to have told off colleague for using disabled toilet

[loopsylala]

I have a disability and often can't get into the toilet at work as its being used by people changing clothes etc.

I mentioned it to hr who put a sign up but that's been removed.

Just caught someone using it. I asked if he was disabled, he said no but that the other toilets are sometimes full. I said that didn't matter, as he shouldn't be using the disabled toilet.

I'm worried now I will get into trouble. I've complained about this so many times and don't want to be seen as a trouble maker or that it's "my" toilet.

I hate confrontation and want to get on with my colleagues.

Could I have handled it better?

Thanks Neverpolish

YABU

I have a stoma and use the disabled toilets because I need access to a toilet with a hand sink, plus if I need to change my bag I need privacy, technically I'm not disabled. Two people in my work know about this, if some random asked me on the way out of the toilet if I were disabled I wouldn't exactly stand there and tell them why I needed to use that toilet.... I would say 'no' and walk away. I do believe a lot of people will be using the toilet for the purposes you mention, but others might genuinely have to use it and not exactly want to go into detail when some foot tapping colleague starts to questioning them as soon as they leave the toilet.... I certainly wouldn't!

LurkingHusband

LOL my point is who cares whether it's technically criminal damage? The police aren't going to be called so who gives a crap what you call it?!

OP ,Ask that the disabled loo has a radar key/lock fitted, if people are unable to control themselves and not mis use the space.

Its a key lock, not radar.

I am back from hospital and instructed to be off for the rest of the week, needing a scan and blood tests.

I have 6 different hidden disabilities and an assistance dog that I can't fit into 'normal' cubicles. Before anyone says to leave my dog outside, in the event of an emergency, my dog can't do the job she's trained to do if she's not beside me.

I don't want to too much say more for identifying reasons.

I am now going to bed, thank you for comments thus far.

It needs to be changed to a radar if the TABs cannot respect its purpose.

wow this is still going
(love TAB and will use it now)

Sable bodis folk just have a lot more options. Many disabled people don't have those options - they might only be able to use that one toilet. There could be 2 normal toilets and people going in and out. There could be one disabled with someone in there taking there time, maybe changing, looking at their phone etc - with the diasbaled person still waiting outside that I one toilet. The person in that toilet (if able bodied with no issues) had the choice of several - I like the person waiting outside. The diasbaled person generally has to wait for that knew toilet where folk will have quite a few other toilets to choose form.

Sorry - "able bodied" - need to proof read!

I like the term TAB about as much as I like the term cis

It's an accessible toilet, not a disabled toilet so YABU. When buildings are designed the total number of wc's required is calculated and that includes non-accessible and accessible toilets. Accessible toilets are not intended, in building design, as being available for disabled people only.

YANBU - accessible toilets may well be factored into the overall provision within a building but if you can't use the only toilet accessible to you because able bodied people are using it not as a toilet but as a changing room then something is wrong.

I would take extremely long toilet breaks and then explain to your manager that you had to wait behind a queue of people changing their tights and in and out of cycling gear.

As has been said many times an accessible toilet is for everyone. Many restaurants, offices and public places have only ONE loo. People with knowledge of planning and Health and Safety law have made this clear.

Others have got hysterical about it and assumed some sort of disablist hatred. It is absurd.

CIS is bollocks
TAB is true and what we all are
\we are all a car crash away from disabilty

I agree that accessible toilets are just that.

But if every single person in the building uses that ONE toilet to get changed in, rather than as a toilet, then it may actually turn out not to be accessible...

I visit a venue which has one accessible toilet that also doubles as the only baby-changing toilet. When there is a children's / family event on god help a wheelchair user who needs an urgent trip to the loo because there is a massive long queue of families waiting to change nappies and while they bare at it put the toddler in dry trousers, do their won hair, parents using that loo because they can fit the buggy in etc etc.

It's all very well quoting building regs but what is the real life experience for the disabled person?

We have 3 ladies toilets on my floor one of which is accessible. Everyone treats this as a normal toilet...nobody uses it if the other two are free but at the same time nobody leaves it empty while they stand outside waiting for one of the others to be freed up. There are 50 or so women on the floor, none of whom have obvious disabilities. Obviously I don't know about hidden ones but it seems odd to leave that toilet empty 99% of the time just in case a disabled person wants to use it

jelly yes I wouldn,t want to divulge either! I have ibs, but also severe back and knee problems. Disabled toilets seem to be lower down so it's easier for me then I don't need to ask for help.
Nobody at my work knew.
If someone had asked me I'd rather they thought I were rude than humiliate myself.

Why is the OP being U? Genuine question. If you have a disability and need the disabled loo and cannot use the other loo it must be incredibly frustrating to find out the disabled loo was unavailable due to someone faffing around getting changed.

It's an accommodation, not a reservation. YABU.

What happened to the idea of doing right by others not just sticking to your legal rights?

People using the disabled toilet to change out of cycling gear so that a woman with disabilities can't use the only toilet accessible to her=twats.

People ignoring the fact this causes real issues for the OP and banging on about it not being "her toilet" = twats.

Maybe not twats acting illegally but twats nevertheless.

The day I say "it's just an accommodation for you not your right" to someone with a disability about anything which they depend on...cringe.

The problem here is the existence of 'disabled' toilets at all. If ALL toilets were suitable for ALL people then there would be no discrimination and no issue.

Chubbypolecat - with 50 women on your floor, I think the 3rd toilet will have been included in the number of general toilets so not included for exclusive use.
I think if the other symbols were included on the door it would save some angst about this (like in coffee shops where there are only 2 toilets.) It is still considerate though to use the other ones first if you don't need the facilities of the accessible toilet and it should not be used for changing, doing make up in etc.