to use the disabled toilet in this situation?

[dolldaggabuzzbuzz]

I took mine and my sister's DCs for a nice day out to the cinema. There was just me and 4 kids aged between 3 and 5. After we bought our tickets I took them to the Ladies toilet, they were all engaged and there were a few people waiting.

I decided not to wait and took the DCs out to the disabled toilet as there was no one using or waiting for it. When we had all finished we were washing our hands when someone tried the door, one of the DCs had unlocked it and this woman in a wheelchair came in with her partner, I said I won't be a minute. She glared at me and muttered some things.

I was really embarrassed that I had been caught out using the disabled toilet and I wanted to apologise to the lady for keeping her waiting (for less than a minute!) but she was really, really angry. The DCs ran out in opposite directions and I quickly said sorry to the lady and as I walked off she screamed "Bitch!" at me. I never turned back to look at her. I don't think the DCs noticed anything!

I was so upset I couldn't get it out of my head throughout the film, and it ruined my day. I don't think what I did was that bad. I thought that woman was really horrible. AIBU?

Why ever not Janet- you could use the disabled toilets AND spread norovirus around after all its your perogative to go out when ill- screw anyone else!

Shoesytwoesy - the 90% is a guess in the fact a disablilty can be many different things from beeing blind, deaf, mental issues, health issues and only a small fraction of disablity is wheel chair bound. Does this make sense.

Yes it makes sense Spoc- however whats it got to do with the OP (and others) using the disabled toilet with no need to?

Gemsy83 - have just answred time and time again. these toilets are NOT just for disabled people, they are for everyone. Did i now make this clear?

They are disabled toilets, clues in the name. As I and countless others have said umpteem times now.
So the disabled lady was rude- who cares? Yes its a bad way to be to others but its only as bad as using disabled facilities with no need to. That doesnt mean the OP had a hidden disability or whatever because she didnt and freely admits it.

Whats the difference between disabled and accessible? is it just wether its locked or not?

Its not a hanging matter

But Altinkum maybe the wheelchair user had one of these 'hidden' disabiltites as well as a visible one like you keep banging on about- like learning difficulties causing her to be abusive?

MrSpoc Wed 06-Apr-11 16:03:48
Shoesytwoesy - the 90% is a guess in the fact a disablilty can be many different things from beeing blind, deaf, mental issues, health issues and only a small fraction of disablity is wheel chair bound. Does this make sense.

Wheelchair bound? what does that mean, never come across that before

Last time I looked the disabled toilet had a picture of a person in a wheelchair on the door. Not a picture of a mummy with a pram nor a harrased mum with a brood of kids.

Maybe the woman had continence issues, if i'd pissed myself because you someone was hogging the only toilet I could use i'd have called them a bitch as well !

Gemsy83 - the picture is to show which door is SUITABLE for wheel chair users. Not if you are in a wheel chair only you can use. It is down to the owner of the building to let who they want to use their facilities.

As i said many places will allow people to use their disabled facilites, to name a few:
Weatherspoons
Boots
Trafford Centre
Tesco
Asda

These have all unlocked toiltes for me when I have had a buggy.

Shoesytwoesy - stop being pedantic, it is obvious what wheel chair bound means you cock.

No its not a hanging matter, but its a matter of being considerate. It really does make me laugh how on parent and child parking debates the majority of people say 'disabled people NEED bigger spaces, parents DONT' yet people on here are saying disabled people should like it and lump it when non disabled people use a facility they shouldn't!

If the disabled toilet doesn't have one of those keys that youcan be given when you're "officially" disabled, then anyone can use them.
She shouldn't have shouted abuse at you.
I have used disabled loos as I can't get the pram into a normal cubicle.
Years ago, when my dd was a tiny baby, we were travelling home, 3 hour journey from where we'd been.
She did the poo from hell.
The baby changing facility was in the diabled toilet in the services.
As you can imagine, it took me a while to change her.
People were seething when I got out. But what could I do? That's where the baby changing facility was.
11 years later & there are far more baby changing facilities in the services now!

MrSpoc no sorry I have no idea that is why I asked. does it mean the person is stuck in the WC?

Wow MrSpoc- not surprising you frequent places like spoons with your child in a buggy with a mouth like that!

Using a facility that happened to be put in a toilet that also happened to be a disabled toilet is very different to going in there with 4 kids because you felt like it and didnt want to wait.

The issue is Gemsy, who is to say they shouldn't?

The toilet operators? The law? Disabled rights groups? You? Me?

I think they should be able to, you think they shouldn't. The toilet operators don't have a disabled only policy, it is not against the law, so again, who is to say they shouldn't?

I'm amazed by how many people think you can use disabled toilets when you don't need to if a disabled person is rude to you.

If the rude woman had said something along the lines of "Are you entitled to use the disabled loo? Its sometimes difficult for disabled people to wait and, I don't want to be rude, but you shouldn't use them if you don't need to" and the OP had felt guilty and had her day ruined, would so many people think she WNBU? Or maybe people think the thread title is "Was this woman BU for calling me a bitch"

Where on earth is this "disabled toilets are for everyone" rubbish coming from?
No. They are for the use of people with a disability. There may not be a law or a byelaw making it actually illegal for a non-disabled person to use them but that doesn't mean they are intended for everyone.
Disabled parking spaces on private land aren't enforceable by law, but they are still not intended for everyone.

And just because something is legally allowed doesn't necessarily make it morally acceptable. I am legally allowed to sit down on the bus and allow pregnant women, elderly people and people using crutches to stand. Doesn't make it acceptable to do so.

Anyone can buy a radar key... they mean sod all.

I got one for my son, cost £3. No proof of disability needed