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?

You shouldn't have really used the disabled bog but it is uncalled for for her to have called you a bitch. I would have given her a gobful right back.

Depends, I have used it in the past when I have had dd in a pram as a baby and there was no way i would leave her outside a cubicle. In your situation you had various young kids with you, some of which were not your own, and you needed the toilet, it would have been risky to leave them outside the cubicle, so safter to have them all in with you. Better safe than sorry. That woman was so rude, there is no need for that.

Why do people think that it would be dangerous to leave children outside the cubicle?

Do you take your DC into the loo with you at home?

What do you think is going to happen to your DC in the 90 seconds that it takes you to wee and flush?

Because kids get abducted from public toilets all the time- in fact the last one was...

Mmelindt - I'm finding Gemsy's opinions difficult to understand. She seems to say that no abled-body person should ever use the disabled toilets and if they can't manage the general toilets with the children they chose to have then they shouldn't go out. I just don't think it's ever black or white.

But then again, I NEVER leave DS outside a cubicle after reading about Vanessa George, the fat, pug-faced paedophile, who fantasised about abducting a boy who was waiting for his mum outside a loo cubicle. And no, I'm not paedo-paranoid. Just careful.

So if for some reason the option was leave DS outside the loo OR quickly use a disabled loo, I might well use the disabled loo.

I have stated I dont feel simply not wanting to wait/having kids/a buggy is a reason to use a disabled toilet. Where is any of that wrong?

1980Sport
Well, I cannot answer for Gemsy, am sure she will do that herself :)

but I can say that the disabled - or accessible toilet is there for those who have for whatever reason extra needs - that would make using a normal toilet impossible.

Not inconvenient, or a bit of drag. Or because they are too scared of [something] to leave their children unattended while they pee.

Be that themselves, or they are carer for someone with SN.

Erm home is different MadameL it takes seconds to abdut a child, and when you are looking after somebody elses young children its not worth the risk. I would still take my 4 year old in the cubicle with me, but then again she has Asd so would not be trusted not to run off or go with somebody in a public toilet

I certainly agree with that last statement, Gemsy. Especially the pushchair bit, which is putting the needs of an inanimate object over the needs of another person, which is pretty unforgivable.

'Who said just because somebody is in a wheelchair that they shouldn't have to wait for a loo?'

Oh for goodness sake, have a word with yourself! Unbelievable.

Marmalade
Oh, fgs. It did not happen. Just because she said this, doesn't mean to say it could happen. And pedophiles fantasise about stealing children in any situation, sorry to say.

I agree with MmeL on her last post totally.

Gemsy i am in no way trying to instigate an argument with you. I just am curios..Do able bodied, visual impaired/totally blind people have a right to use the disabled toilet in your opinion?

Or only people in wheelchairs?

Piglet
I have stated several times that obviously if a child has SN then of course the mother should use the disabled loo if the child would be in danger.

I have parked buggy outside the door and kept chatting, "Are you ok, DD? Everything ok? I am almost done, ok..."

Or asked a kindly looking Granny to keep an eye on her while I pee.

No you are not putting the pushchair before the disabled person, but the baby is the user of the pram and cannot be left outside of a toilet while the mum uses it. Why should the mum wait, she might not be able to and be desperate, i am sure most of you have been in that situation

XP Piglet.

:o

I know it didn't happen, I'm not dense. I know the chances are pretty slim of it happening to my child specifically. But he's my child and there are risks that I will/will not take. That's up to me as a mother, isn't it?

MmeLindt - I would leave a child in a buggy outside the cubicle. However, yesterday I couldn't get a double buggy even into the ladies loos, never mind near a cubicle - and I think if I'd left two babies on the shop floor Tesco was likely to have called Social Services So I used the disabled loo as the door is wider.

Can't people think outside the box!
If you are worried about your (NT) child being abducted, then get them to sing a song and stand RIGHT next to the cubicle so you can see their feet. If they disappear even for a second, you run out of the cubicle to find them even if you have your knickers round your ankles! If you have a child in buggy chose end of line cubicle, leave it a tiny bit ajar, and position buggy so you can just about see it/ the child.

If you haven't got the intelligence to work these things out, then best you make sure you have another reponsible adult with you at all times.

It is pure laziness and selfishness. Fuck everyone else, its me me me me me!

Where have I mentioned only people in a wheelchair? Have I not simply stated disabled throughout the thread?

Xpost MmeLindt

I've yet to meet a baby too big to take inside a cubicle. It's the pushchair that commands the extra space, not the baby. You can leave a pushchair behind or elsewhere, it is not a necessary thing, like a wheelchair.
There is no need for a parent or carer to wait for a toilet.