Toilet cubicle etiquette

[MaryBethMayfair]

Female toilets in work. As per diagram.
AIBU that C is the 'correct' choice of cubicle, assuming all cubicles are empty upon entry?

I was just in cubicle C, and someone entered moments behind me, and went into B. I think that's madness and can't fathom why, out of the two remaining cubicles available, you'd opt to go into the one right next to someone. curious to know if others would have done the same.

I believe that statistically, A is apparently the cleanest cubicle, due to it being used least.

YABU: B is a good cubicle choice, I like to be in the middle of things.
YANBU: B is madness and should only be selected when A and C are otherwise engaged.

Thank you!

This is one of those things where the real answer is - what other old etiquette rules can you share OP? Maybe you could make them into a book and market to conspiracy theorists…. Or souvenir shops. 😂

My concerns are is it clean and is there loo paper. After that, meh.

Seriously it's a toilet I don't see which one I go into ..who cares. Yabu and Abit strange.

In my local Costco, the ladies cubicles are about 8 in a row. I always, if paper present and it's clean and available , pick the one further away from the entrance ..

Not sure why 🤔 Maybe because it has a wall on one side.

I have noticed mothers and their young children use the ones nearest the entrance. More like to leave pee on the seat so perhaps that's why subconsciously.

Not sure why 🤔 Maybe because it has a wall on one side.

I always had a preferred cubicle at work and I think it was for that exact reason!!

You’re right. C is the natural choice and A if C is occupied. Except where I used to work where B was the only sensible option, C had a dodgy flush and A a wonky seat.

I usually inspect several cubicles before committing to a decision.

Usually there's one where the lock doesn't work, one that has no loo role, one that smells etc etc

Being next to an occupied cubicle is the least of my worries. It wouldn't even cross my mind!

Loo roll! 🤦‍♀️

It's been a long day

At work people seem to have their cubicle of choice. Our loos are the same as yours so Kelly will always use the middle one regardless of which other is occupied. I am a don’t care for a wee. For a poo I go upstairs to a little used loo with a window that opens!

Oh, I’m with you OP. Definitely look for an opportunity to be one away - same at the gym on treadmill. Why would you want to be sharing such close proximity when you don’t have to? Although old lady bladder often makes the decision for me 😳.

Excellent diagram. I always use the cubicle with the door that opens outwards, as I am large and made larger when carrying shopping. I do check I've locked it though.

You are absolutely right Op. Unless there is loud overhead music playing always save the other persons dignity by allowing at least one degree of separation. Imagine if the first person was a particularly percussive pooper (or a timpanic tinkler for that matter!). This is one concert for which the orchestrator would prefer not to have an audience!!

It's a cubicle FFS it doesn't matter.🙄
If you don't want people to hear what you are doing, flush the toilet before using.

Melvyn Bragg actually had a double feature-length episode of In Our Time about this exact topic on R4 last week. It was fascinating - I've already listened to it 26 times.

Personally, I have 'my' cubicle that I always insist on using and, if it is occupied - even if there are inferior empty ones - I will simply beat the door down and drag the current incumbent out before taking office myself.

Wha' a load o' pesh!

They are the same as that stupid guy who parks alongside you when there are a million other empty spaces!

I'm on a campsite this weekend. Every time I go to the toilet I'm getting paranoid about whether I'm using the 'correct' cubicle. Never even thought about it before.

I agree OP. The people who go in the cubicle next to you when others are empty are total weirdos, like the ones who sit next to you on the bus or right next to you in the cinema when there are loads of empty seats.

There are 15 ladies toilet cubicles at my work and the other day someone used the one right next to me even though we were the only ones there. Very weird 🤣

I normally walk along the cubicles assessing the state of each cubicle and then park my cheeks on the first decent option.

Your diagram is my exact setup at work! I always go for C first as it's slighty bigger. If that is taken the I use A for the same reason as you! I don't think I've used B before in my place 🤣

@BlankSpaceForBrains there is a rigidly enforced but absolutely unspoken set of rules about urinal selection in men's toilets. In the OP's example it would be C, then A, then B only if absolutely necessary. Only someone who's clinically insane would walk into an empty men's room that has three urinals and pick the middle urinal. You just don't.

More importantly you do not, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, stand next to someone else if there's a urinal further away you could use. You do not, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, look at someone else's penis. You do not, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES OTHER THAN BEING INCREDIBLY DRUNK AND/OR A GEORDIE, talk to someone else at the urinals.

It's like being on the tube in London - you pretend there's no-one else there while at the same time staying as far away from them as you can reasonably achieve.

Wee don’t care. Poo maybe give it half a second thought as go further along

I never think about occupancy. I often check out cubicles for dry seats, plenty of loo roll, absence of floaters etc. Sorry if that is TMI but that is literally what is on my mind; not who is next door!

I think that this was touched on by a PP, but given that a fair number of posters have read that statically A is least used & so cleaner, I’d like to see the results of a study into who has read the statistics. If it’s a good number then maybe I’d avoid A. On the other hand the OP has said the toilets are cleaned often & no toilet roll lack or cracked seat bum-pinching issues so maybe a more carefree attitude is applicable. Is C was occupied I’d go for A.

Do people really waste their time thinking about such trivia?

You obviously have zero idea what it's like living with a digestive health issue.