To be annoyed that the bathrooms are shut?

[blackkitty1234]

I’m six months pregnant and unable to hold it. Was out doing my shopping yesterday only to find the public bathrooms are shut due to Covid. Its happened before when I was picking up food from a restaurant. AIBU to think this is ridiculous? Most people can hold it but some can’t. Spare a thought for the elderly, disabled and pregnant folk. 😠

@Ponoka7 I understand all disabled people aren't at a high risk but given that people with kidney issues have now been added to the clinically extremely vulnerable list, I think the points stands?

I am technically higher risk being pregnant. If using the bathroom (and I will call it what I want, thank you very much) away from home I always wear a mask, I have a small pack of tissues in my bag for opening doors, I wash my hands then I top this up with sanitizer. I don't feel like I am putting myself at risk at all. Just be sensible and take precautions.

ours in store are closed to the public as staff/public used to have to share

covid safety means employers have to have somewhere safe for staff to go

one one occasion we let someone use it as a one off, they had one of those cards to show.....but my god, the loo was left in such a state we had to brief all staff that its a NO. No more exceptions

thats the public for you though.....our toilets have been pleasant throughout covid with no public in

I wouldn’t expect a restaurant doing collections only to have their toilets open.

We haven’t been to many places but so far haven’t had an issue finding open toilets for ds when we have needed to

I thought restaurants with a certain number of covers (about 20 I believe?) had to provide loos ... unless that's been overridden now?

@SoupDragon

RADAR keys are for the disabled. Don't buy one if you are not disabled

Agree. Society has become so selfish.

We are eight months into the pandemic now. We should have figured out a way to open public toilets. It’s because they cannot be bothered. Not because they can’t, because it’s easier not to.

YABVU to call them Bathrooms. There are no baths

This! I clicked on the thread as I couldn’t figure out why you’d shut the bathrooms in your house!

No baths in public toilets. Therefore the aren’t bathrooms! By definition it’s a room containing a bath...

It's ridiculous that people are still blaming covid for a lack of services. We have had 8 months of it now and all toilets should be open and cleaned regularly.

As a PP said men can just nip to a gateway, & people will turn a blind eye at children having a wee, but it's a lot harder for women and even harder if you have disabilities or your period.

If you ask me this is just another area where the patriarchy are not recognising women's needs.

I need to wee often but I am on the shielded list so only go out for short bursts of exercise i.e. a walk. For shopping we do Click and collect.

Is the reason the toilets are closed not due to the worry that covid is thought to be spread from aerosolised particles when someone flushes the toilet? The toilets are closed to protect people encouraging them to get shopping and go straight home if they need the loo, go for a walk etc.

The supermarket toilets are open as usual, most petrol stations that normally have them as well.

Also, in my area, the shopping centre, two tube stations, the garden centre and most of the parks have their toilets open this time.

I believe there is an app called ‘lockdown loo’ to find your nearest open toilet in lockdown.

All seem to be open in my area.

It's ridiculous that people are still blaming covid for a lack of services

Depending on the service - but especially with toilets - I agree

However prepare yourself; for years to come I've every expectation that Covid will be blamed for everything from corked wine to crop failure

Ideas
1 Do your shopping online OR
2 Do click and collect OR
3 Dont drink any fluids if you do decide to go out. OR
4 wear a adult nappy if you do decide to go out and decide to not stop drinking

I would be choosing to avoid any preventable shopping anyway considering you are with child. Because public toilets were a germ Hazzard even before covid ..

Good luck op

Ridiculous. You are meant to be only shopping briefly for essentials, minimising travel. If you're out longer than an hour you're doing it wrong.

@PuppyMonkey

I giggled a bit at bathrooms I must admit, or maybe OP is from the US?

They call them "restrooms". This too makes me giggle. 'I think I'll go for a rest now. I just need to sit down for two minutes.'

Stay indoors. Get your shopping done online, and only go out for 30 minutes at a time. Other posters are correct that flushing toilets disperses virus particles into the air, so they are a big NO at the moment unless they are a self-contained room (no partitioned cubicles).

Plus you can get a "she wee" device for next to nothing if you fancy pissing in an alleyway.

I can see why are you are annoyed but if they can't make it safe for the people who have to clean them then what's the option? Would you be happy to clean a public toilet that had been used by hundreds of people, all from different households?

Ah, but who cares about 'cleaners'? If you know the loos are likely to be closed (and you should), then you need to plan accordingly.

@Puzzledandpissedoff

I thought restaurants with a certain number of covers (about 20 I believe?) had to provide loos ... unless that's been overridden now?

But they have no covers at the moment.

When the weather was nicer I was trying to encourage an elderly relative to get out for some fresh air as they had been stuck inside since March. They said they would love to but were paranoid about going out and being caught short and having no where to go so decided it wasn’t worth the risk. Felt so bad for them

@Yeahnahmum as if you are just suggesting "wear an adult nappy" and deal with it lol you can't be serious?!

I took DD to a hospital appointment and she needed the loo, I asked where they were and was told all outpatient toilets are closed due to covid risk. I explained she couldn't be expected to wait until we got home, she's just a kid, and was told that the supermarket across the road has toilets and we could go there. Absolute madness.

THIS.. is shocking.. an actual Hospital sending you to a supermarket to use their facilities.. DISGUSTING.

@livefornaps..
Well mostly joking. But partly serious 😅. I mean if you HAVE to go out. And there Arent any toilets

. Well... you sorta gotta think about options then 😊😅

I should have added just weeing behind a tree😂

This is another area where different councils/NHS trusts are failing to adopt similar rules etc. If some councils/NHS trusts can keep toilets open, then others need to be challenged as to why they havn't. The standard "covid 'init" excuse simply isn't acceptable.

Just like why some GP surgeries are providing a full range of services yet others are STILL closed and hiding behind locked doors.

We're 8 months into Covid now. That's 8 months when councils and NHS trusts have had to find ways to provide services. Plenty have managed, some are failing miserably and they can't be allowed to get away with that.

@KylieKoKo

I can see why are you are annoyed but if they can't make it safe for the people who have to clean them then what's the option? Would you be happy to clean a public toilet that had been used by hundreds of people, all from different households?

So how come plenty of places DO have open loos then? If it really was "too dangerous", then none would be open, anywhere.