To think that building regulations for ladies loos should be changed?

[Anquin]

This is a constant source of disgust for me, and yesterday it happened again in a very “naice” garden centre. The new toilets have been open for only a short time, but have been built to existing regulations, which stipulate that there should be a 300mm space each side of the toilet bowl and the side of the cubicle.
Which would be fine, except that they then stick a sanitary bin in that space - meaning that when someone can’t fit their used towel in, it’s sticking out close to my backside when I sit down - uuurrrggghh!
Why can’t they change the regs to allow for a bigger space between the loo bowl and the wall, if the intention is to take some of that space up with a bin?
WDYT?

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks this! It's disgusting. Much as I'd love cubicles to be bigger, the other option is a different shape sanitary bin. I've seen some somewhere - possibly overseas which were a tall cylinder shape so did fit right up the corner. I know this doesn't help hooks or doors opening inwards or anything else, but if places only gave contracts to companies which supplied these bins, it would get a change made more quickly than trying to rebuild every public loo!

Anyone know what idea is of having two doors to get into the toilets? It's a proper pain in the arse with a buggy trying to wrestle it through both doors!

YADNBU!

And you’re right that it’s another example of men being seen as the default human and things being designed with them in mind.

Agree with the previous poster that for actual sex equality of toilets women actually need double the cubicles of men.

I've found some loos at airports are getting smaller so you have to rub along the rim of toilet to get round the door to fit in your hand luggage. Noticed a Ladies on a motorway stop with angled doors, so door was at say, 60 degrees when you faced it instead of 90, so the loos were narrower (but I spose there were more loos). Sorry can't remember where exactly these loos were, will take note in future.

Totally agree. It annoys me every time! I've been to a festival this weekend and there wasn't anywhere to dispose of sanitary products in the family camping area (proper toilets and shower area). It's shameful women are overlooked like this

Have I missed anything????

Artfool

I'd add basins with hot and cold taps even if that comes out of a single central mixer tap.

There is a modern trend in loos for touch taps that produce hot/lukewarm water only with no temperature control option. Sometimes the water is a shade too hot.

It's no good especially if you are dealing with young children and want just cold water or cooler water to get stuff off their faces or hot water to get something food stains off clothes.

I’m so glad others have noticed the issue regarding the door opening leaving no space to actually get in to the cubicle. I thought it was just me because I’m fat. At a services near Carlisle the other day they’d done up the toilets - fancy new germ repellant toilet seats that you have to open with your hand under the front of the seatb and is really fiddly which is perfect when you’ve driven hundreds of miles and are dying for a pee and I had to clamber over the loo to actually get in and shut the door. Why not just redesign the bloody cubicle so it’s fit for purpose instead of crappy futuristic toilet seats than almost made me wee myself?

I though it was just me because of my size. It is heartening to realise that even the slim among us struggle to get into a toilet.

could not agree more. esp in places like supermarkets where there is masses of unused space and yet i can hardly get in the loo. then there is not enough space fir people to queue for the 3 toilets and access the sinks/dryers and actually leave.

There's a fab toilet in a shopping centre in Glasgow.... huge cubicle in the ladies with opening out door so buggy in no bother. Then when you're inside there are 2 toilrts.side by side....a grown up one and a smaller child one. Dd was in seventh heaven I swear. For weeks after she'd tell anyone who'd listen that she had a wee at the same time as mummy on a mini toilet. Easy pleased😂

I'm a size 12 and struggle to get into many loos.
I have not idea how an entirely average size 16 (or pregnant) manages.
Are they expected to teleport in to wee?

Chinnyreckoning there's a similar family loo in Debenhams in Bury. It massive and there's an adult and little kid sized toilet side by side. It's excellent.

Now now ladies, you’re all being terribly transphobic. Surely your main priority should be to install urinals for those with a lady penis, and get rid of the sanitary bin altogether - it’s a hurtful reminder to gender dysphoric men that they can’t actually menstruate.
We should be welcoming all those shouting violent TRAs into our protected female spaces, along with any other men who self ID as women under the proposed legislation - including voyeurs, paedophiles and rapists. What’s the matter with you all - are you nasty feminists or something?!

Chinnyreckoning used to love the family look at bluewater shopping centre when my kids were small.

Think it was Legoland had fab loos as well, with a seat on the wall with a harness you could strap a child in while you weeed! apart from the loos I think legoland is shit

*loos not look ffs!

I was reading an article recently about how almost all buildings are designed by men, hence the toilet issue. See also the heights of the knobs on doors, the weight of doors and those horrible staircases (sometimes Perspex) with gaps between each step - a pervert's dream!

Some Accesable lools are no better. They seem to be designed to allow a small fit person using a tiny Manuel wheelchair with no footrests to be able to turn around. For the rest of us you can get in but then can’t turn around to close the door, lock the door or open the heavy door to get back out.

They think put a large bin for incontience pads right in door way because it doesnt fit by the loo. And all bins in Disabled loos are FOOT operated! So you then have master the open bin lid with hand, drop in rubbish and remove hands before it snaps shut. Several places I then have to press emergency cord (which of course of often tied to the ceiling) for help to get out. Nothing like alerting the whole coffee shop that you had a wee and like to come out thanks

Pic of me crushed on loo between footrests

Yanbu but who sits on public toilets!

i have a mate who is a wheelchair user. Pedal bins give her the rage

Sinks in the cubicles please. Invaluable when changing tampons or menstrual cups if you have a heavy period.

Completely agree about the san pro bins, they've annoyed me for as long as I can remember. I love the idea of the little mini toilets, but Akire, that sounds absurd that you can't get round the disabled cubicle. Need more designers who are women and more who are disabled, or at least to be consulted upon.

Dyson only likes machines that go VROOOOOOOM in some manner
(hoover, hand dryer, fan, etc)

He'll* invent something that's associated with women only if it goes VROOOOOOOM, so there is a Dyson hairdryer

(*yeah he doesn't actually invent all these things himself these days)

There are some sanitary bins available which are shaped rather like fire extinguishers which work very well ticked up in the back corner. Gloucester services which excel at everything have them, dontcha know.

That doesn't solve the problem of too small cubicles where you have to literally mount the porcelain to get in, though. Ffs designers. 🙄

A Dyson vibrator! Yessss! Something silent.....

@VladmirsPoutine - me! I can't hover. Never could.