Thinking about getting a radar key

[Woodlandtree]

DD(19) has had a difficult few weeks. When opening her bowels she passes blood, has diarrhoea and often has a great urgency to go. DD is waiting to see a specialist and until then isn’t receiving any treatment.

Would I be unreasonable to get DD a radar key in case there are queues to the toilet when we are out (she rarely goes out as she’s worried she will need the toilet)? Or are the disabled toilets not for those with conditions like DD? DD would be mortified if challenged so I want to see what the general opinion is.

They are not ‘disabled toilets’ they are ‘accessible toilets’.

Also, many places that fit a RADAR lock, will fit them incorrectly in such a way as it allows someone ELSE with a key to open it whilst it is occupied.

Isn’t that how it’s supposed to work? There’s an emergency alarm located on the inside of the cubicle, if activated staff are alerted and can enter and provide assistance to the occupier. They will knock and ask if you’re okay before doing so though. If activated accidentally, the alarm can be cancelled from the cubicle or you can tell staff not to come in.

@Mnhealth202020

Also, many places that fit a RADAR lock, will fit them incorrectly in such a way as it allows someone ELSE with a key to open it whilst it is occupied.

Isn’t that how it’s supposed to work? There’s an emergency alarm located on the inside of the cubicle, if activated staff are alerted and can enter and provide assistance to the occupier. They will knock and ask if you’re okay before doing so though. If activated accidentally, the alarm can be cancelled from the cubicle or you can tell staff not to come in.

I accidentally opened a radar toilet when it was occupied as there was no obvious thing saying occupied. I was embarrassed for the other person and terrified when I went it that someone will do it accidentally to me too. There needs to be a clearer way of indicating if the toilet is busy or if there is an emergency so other people dont barge in. The one it happened in was in a busy UK Service station so should have known better. Their only other disabled toilet had a broken tap so they clearly didnt care much about it.

I always knock before I go into a disabled toilet and leave DS wheelchair in front of the door so it can’t be opened by others (obviously you can’t do that if your alone and may need help!)

@Pericombobulations true. I don’t use/need a radar key so I’m not super familiar with accessible toilets - but I don’t see why they can’t have a white (unoccupied) or red (occupied) indicator on the door like normal restrooms

I have one of those unofficial RADAR keys because I have a hidden disability that means when it flares up, I struggle with stairs. On a good day, stairs are fine, and if the toilets are all on the same level of a building, there's no real advantage to me in using the disabled toilet. They key is just for emergencies when it feels like there's a mountain to hike up to get to the toilet and time is pressing, and TBH, just having the key to hand makes me feel more confident on those bad days.

Plus, as has been mentioned, you can never tell if a disabled toilet is occupied, so I don't really like using them unless I absolutely have to!

Although I have a genuine medical need, I'm not registered disabled or anything like that, because I don't have any needs/costs I can't deal with myself. So... I don't see how I would be able to access one of the official blue keys.

@theendoftheworldasweknowit there’s no such thing as registered disabled.

You can buy the blue ones online.

I'm one of "those people" who bought a radar key from Amazon to access baby change facilities. I've never used it for any other reason and I won't use baby change in the disabled toilet if it's also provided elsewhere. So what's the problem with me using a radar key? Why is it worse than going to find a member of staff to unlock the door? Genuine question.

And no - you can't always find a member of staff. I bought my key after being unable to change my baby at an unmanned train station.

@iffymiffy Fine, if you want to be pedantic, what I mean is I don't have any official documentation to hand that proves I have a disability. No assessment, no blue badge, no disability related benefits... If I needed to, I could ask my doctor to write me a note, but that would take time to organise.

Radar keys are so easy to buy that it can lead to misuse. I once nearly missed the beginning of a play at the National Theatre because of the huge queue for the disabled toilet. This was due to a couple who were shagging in there. They could at least have waited until the play had started!

I gather this is not an isolated incident but when I tried googling it I didn't dare click on the links that came up.

The ones on Amazon, Boots etc aren’t proper radar keys and the newer locks have been tweaked in someway so they don’t work. You’d need to go to Disability Rights UK (google it) or your local council for a proper one.

I’ve heard some councils ask for proof. I wasn’t asked but I use a wheelchair.

@msbevvy definitely not an isolated incident. I’ve had to wait due to people shagging before.
And once because a staff member wanted to make a private phone call.

"The ones on Amazon, Boots etc aren’t proper radar keys and the newer locks have been tweaked in someway so they don’t work".
This is absolute rubbish. I've had a radar key for 15 years. I got it off amazon, then took it to a key place and got a spare cut. Both have worked in every single disable toilet I have tried, across the country, with no problem. People who make up rubbish like above saying cheaper ones wont work, just want people to pay extra to get it from a disability place. Radar keys have 3 notches on them. There is nothing sophisticated about them and they are easy to copy, so no toilets can have the lock tweaked in any way so they wont work. If they did, no keys would work. What utter tosh.