Banging on the door of the Accessible Toilet

[HunterHearstHelmsley]

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 😩

She wasn’t changing a nappy, or using the loo herself, she was waiting for the child to stop his tantrum. The accessible toilet is not the place for that. Neither is it a place to smoke pot - also my experience. I’m not engaging with this any more because I’ve explained and expanded on what I meant several times and you’re persisting in misunderstanding my posts so you can come at me as though I treat everyone with a hidden disability as a piss taker. Nothing could be further from the truth.

This is not how it works. Not everyone in the queue will need the accessible toilet, so it will become available quicker than the rest.

I've had an elderly man shout and swear at my son and I when we left an accessible toilet once. We both have valid reasons for using it, but they're 'invisible illnesses'. It was a horrible experience.

People who need the accessible toilet don’t need to wait in the queue for the non accessible toilets- why would they? They can’t use them.

They ignore that queue and go straight to the accessible toilet- if someone is in it or there is a queue of disabled people waiting for it then they wait- this can be very difficult and lead to accidents etc but it’s unavoidable- no one disabled person has priority over another.

If able bodied people who could use a normal toilet but can’t be bothered to wait choose to use a facility that’s there solely for the use of disabled people who don’t have a choice-

yes, they might be doing other able bodied people in the queue a favour by making their queue move more quickly, but they are stopping disabled people with no other option from using a facility that was put there for them. They are not making it “quicker for all involved”- they are making it slower for the people who actually HAVE to use that facility”.

If I’m in the accessible toilet in my wheelchair and a disabled person arrives needing the loo, can’t get in because I’m in there and they have an accident on the floor- I’m sorry about that and apologise because it isn’t nice for them. However it doesn’t make me a dickhead, because I’m using the only toilet I can. The same can not be said of people who cause that situation purely because they can’t be arsed to wait.

Accessible toilets are there so that disabled people can actually go for a fucking piss- NOT so that able bodied people can move through a queue more quickly.

Except that it bears no relation to what was actually said.

You shouldn’t need to explain yourself and you definitely shouldn’t avoid using accessible toilets if they make things easier for you. And if you’re challenged, I find that ‘mind your own business’ is a complete sentence.

Try not to let wankers make your life harder than necessary. I know it’s really difficult, when I’m not in my chair I don’t ‘look’ disabled- but it’s bad enough being disabled without letting stupid people with shitty opinions make it even worse!

Part M of the Building Regulations does state that disabled toilets should not be used as baby changing facilities.

It also says the ambulant disabled cubicle in a toilet facility is not intended purely for disabled people and is for anyone who needs extra space and cites people with children and those with luggage who need the space as examples.

One project I am working on has discussed the re designation of the accessible toilets as suitable for gender diverse people who don't feel comfortable in single sex facilities as we have an existing building that isn't easily modified. Discussions are ongoing...

I’m not saying that being in a wheelchair makes someone need the facilities more than someone with another disability. I’m saying that being in a wheelchair means you have no choice but to use the accessible toilet because the chair won’t fit in a standard cubicle. My point was that if someone with a disability can easily use a standard cubicle, that would help in leaving the accessible toilet free for someone with different needs. That’s all. Not disability ‘top trumping’ just simple common sense applied if at all possible.

This has been covered twice at least on this thread, and ought to be covered by common sense- but in the unlikely event you genuinely don’t know what to do in this situation (instead of just trying to catch people out with a clever gotcha moment…)

If the only available toilet is an accessible one (as they often are in Costa/starbucks and small venues) then clearly you use that toilet. No one expects you to do anything else.

Disabled people are not stupid- we can tell that one toilet = everyone using it and no one is going to be angry and run you over with their wheelchair.

Disabled toilets used to be for disabled people. Accessible ones are now apparently for all who need the extra space. Do other disabled people on this thread see the problem with this ?

Your idea of “easily” might not be mine though. You mentioned a stoma bag change and using a standard toilet cubicle. There are other medical devices that would be better in the accessible toilet but can be done in a non accessible one. I could self catheterise in a usual cubicle but why the heck should I put myself at risk of infection when I have a primary immunodeficiency? I feel that I ‘need’ access to the sink but in theory, I could do it in any cubicle. However, I am completely unprepared to do so. Anti bacterial gel isn’t enough, I want to fully scrub my hands to prevent an infection. Not an absolute need but a desire to keep as healthy as possible.

I get it alot. Because I don't LOOK "disabled" although it's always old people. It's so arrogant, rude and self riteous. One knock when you've been in there a while is fine. But when I've literally just walked through the door and they just keep knocking. It is purely done becuase they don't think you have a right to it.

Yes, people who don’t need a larger cubicle will use it anyway because they don’t fancy waiting- that’s obvious because there are a lot of self important, selfish arseholes in the world.

No disabled person should be in a queue waiting to use an accessible toilet unless that queue is formed only of other disabled people (or people with temporary conditions that mean they need the larger cubicle- like a poster earlier who had internal injuries and needed a grab rail for a while).

You can continue to try to characterise disabled people as lacking in sense, expecting immediate access to the toilet, or any other derogatory thing you like- but it won’t wash because it simply isn’t true.

We don’t mind queuing with other disabled people, we know if the only toilet is accessible then able bodied people have to use it too, we know that if the baby change table is in there then parents have to use it too.

Yep.

This. How sad that even some people with disabilities on here are being judgmental based on how a person looks, questioning whether some people should even be using the disabled facilities. Do not judge people, you do not know based on a 5 second observation.

The level of reading comprehension on MN isn’t up to much these days is it ? This is not what this poster was saying. Far from it. She was pointing out something that all disabled people are aware of. That these facilities are abused by people who have no need of them. And it’s not a question of knowing by looking at someone that they have a stoma or any other hidden condition - that was never said. What was said was that it’s the ‘piss takers’ behaviour that gives them away, not their appearance. We all know it happens. But we keep quiet and don’t challenge because of the possibility of a hidden disability. Even when the loo reeks of weed when the previous occupant has left. Even though you know the young couple who’ve spent the last ten minutes giggling together in there have only been in for a snog in private. I get that you’ve been accused of similar and you’re genuinely disabled, and that must be awful. But it doesn’t mean that abuse doesn’t happen and I don’t see anything wrong with calling it out if it’s obvious.

@Rosscameasdoody , yes I see a problem.
It's already a problem.
Too few disabled adapted facilities that are already shared with baby changing and now this.
Unless they make every single toilet 'accessible ' then we are going to find ourselves in longer queues.
Baby changing really should be separate. I often find myself holding my breath because the nappy bin is overflowing.
I have a weak gag reflex though.

Yes some people 100000% do spend a lot longer than they need to and sometimes you do have to let people know that you're waiting

Accessible toilets that don’t require a radar key are available for everyone to use and not exclusively for the use of disabled people…. Our local coffee shop only has one loo for customers - that it’s accessible means that they are thinking of their elderly and/or disabled customers, that’s all!

I took my grandson out to the RSPB we went to the cafe. He 💩 so really needed a nappy change. Was directed to accessible loo. Well the only place I could change him was on the floor which was swimming in water. I don't know if the tide was in or it was a leak. Either way it was a grim experience.

Maybe throw out the architecture plans and make all loos wider so that I can get a pushchair in ditto wheelchair, hand grabs and stick the changing thing outside the loo where you wash your hands .

Apologies if I’m wrong, but I think you’re referring to me. If so, show me where I’ve said any of this., or been judgmental. I’ve never questioned genuinely disabled people using the facilities, or suggested that those with hidden disabilities are any less entitled. But different disabilities bring different needs, and upthread I suggested that those disabled people who could easily use standard facilities would be helping to free up accessible toilets for those with different needs. Before I was wheelchair bound I tried to do this myself, and a number of other disabled posters have indicated that they do the same wherever possible. I suggested that wheelchair users have no choice but to use accessible toilets, whereas some people who are ambulant may have more choice. And that’s all. Only on MN would the suggestion that disabled people look out for each other and be more mindful of different needs be treated as judgmental and ‘disability top trumps’. I’m out. This thread is toxic.

If it’s a disabled toilet that works with a raydar key it’s literally the correct thing to do to knock before opening because those keys will open the door from outside even if it is locked from the inside. So the point is to knock to make sure you don’t walk in on people! Surprised you Don’t know this as an accessible toilet user.

Sounds like a plan to me. Facilitates integrating disabled people more too. Would need some thought to the placement of washing facilities though, because accessible loos have their own.

I don't see what rattling the handle will achieve here - whether they're aware or not that someone is waiting, they can only go as fast as they can go? I doubt anyone is hanging around in the accessible toilet for fun 😅
I think you're right OP, it's an accessible loo thing - I've never had anyone knock on a cubicle door in the ladies!