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Original poster

Surely this sign is unnecessary - Indonesia

107 replies

hotelinfo · 22/08/2025 06:22

On a very small (but quite well-known) islsnd, but lots if tourists. Not much going on today, as you can probably tell, so I'm posting this sign in the hotel room bathroom.

Obviously crouching loos are common in some areas, but who really needs to be told not to crouch on a hotel loo seat?

Surely this sign is unnecessary - Indonesia
OP posts:
Newname42 · 22/08/2025 08:13

You’re in an Asian country and the signs will be tailored to Asians rather than Europeans.

Kucinghitam · 22/08/2025 08:13

LakieLady · 22/08/2025 08:03

I was going to ask how the arthritic of knee manage, too.

There's no way I could squat, and in the unlikely event that I managed to, I'd never get up again.

Show quote history

Based on my sample of self, friends and family (SE Asian), if you have been squatting your whole life, it is not considered difficult or uncomfortable - quite the reverse in fact, it's how many people have a rest after walking/standing for too long.

BountifulPantry · 22/08/2025 08:04

Very common abroad.

LakieLady · 22/08/2025 08:03

Ratafia · 22/08/2025 08:01

Idle curiosity, having reached the point where my knees creak somewhat even getting up from a western stye loo - how do people manage with crouching when they reach that stage? If I got down to crouch I'm not sure I'd be able to stand up again.

I was going to ask how the arthritic of knee manage, too.

There's no way I could squat, and in the unlikely event that I managed to, I'd never get up again.

Ratafia · 22/08/2025 08:01

Idle curiosity, having reached the point where my knees creak somewhat even getting up from a western stye loo - how do people manage with crouching when they reach that stage? If I got down to crouch I'm not sure I'd be able to stand up again.

Middlechild3 · 22/08/2025 07:57

It needs to be in Air India toilets

Zanatdy · 22/08/2025 07:57

Our office once had a sign up asking people not to stand on toilet seats so maybe this was going on

HighLadyofTheNightCourt · 22/08/2025 07:56

I’ve seen this sign loads in the uk. Typically in tourist spots or universities. It’s obviously needed 🤷🏼‍♀️

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 22/08/2025 07:56

These signs also exist(ed) in my old university in the UK. I’ve also seen them in Paris.

GiantTeddyIsTired · 22/08/2025 07:55

hotelinfo · 22/08/2025 06:35

If you were to put your feet on this loo, the plastic seat would either crack or fall off. And if the seat was up, the rim is so thin, you'd slip off.

Most public bathrooms have either squat loos (hole in the ground) or a mix of squat and sitting loos. I think people know the difference.

ROFL - I used to live in KL, and I've worked in companies in Europe with a large number of Chinese (as in immigrant, rather than euro of chinese ancestry) employees. Yes, the sign is needed, and yes, the toilet seats do break when yo stand on them - which is why the sign is needed.

Habit is very strong.

inkognitha · 22/08/2025 07:53

Chinese tourists

Floatlikeafeather2 · 22/08/2025 07:52

Lushlylemons · 22/08/2025 07:20

Im more intrigued by the colour chart. Is this a common thing? I've not ever seen that in hotel bathrooms. Smile

I've seen them often in hospitals but have recently come across them in lots of public loos. I think they're quite a good idea actually - it's good to have some awareness that there is an ideal colour, especially in a country where dehydration might be more likely to happen to the unwary.

DreamingofTimbuktuagain · 22/08/2025 07:52

The weirder thing is the dehydration chart in complex English, plus the fact it’s only in English at all - why not Bahasa?

Ginmonkeyagain · 22/08/2025 07:48

Just remembered I saw one in the toilets at Brussels Midi station a few months ago.

Ginmonkeyagain · 22/08/2025 07:47

Yes it is needed. A lot of institutional places (offices, universities) in London have these signs in the toilets.

Needlenardlenoo · 22/08/2025 07:47

One thing you can be sure about with signs and notices, whatever they are: if they've gone to the trouble of making one, it's because people do whatever the undesirable thing is enough to cause an issue!

Radiatorvalves · 22/08/2025 07:45

i used to visit our offices in peterborough. International company be with hq in the US and they had that sign. HR assured me that there was a reason for it… they’d had a number of broken toilets. 😵‍💫

Floatlikeafeather2 · 22/08/2025 07:44

hotelinfo · 22/08/2025 06:35

If you were to put your feet on this loo, the plastic seat would either crack or fall off. And if the seat was up, the rim is so thin, you'd slip off.

Most public bathrooms have either squat loos (hole in the ground) or a mix of squat and sitting loos. I think people know the difference.

Clearly they don't know the difference, hence the sign.

Marble02031 · 22/08/2025 07:43

We used to have that in my workplace (head office for a large UK retailer) we were repeatedly having seats broken in the ladies.

KrisAkabusi · 22/08/2025 07:43

I'm surprised you've never seen one of those signs before. I've seen them in lots of European countries, including in the UK.

Floatlikeafeather2 · 22/08/2025 07:42

There have been discussions about this on here in the past. There was one in March this year.
Please remember that you are currently in someone else's country. You can question the need for the sign, privately, but it would be wrong of you to bring it to the attention of hotel employees or other locals. Be respectful of the norms in other cultures.

stardrops1 · 22/08/2025 07:39

hotelinfo · 22/08/2025 06:35

If you were to put your feet on this loo, the plastic seat would either crack or fall off. And if the seat was up, the rim is so thin, you'd slip off.

Most public bathrooms have either squat loos (hole in the ground) or a mix of squat and sitting loos. I think people know the difference.

It is very necessary - just because it’s obvious to you doesn’t mean it is to everyone.

maudelovesharold · 22/08/2025 07:38

Identical sign at Paphos airport, Cyprus. I only know because I took a photo too, so it must have amused me at the time (2019 apparently)!
Of course I know better now, than to think it’s funny, after reading this thread…

TheNightingalesStarling · 22/08/2025 07:35

I thought this about road signs telling you to drive on the left in Scotland (I.e no where near a road port).

DH pointed out that it was possible to get to Scotland purely on motorways and those would be the first country roads they experienced so easy to forget.

What is obvious to usit obvious to everyone

HelloHattie · 22/08/2025 07:33

They have those at the local uni

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