idea it was available, but I (and my ancient plumbing) am eternally grateful!

And here in Britain not only do we have Jonathan Routh's "Good Loo Guide" but we have The British Toilet Association "Campaigning for better public toilets for all" Bruce

In the UK, do you get the ones where it's a great long hole that goes down about twelve feet with a box over the top?

We get those in national parks and picnic spots that might be a bit far out from town. My DD utterly refuses to go to these dunnies and prefers instead to find a 'safe' spot somewhere in the bush. Which can be rather hilarious if one is prepared with a good prop, such as a large plastic spider suspended from a stick with a bit of elastic. Heeheeheehee! Good value!

(NB. DD is majorly arachnophobic)

I used to have a magazine article listing the most luxurious, accessible, and free bathrooms in Manhattan. Very useful when you were walking about.

Lucille

p.s. As far as I know we have always called it simply the bathroom, or maybe in a public place the ladies/men's room. Much more practical name in a place where there are so many tourists?

I loathe all the cute names, Gals/Guys, Mares/Stallions etc.

How I wish we had a list like that when in Boston - very hard to even find a restaurant with a washroom. We resorted to a full lunch in order to eat somewhere with a washroom. Another friend said they found the same thing and since they were passing the hospital he went in and used one in Emergency lol

All the hotels and museums in Manhattan have restrooms that are open to the public. Some of them are hidden away in a corner and that was where the guide came in so handy. That particular guide even told you if there was an attendant and suggested how much to tip.

I really should go and look for it and send it to one of my friends back in NY. It was very handy.

The landlords of Scarborough's public houses don't like their toilets being used by the general public. See Bruce

It`s the loo or the toilet here too. (Or the bog if you want to be basic).

Pat

In the area where I live, many of the local establishments are on septic systems. Since tourism is a major draw in the summer, many stores have had to resort to limiting the use of their facilities since the septic systems tend to get overloaded. We were also on water rationing last summer due to lack of rainfall which made the problem even worse for these businesses.

In several popular locations, the county authorities have set up porta-pots to deal with the situation.

MargW

They don't much like it in New York either, especially the really upscale ones, but it's the law and they have no choice.

Lucille

Hotels - there are always restrooms somewhere off the lobby - by the meeting or ball rooms. The secret during my trips to India - where it can be very difficult (outside of major tourist places) to find a reasonable facility - we'd walk into whatever the closest, nicest hotel was, and find a restroom. Particularly with my not looking native, no one would ever question us.

I'm surprised about the restaurant thing in Boston. Most health codes require a restroom if food is served - so anyplace that you can sit and have food must have a restroom/washroom within a close distance. If it's just a street stand/stall - that's a different story. And, sometimes big office buildings - if you're walking around a downtown city - there are usually restrooms that are accessible on the main level - may be back by the elevatores, but....

ellice

You sound like me. I almost always needed a restroom and, therefore, I knew where each one was hidden. Very handy when we would go out for the whole day.

Lucille