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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

It's a public toilet, bloody hurry up!

77 replies

Kendodd · 28/08/2013 22:45

What are they doing in there? Massive line, and I swear some people are in there for ten minutes. AIBU to ask, if you are a toilet hogger, what are you doing the bloody crossword?

OP posts:
onepieceoflollipop · 28/08/2013 22:48

Obviously some people have genuine reasons for taking ages...but surely not all.

I sometimes think that when people have been waiting ages (for toilets, changing rooms, playground equipment etc), they feel entitled to spend as long as the like when it is finally their turn!

inneedofsomehelpplz · 28/08/2013 22:50

yabvu - i suffer from ibs & people like you make it worse! Biscuit

sonlypuppyfat · 28/08/2013 22:51

What women find to do in the toilet amazes me, they can't all have their periods. I could understand it if we were all in crinolines and corsets but come on pants down quick wipe and flush whats so hard

dreamingoflavender · 28/08/2013 22:52

yanbu

I do sometimes wonder if there is some underwear I don't know about.

inneedofsomehelpplz · 28/08/2013 22:52

& yes, after waiting ages, people love to spend hours in a germ ridden, stinky public toilet Biscuit

Spikeytree · 28/08/2013 22:53

Disability, IBS, flooding heavy period etc. Surely it isn't that hard to imagine?

pigletmania · 28/08/2013 22:53

YABVVU some people have medical problems which mean they have to take longer

sonlypuppyfat · 28/08/2013 22:56

Yes but surely 9 out of 10 cannot all have problems men don't set up camp in the loos

SeaSickSal · 28/08/2013 23:00

Having a shit. Is it that hard to understand?

tryasimight · 28/08/2013 23:03

Waiting for the fricking cistern to refill before you can actually flush the bugger, surely?

Spikeytree · 28/08/2013 23:06

I'm generally very quick (except when having a dreadful period) as I don't find public toilets very pleasant, but my mum takes a while. She has crutches, wears a back brace that needs adjusting and any movement causes pain, so she is slower than most people.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 28/08/2013 23:11

There are probably a lot more women than men with difficulties in this area because of childbirth and consequent damage, plus we have periods. Also we have to go and do the whole disrobing and sitting down thing every time, so anyone with stiff joints, arthritis, whatever may struggle. Men only have to undo a zip and whip it out most of the time, lucky them.

sonlypuppyfat · 28/08/2013 23:14

Why don't they just make more womens toilets and give you room to get in them, I'm sick of having to climb on the seat to close the door

EndoplasmicReticulum · 28/08/2013 23:14

It might be my son in there, doing a poo. Impossible to rush him. He seems to prefer pooing in public toilets.

PenguinBear · 28/08/2013 23:18

I've never known anywhere have just one toilet, they usually have Atleast two or three... Where are you going with only one toilet?

And yes I agree, waiting is annoying, e.g. if you're somewhere like the theatre when everyone goes at the same time. Even trickier when you have IBS and if you don't get to the toilet within about 30seconds you will poo yourself Blush. Then when it finally is your turn you have to spend ages cleaning yourself up with baby wipes from the nappy bag and making yourself fit to actually get home.

K8Middleton · 28/08/2013 23:23

They are waiting for it to flush.

I'm of the opinion that if the loo is busy you get out and give people the option of using/waiting for flush if it's just a wee.

Or they're all wearing spanx.

RegainingUnconsciousness · 28/08/2013 23:25

Blush oh no, we were guilty of this today. DS is 2 and takes aaaaages, and gives commentary.

Sorry if you were waiting for us.

Tiptops · 29/08/2013 00:10

I very, very, very rarely use a public toilet as I have OCD and fears of contamination. When I do absolutely have to use a public loo I do take a while; I baby wipe the seat, then use antibacterial gel on it and finally cover it with tissue. And that's all before I've used the loo!

teacherandguideleader · 29/08/2013 00:14

If there is a queue and just one toilet it takes me ages. It is as if I get performance anxiety - I just can't go!

teacherandguideleader · 29/08/2013 00:16

EndoplasmicReticulum - my boyfriend is always proud when he does a poo in a public toilet (saves us money on toilet paper and water is his reasoning). He gets even more excited if it was at work - not only has he saved money, he was also being paid at the time. One day he will grow up!

Maggietess · 29/08/2013 00:21

Sorry I'm one of those holding you up. But one of the most stressful s in the world when you have ibs/ibd like I do is some inconsiderate so and so rattling the handle. I'm not in there for the sake of it. And if you're not similarly afflicted, disabled etc then wind your neck in and be glad you CAN actually wait for someone else to leave the toilets. There are many people like me who can only leave e house having assured themselves of the route to the nearest toilet and who break out in a cold sweat when they realise there's only one toilet and they may have the humiliation of someone like you on the other side tutting that they're taking so long.... Or worse still that the one toilet is occupied and you can't wait any longer. It's horrific and more common place that you seem to believe. Unless you've walked the proverbial mile I'd suggest you don't know what it's like and your post is at best unkind, yabu

VixZenFenchell · 29/08/2013 00:25

Pants, tights, magic knickers (love 'em), leggings or trousers. All take time to pull up / adjust appropriately.

Or enjoying 5mins in peace which is never an option when I use the loo at home!

Noideaatall · 29/08/2013 00:30

I took ages yesterday. I had to use the breast pump because I was apart from DS3 and there was nowhere else to go.
Usually I'm v quick though & I did wonder why people took so long. Now that's cleared up, can anyone tell me why they take so long at cash points...?

MisselthwaiteManor · 29/08/2013 05:43

There are really annoying public loos near me with an auto flush, I can't figure out how to make them flush so I spend ages darting around the cubicle trying to figure out where to stand to make it flush. But as everyone else has said, there are loads of reasons people might need to take a while. It won't hurt you to wait another 2 minutes.

Tee2072 · 29/08/2013 06:34

Reading War and Peace. Just to piss you off.

Have some compassion, FFS.