to use a disabled toilet if I've got the buggy?

[MrsHelsBels74]

Pretty much as the thread title says, if you're out in public & need to loo but can't fit the buggy into a normal cubicle is it acceptable to take the buggy into the disabled toilet? I'd never use a disabled parking space but did this today in desperation. So, is it ok or still a no-no?

They are for disabled people. Other people use them because they are more convenient too. Again people using them means disabled people have lives made harder because they have to fight to use facilities intended for their use.

Goodness, I hope the sign with a lady on it outside the toilet doesn't just mean they are accessible to women but all can use them.

I also don't think that people with children who use them are terrible people or anything, it's the establishments that put them in with the changing tables, or don't provide a baby change room, or larger cubicles so that buggies can go into the ladies. I'd not sit and begrudge a person needing the toilet, goodness knows I am very up close and personal with my own excretory habits and recognise we all gotta go sometimes.

But quite often it's not that one 30 sec wee from the person in front of you, it's park the pram, unload faffing in bags for all the accoutrements, wash baby, new clothes as explosive pooh, nappy, wash your hands, while your toddler is peeing on the toilet, then switch places and then all wash hands, then let the next pram in and the disabled person at the back is thinking, I wish there was specific child/baby change toilets I am bursting and it really bloody hurts man!

Oh we've had that one already and the consensus seemed to be that most people saw no problem with a man using the ladies toilets if he needed to change a nappy or something as the ladies were all in cubicles anyway and anyone who thought otherwise was being precious

Bloody hell OddBoots don't say that. Men in ladies toilets is a whole other contentious thread. Can't cope with 2 in 1 day.

(and I say that because I know, I've been that mum in the disabled toilet)

Oddboots - no. In the same way that they don't mean that only non-disabled people can use them. Going by Sirzy's reasoning above disabled people need to stick to the disabled toilets which are designed for them.....

When DS was in nappies I hated it when the only changing facilities were in the disabled toilet, I always felt I needed to rush to make sure nobody was left waiting for the toilet.

Why gin? I am pretty sure most disabled people are also either male or female. Infact I am yet to meet a disabled person who doesn't fall into one of those categories.

Ooh, I know a disabled transsexual, does that win me a prize?

Gin the wheelchair symbol is a well-established sign to indicate that people with disabilities (whether visibile or not) take precedence over any other uses including (oh, the humanity!) people with small children.

I've never felt I'm compromising my child's safety by expecting them to come with me into normal toilets rather than using a disabled loo. It does seem a bit that disabled people have campaigned for years to have accessible toilets, accessible buses and disabled parking that they can't use these facilities because how else are parents supposed to manage.

What would you do if shopping centres put radar keys on everything? Cope or never go out?

Rabbits, as I have twins and changing can take aaages, I always prop the door open in those mixed disabled/change facilities loos (once I''ve got my trousers back up!) so I hopefully notice anyone who needs the disabled loo - but those facilities are usually the only ones we all fit in.
Probably treat the rest of the world to a nice waft of pooey nappy doing that though...

But quite often it's not that one 30 sec wee from the person in front of you, it's park the pram, unload faffing in bags for all the accoutrements, wash baby, new clothes as explosive pooh, nappy, wash your hands, while your toddler is peeing on the toilet, then switch places and then all wash hands....

Yes.....so what do you expect parents to do then?

In a perfect world there would be multiple stalls that are wide enough to be "accessible" to prams/wheelchairs/walkers etc. But as there aren't - I will use the only stall available and try to be as swift about it as I can.

Skaen, I wish they would put radar keys on everything! But then all the entitled brigade would buy them on eBay!

I have a disabled friend who technically fits into both of those categories at the same time Sirzy (therefore does she use neither if boys can't use girls and girls can't use boys), such is the wealth and breadth of folks with disabilities, she would rather use the ladies, or right now the accessible toilets.

There are places where using the accessible toilets is crap - like theme parks and other busy places with queues, and I think you should try not to use them then, but a quick nip in the shop isn't a crime, I'd assume they had one of these invisible disabilities we've been talking about (if it crossed my mind at all).

What would you do if shopping centres put radar keys on everything? Cope or never go out?

That's the root cause of the problem isn't it. An inability/unwillingness to distinguish between convenience and need.

In most places I have been to recently, the only baby change facility has been in the disabled toilet. If I am just looking to change the baby, I do see if there is a changing table in the women's toilets so as not to use the disabled toilet without good reason. If there isn't I use the disabled toilet out of necessity. Ideally there should be a changing facility in toilets of all three varieties, but usually there isn't.

Often I go out using a sling. I can manage a wee no problems but since I don't have super human over extendable arms, anything time of the month needs are impossible whilst trying to reach around the 20lb baby strapped to my front. If he is not in a sling there is no way I can go to the toilet and hold on to him at the same time as getting my trousers up and down.

Other times I go out with a buggy. No way on earth would I leave my child unattended in the middle of a public toilet. Not a chance. I don't consider that to be selfish. However, in the interests of not depriving disabled people of their toilet facilities, I do use better options if and when available - such as the parents rooms in larger mothercares or in John Lewis. Not long ago I did find an ordinary ladies public toilet in a shopping centre that did have a larger cubicle. When I am in my own smaller town, these large stores with family facilities do not exist so if necessary, I do use the disabled toilet if there is no other choice. One example of this is in my local Burger King. The disabled is downstairs. the other toilets are upstairs. I can't push a buggy up two flights of stairs and there is no lift. I therefore use the disabled toilet.

Just out of curiosity, do private premises (shops etc) have radar lIckes l

My small baby is disabled has to wear a pavlik harness a faffy contraption that if needing a change has to be done in a disabled toilet as its the only place that I can change him.

I think some people forget that disabled is not limited to adults in wheelchairs.

Oh FFS
Radar locked loos, or is it only public spaces (shopping centres, libraries etc)

Well, MollyMurphy, I guess I would expect there to be provided better facilities to provide for both a parent and a disabled person (we can be both too ;-)) and in the meantime I'd try my best to not wet myself and deal with the pain while I am in the queue.

Perhaps parents could put some pressure on places to provide better facilities, I'd offer but I am too tired to get through most days, although as aforementioned I do contact places and inform them about this issue when I have been.

I'll still grumble and stuff, but it's not personal to anyone, it's just shite having to put so much consideration into shite.

Skaen - I have said that I think that people who need to use accessible toilets should be able to use them and should have precedence over others.

if you are disabled use the disabled loo, if not use the normal loos.

It varies Twelve. I've seen shopping centres with radar locks and public toilets without them and vice versa.

Surely with most ladies' loos there are several together and there is the door to the individual cubicle and then a further door to the outside world.

So when I had buggy with me - I'd go to the furthest free loo - open door and prop buggy facing me and wee. OK some random lady may have seen me sans knickers for 10 secs but I guess she'd have lived.

But its trickier when you have 2 or 3 small children and that's why I love John Lewis with their enormous parent loo with the mini and maxi loo inside. I have trained my children to wait until we reach the hallowed sanctuary of John Lewis.