AIBU to think that the disabled loo are not for people to have a private shit!?

[MrsSippy]

I use the disabled loo at work, because I am, well, disabled. I need the bars to help me on and off the pan (TMI??) Every time I go it absolutely reeks, and there's usually someone skipping out quite functional of leg (I know about hidden disabilities, don't worry) My thoughts are that it is used for private shitting purposes, not wanting others to share in the trauma of splashdown.

AIBU??

[blankmind]

I don't think you'll be able to stop anyone using the disabled loo, but there are steps you can take to combat the stench as it's work-based as opposed to a public loo.

Could you ask management to fund an experiment of using the products that will kill the smell off at source?
Like these household-tips.thefuntimesguide.com/2015/01/poo-pourri-recipe.php

Chain the spray bottle in place if necessary, but make sure there's a memo sent around and big signs in the loo saying that it must be used before anyone uses the loo.

[Topseyt]

I have IBS and have very occasionally used a disabled toilet because of it - i.e. waiting for a regular cubicle to come free would have caused me an embarrassing disaster. You wouldn't know to look at me what my problem was, and I would have given you short shrift if you had taken it upon yourself to ask me for my medical history.

More recently I did have to use a disabled toilet for a more obvious reason. A severely broken arm held at right angles in a huge cast following surgery to repair it. I tried the regular cubicles available but literally could not even turn round in one. So I used the disabled toilet because I could see no other option apart from pissing or shitting myself.

I am sure that there are sometimes people who use the disabled toilets for no good reason, but it is risky to judge because you simply cannot always see what the problem may or may not be. You don't have to be registered disabled to use those toilets. As in my recent experience, it could be a temporary (hopefully) medical problem which has prompted the need.

[Pettywoman]

DS uses the disabled sometimes when his ulcerative colitis is playing up. This is only if he can't wait for a normal one or if he wants me there for moral support if it's particularly bad. You have my sympathy OP because when it is bad it stinks to high heaven.

[Marynary]

Mary obviously we need common sense if there are two loos at a workplace and one of them is accessible there would need to be some sharing but the fact that there are no disabled people at you work just highlights the fact that getting and keeping a job can be more difficult for a disabled person, just like many other aspects of daily life, so maybe there is no need to begrudge exclusive use of a toilet if the event occurs of a disabled colleague at your work, also if its further away from the office and other toilets they could use then all the more reason to try and keep it free?

Actually my line of work is suitable for a disabled person and I am disabled to some extent although don't need to use disabled toilets. I don't begrudge disabled people exclusive use of the toilets where I work because they don't get it! I just agree with the fact that they wouldn't get exclusive use. It isn't necessary and I say that as someone who may need to use them in the future (I have a chronic disabling disease).

[ProudAS]

Could it be that the person has severe anxiety and cannot poo without extra privacy. Find it hard to believe that applies to every single person using the disabled loo though.

[WorraLiberty]

So your problem isn't that it's always engaged and you have to wait to use it, because you're unable to use the regular toilets?

Your problem is that you don't like the smell of shit?

No-one likes the smell of shit, no matter what toilet they use.

If you have a shit and a disabled person uses the loo after you, they won't like the smell of your shit either.

[whois]

I'm lactose intolerant and use disabled toilets if I get a dodgy stomach, not only to save my embarrassment but due to the smell. If the after smells are pungent even after the person has left, it does suggests they've got a problem!

No, having a smelly poo doesn't suggest that you should be sing the disabled toilets!

[yumyumpoppycat]

Mary obviously we need common sense if there are two loos at a workplace and one of them is accessible there would need to be some sharing but the fact that there are no disabled people at you work just highlights the fact that getting and keeping a job can be more difficult for a disabled person, just like many other aspects of daily life, so maybe there is no need to begrudge exclusive use of a toilet if the event occurs of a disabled colleague at your work, also if its further away from the office and other toilets they could use then all the more reason to try and keep it free?

[Marynary]

We are actually told to use the disabled loo at work for stinky jobs as it is away from office areas unlike the other toilets. There aren't any disabled members of staff at the moment but even if there were one or two I don't think that means they should have exclusive use of a toilet.

[parissont]

I wouldn't use the disabled loo over a regular cubicle. But I would use it if the cubicles were busy, I'd waited for a few minutes, noone was behind me

[NotJanine]

Same thing occurs at our office. We have a disabled toilet, but no disabled staff.
It does seem to have becoming the designated place for men to go and sit for ages and leave a stink. The smell then wafts out into our reception area.
Lovely.

The women's toilets, in contrast, are a sacred place of cleanliness and sweet smells.

[yumyumpoppycat]

I guess that's why people have to be tolerant and assume if someone appears to be skipping out afterwards they had a need for the disabled loo, but equally why we can't use disabled loos for a quick wee if we are capable of queuing and using a smaller loo.

[MackerelOfFact]

The varying requirements for 'disabled toilets' is huge - they can range from fully-equipped disabled loos with hoists, etc, to larger accessible cubicles with space for a wheelchair or to change an colostomy bag, to normal cubicles that need to be quickly available for someone with bowel issues etc. Different disabilities necessitate different features.

It's absurd that one toilet is mean to accommodate everyone with a disability - what if someone with a carer is being hoisted onto the seat, which would take a fair amount of time, while someone with Crohn's is waiting outside in absolute agony? Neither is less deserving of the cubicle but they have totally different needs.

Not really sure what my point is, but in an ideal world all toilets would be large enough for a wheelchair, a couple would be fully adapted and a couple would be reserved for medically urgent use only. Would be a nightmare to implement though and unlikely to ever happen though.

[FlowersAndShit]

IBS always reminds me of a car part for some reason. As you were.

[honkinghaddock]

People need the larger accessible type cubicles for reasons other than getting a wheelchair in eg older child or adult that needs a carer with them or someone that requires the floor space for their pad to be changed.

[RedTitsMcGinty]

Could easily be someone with Crohn's. My friend has had his life severely impacted by it. He's currently fundraising for charity (by doing a bucket list of posh London toilets) before he has his ileostomy next week, and is talking quite openly in the media about his urgent toilet dashes. www.standard.co.uk/news/london/londoner-plans-tour-of-capitals-most-amazing-toilets-for-bucket-list-fundraising-bid-a3214901.html

[honkinghaddock]

I bought ds's 3 radar keys off ebay. I can't be doing with faffing about at council offices or having someone question why he needs one.

[yumyumpoppycat]

I used to think that Paris. The problem with using the disabled loo for a quick wee (unless literally totally urgent and no other toilet I would say!) is that it could take longer for someone in a wheelchair to transfer etc and they may have already spent quite a long time trying to find the disabled loo, with a physical, learning or visual difficulty for instance it often takes longer to get around so quite a time may have passed since needing the loo and the whole process is infinitely more stressful for that person. Also there is often only 1 disabled loo so occasionally a queue builds up and even queuing is more difficult. With an invisible condition like IIBD I think the need could be urgent and sudden...

[KitKats28]

I think there needs to be a distinction made here between a "disabled" loo (stupid term as the loo isn't disabled) and an accessible loo.

I use a wheelchair, and I have a radar key. I can only get my chair into a larger sized loo. If this is separate from other loos and needed a radar key then I would say it was a "disabled" loo. If it is a larger cubicle within a group of loos, then it is an "accessible" loo. People need to use their common sense. Obviously if a wheelchair user or a person with a buggy is in the queue then let them use the larger cubicle. If not, then go for it.

If you have a bowel disorder that means you need to go NOW then surely it wouldn't matter what size or shape the cubicle was. I'm sure there is a card available that you can use to discreetly queue jump.

Of course, if there isn't a queue, and there's a selection of loos, then this would be irrelevant anyway as surely you would just use a regular loo and not purposely tie up a larger cubicle that certain people could ONLY use. If I was a non-wheelchair user in danger of soiling myself, I would just use the nearest empty cubicle. I wouldn't be faffing about wanting to use the "accessible" loo. Whereas when I need a wee, the larger cubicle is the ONLY one I can actually get my chair into.

[Alexa444]

Op you clearly know nothing about hidden disabilities because you are spouting ignorance. Skipping out quite functional of leg does not mean they are not disabled. My cousin has brain damage. To look at her you wouldn't know it but she has seizures and unfortunately having a seizure in a tiny cubical is extremely dangerous because if she falls against the door no one can get it open to get to her. Perhaps you ought to grow up and learn some consideration and tolerance for others.

[parissont]

Poo does stink though, can't see what the problem is with that.

[parissont]

It seems a bit silly to NOT use the disabled loo if the others are taken and there's no queue? Even if you are perfectly able-bodied and just need a wee?

[Skittlesss]

OP, do you work at my place? Our disabled toilet is next to the men's and ladies toilets but people use it to go for a poo. The door often swings slightly open after they've left so then the whole landing smells of crap. It's a well known "thing" that people do that.

I'm disabled due to mobility problems but wouldn't use that toilet (because my problem is walking) and even if I wanted or needed to use it I wouldn't because it stinks so bad. So if my legs were playing up one day I would still squeeze into a normal toilet cubicle to avoid the unpleasantness.

We also have a problem with people "higher up" using the disabled spots in the private car park. They seem to think their rank means that they can take up a spot for someone who has a blue badge :(

[Wincarnis]

Buy some air freshener and leave it in there with a polite note..or one of the battery operated devices that will spray automatically. You can also get fancy 'poo' spray toilet fresheners to use before you poo and they are very effective (IBS sufferer and regular stinker)

[Silvercatowner]

there's usually someone skipping out quite functional of leg (I know about hidden disabilities, don't worry)

Well clearly you don't know about hidden disabilities - what an odd thing to say.