Page 2 | Banging on the door of the Accessible Toilet

HunterHearstHelmsley · 2023-12-10T09:30:24+00:00

Why do people do this?! I've just used the accessible toilet (I need to use the accessible toilet). I'd barely sat down and someone started banging on the door. I wasn't in there an unreasonable amount of time - probably about 30 seconds when the door banging started and 3 minutes overall. I was in there because I needed to be, banging on the door isn't going to make me quicker. If someone was taking the piss, it'd probably make them stay longer! It's not the first time it's happened but it's so frustrating. It happened a few weeks ago also, that time was a woman wanting to use the baby change... the baby change wasn't even in the accessible loo! It's really annoyed me this morning, it's not something I've noticed when using non-accesible toilets so I think it's just an accessible loo thing. But whyyyy?! I can't go faster 😩

YogiYogiBear · 10/12/2023 10:01

If it's a radar key one you are meant to knock before opening.

Sell123 · 10/12/2023 10:03

I've had this. I have an invisible disability. When I left, an old lady shouted at me that I shouldn't be in there etc.

Mumof2teens79 · 10/12/2023 10:04

Bigstones · 10/12/2023 09:53

The only people circumstance where disabled people should be waiting to use the accessible toilet is if another disabled person is in their using it.

Unless you are disabled you should be waiting for a non accessible cubicle to become available.

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That's just not practical or sustainable
Have you never stood in a 10 minute queue out a door and found that one of the 3 cubicles is slightly larger and opens outwards?
Are you seriously suggesting everyone in that queue should use the other two only and leave one empty incase a person with a mobility issue either bypasses the queue or makes it to the front? In the latter case by not using it you are causing the queue to take longer.

Some venues only have 1 toilet and so it is accessible. Are you suggesting no-one should use it?

ConflictofInterest · 10/12/2023 10:05

It's because they've got a radar key and don't want to unlock it if someone's in there. I only realised this the other day when I unlocked it with a radar key and alarmed a women who was thankfully only washing her hands. I had been lucky previously when I'd used it it had been empty and I had assumed the key wouldn't work if it was locked from the inside. I was planning to knock in future, what is the preferred way to check if not knocking? Just shouting is anyone in there, is that better?

Justfinking · 10/12/2023 10:05

Mumof2teens79 · 10/12/2023 10:04

That's just not practical or sustainable
Have you never stood in a 10 minute queue out a door and found that one of the 3 cubicles is slightly larger and opens outwards?
Are you seriously suggesting everyone in that queue should use the other two only and leave one empty incase a person with a mobility issue either bypasses the queue or makes it to the front? In the latter case by not using it you are causing the queue to take longer.

Some venues only have 1 toilet and so it is accessible. Are you suggesting no-one should use it?

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Yes. They're for disabled people 😒

Sirzy · 10/12/2023 10:06

As others have said if it’s a radar key toilet then knocking before unlocking in always the best idea! They are designed to be able to open easily as a safety measure but the problem there is they are designed to open easily!

OnLockdown · 10/12/2023 10:13

Justfinking · 10/12/2023 10:05

Yes. They're for disabled people 😒

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Near me there is a cafe with one large cubicle which is women/accessible and one small which is men. Are women just not meant to go to the toilet in this scenario?

Mumof2teens79 · 10/12/2023 10:13

Justfinking · 10/12/2023 10:05

Yes. They're for disabled people 😒

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Yes what? Yes the one and only toilet in a building is only for disabled people?
What is your criteria as disabled? Do I have to be in receipt of disability benefits? Have a blue badge? Does it have to be a visible disability?

Or yes that one cubicle of three os ONLY for disabled people? Even though by not using it the queue is longer?

When did people lose common sense?

TooFondOfBooks · 10/12/2023 10:13

orchardsquare · 10/12/2023 09:54

Yes, it could be they are checking to see if anyone is in there. I do think disabled toilets with radar keys should make it more clear, by having an 'occupied' or 'unoccupied' sign.

I’ve tried asking Santy, but to no avail - he has brought me some local Changing Places though so 🤷🏻‍♀️

Feck knows what’s with the people apparently after battering the door down with their fists though - as distinct from the polite attempt to prevent any bathroom barging-ins. Probably falls under “people are weird”.

Chiar · 10/12/2023 10:16

Bigstones · 10/12/2023 09:41

Yes, it’s one of the stupid things about accessible toilets- you don’t know if it’s locked because it’s empty or because someone is in there… I don’t knock/bang in case I freak out the person in there but I do open it with my radar key very slowly and make it obvious I’m there so if there is someone in there they have chance to yell!

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I think knocking to check is much more polite than unlocking the door without knocking.

There's a difference between one knock (or test of the handle on normal loos) just to check if it's occupied, and repeated banging or asking them to hurry up. The latter is not acceptable but I think the person using the loo should be able to tolerate one polite check on whether it's occupied.

From OP's "started to bang on the door" I'm imagining the person was hassling her rather than checking?

justasoul · 10/12/2023 10:16

I’m not a frequent user of the accessible toilets but I have never seen one that you can’t tell if it’s occupied or not
The standard radar key one has two dots that go red if locked from the inside.

InTheRainOnATrain · 10/12/2023 10:17

There’s a few places near us where the baby change is in the disabled (which isn’t ideal but that’s a whole other issue) and you have to ask staff for the key. So I’d always knock first, and quite loudly as I know the doors can be thick, in case there’s a disabled person in there who has unlocked it with their own radar key. Is that not the correct thing to do??

Mariposista · 10/12/2023 10:18

My boyfriend went to the toilet in a restaurant yesterday. He certainly wasn’t longer than 3 minutes. Someone tried the door and he shouted ‘just a minute’ (or something similar). Literally 30 seconds later they try the door again. Surely common sense would dictate that of there was someone in there less than a minute ago they are still in there!

InTheRainOnATrain · 10/12/2023 10:18

justasoul · 10/12/2023 10:16

I’m not a frequent user of the accessible toilets but I have never seen one that you can’t tell if it’s occupied or not
The standard radar key one has two dots that go red if locked from the inside.

Never knew this, thank you.

Bigstones · 10/12/2023 10:21

Mumof2teens79 · 10/12/2023 10:04

That's just not practical or sustainable
Have you never stood in a 10 minute queue out a door and found that one of the 3 cubicles is slightly larger and opens outwards?
Are you seriously suggesting everyone in that queue should use the other two only and leave one empty incase a person with a mobility issue either bypasses the queue or makes it to the front? In the latter case by not using it you are causing the queue to take longer.

Some venues only have 1 toilet and so it is accessible. Are you suggesting no-one should use it?

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No I haven’t because I’m a wheelchair user- standing in queues is the privilege of people who are able bodied.

Accessible toilets are for disabled people- if there is an alternative toilet that isn’t accessible you should use that one. If you have to queue, well that’s life I’m afraid. If I pitch up at the accessible toilet and someone is in there and 3 people are waiting I have to queue too.

If there is only one toilet at a venue and it’s been made to be accessible because it’s the only one there, you don’t need me to tell you that clearly everyone can use it, common sense will tell you that. I’m sure you have been into a Costa/starbucks/small cafe in your lifetime- does everyone piss on the floor because the only toilet is an accessible one? No they don’t as you perfectly well know.

Bigstones · 10/12/2023 10:23

justasoul · 10/12/2023 10:16

I’m not a frequent user of the accessible toilets but I have never seen one that you can’t tell if it’s occupied or not
The standard radar key one has two dots that go red if locked from the inside.

Does it?! Are you sure? How have I never noticed this? I’m eye level with the bloody lock too (I’m not doubting your word, I’m just baffled by my own lack of observational skills!).

Roosmarjin · 10/12/2023 10:24

Bigstones · 10/12/2023 09:58

Yes! Why the fuck don’t they?! We can put a man on the moon but we can’t manage to put a red/green indicator on a bloody toilet door so that people know what’s what!

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The red / green indicators aren't helpful at all - not when you're colourblind (1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women are) or visually impaired.

IthinkIamAnAlien · 10/12/2023 10:24

a small town near us has had to close its public toilets because of people sleeping in them, day and night.

It hasn’t had to, it’s chosen to. How fucking heartless and dog in the manger.

@BIossomtoes To some extent, I agree with you BUT what do you do when people who need the toilet can't get in because someone is camping inside and I feel sorry for the guys who come to clean the toilets everyday, I've seen the stomach turning mess that gets left behind. For a while the toilets were closed at night but it didn't stop the overall situation. And we're not talking an inner city area we're talking dinky little Cotswold town! The italics are because I hate the whole Cotswold thing, symbol of our broken, unequal country.

Allfur · 10/12/2023 10:27

Just tell them its busy

Sirzy · 10/12/2023 10:27

Bigstones · 10/12/2023 10:23

Does it?! Are you sure? How have I never noticed this? I’m eye level with the bloody lock too (I’m not doubting your word, I’m just baffled by my own lack of observational skills!).

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I have never noticed it either.

i always assumed that when locked from the outside the lock goes over in the same way as when locked from inside so it wouldn’t differentiate.

justasoul · 10/12/2023 10:28

Bigstones · 10/12/2023 10:23

Does it?! Are you sure? How have I never noticed this? I’m eye level with the bloody lock too (I’m not doubting your word, I’m just baffled by my own lack of observational skills!).

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As I said, I only used them in case of emergencies (I have IBD but try not use the accessible toilet if I can use the normal one) but all the ones I used did - though the dots are white rather than green when not being used so maybe they’re not obvious?
Photos for reference:

Banging on the door of the Accessible Toilet

Justfinking · 10/12/2023 10:28

Mumof2teens79 · 10/12/2023 10:13

Yes what? Yes the one and only toilet in a building is only for disabled people?
What is your criteria as disabled? Do I have to be in receipt of disability benefits? Have a blue badge? Does it have to be a visible disability?

Or yes that one cubicle of three os ONLY for disabled people? Even though by not using it the queue is longer?

When did people lose common sense?

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Personally I'm grateful that I'm not disabled and so I don't mind leaving it free for someone who needs it and to wait a bit longer (unless maybe I'm going to shit or piss my pants, but I don't leave it that long) 🤷🏼‍♀️

Needmorelego · 10/12/2023 10:29

I used my daughter's radar key for the first ever time yesterday. I didn't know whether when you lock the door from the inside (handle up) if it is then unlockable from the outside with the key.
So I gave a little knock first to check if no one was in there before I used the key.
Oh and before anyone asks - I used my daughter's key - for my daughter. Not me. 🌻

Perfectlystill · 10/12/2023 10:30

Might it be someone with SEN?

I help my relative with SEN and they bang inappropriately on doors when they're waiting for something.

Bigstones · 10/12/2023 10:31

Chiar · 10/12/2023 10:16

I think knocking to check is much more polite than unlocking the door without knocking.

There's a difference between one knock (or test of the handle on normal loos) just to check if it's occupied, and repeated banging or asking them to hurry up. The latter is not acceptable but I think the person using the loo should be able to tolerate one polite check on whether it's occupied.

From OP's "started to bang on the door" I'm imagining the person was hassling her rather than checking?

Edited

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I don’t think there is a right way in this circumstance because disability is so variable… neither way would bother me if I was in there.

I don’t knock/bang on the door because my son is very ND and freaks out at loud sudden noise so he would much prefer the door opening a tiny bit and would call out he’s in there, rather than panic and cry at banging.

I always worry that someone like him might be in there, but equally my way might really upset other people… someone just posted that there is a way to tell if it’s locked from the inside by looKing at the lock- hopefully that’s right and my worry will be over!