Surely this sign is unnecessary - Indonesia

[hotelinfo]

On a very small (but quite well-known) islsnd, but lots if tourists. Not much going on today, as you can probably tell, so I'm posting this sign in the hotel room bathroom.

Obviously crouching loos are common in some areas, but who really needs to be told not to crouch on a hotel loo seat?

Yes, it is necessary.

Lots of people. My university also had signs up requesting that you don’t squat on the toilet seat.

I have never seen this anywhere else

Very very necessary. It's a common issue.

Oh, jeezus... lots of people. I regularly see pee on toilet sests and around the toilet on the floor. Don't get me started on the horking and spitting, either. 🤢

It's necessary.

I live in Asia and it is VERY necessary as a lot of Asian countries have squatting toilets and so, when you enter a western-style toilet, often you'll find foot prints on the seat as people have squatted on it! There is a view that sitting on a toilet (the way we do in the west) is unhygenic. Squatting on western-style toilets damages the toilets and they often fall off the wall eventually so the sign is needed to prevent this.

(Where I live, these signs are incredibly common and you'll find them in almost all bathrooms that have western-style toilets. I still went into a Starbucks bathroom and found dusty footprints on the seat though!).

I was in Thailand earlier this year and you see this sign everywhere. I think it is due to them having squat toilets in lots of places.

If you were to put your feet on this loo, the plastic seat would either crack or fall off. And if the seat was up, the rim is so thin, you'd slip off.

Most public bathrooms have either squat loos (hole in the ground) or a mix of squat and sitting loos. I think people know the difference.

I was in Malaysia recently and signs were everywhere. Also in our men’s office toilets in London I believe…..

Yes, that's why they need the signs. Because people will stand on the seats anyway and break them, or injure themselves. Plus it's just not hygienic.

You are obviously not somebody who has ever had the job of cleaning hotel or public lavatories. If you were, you'd know the sign is essential and your question superfluous. Why do you think they've gone to the effort and expense of making unnecessary signage?

Also it’s just a sign. You already follow the rules so it’s not for you. You may be glad that it’s there to inform others.

I have seen this sign in many places in both Asia and Europe.

To be fair if you’ve always squatted to poo (which is a recommendation nowadays if you are constipated) then suddenly sitting flat could be quite difficult - just cos it’s what the west does doesn’t mean it’s the best idea.

Yes people from certain cultures need to be told and yes it’s a common sign.

You know the difference because you are western and you are used to western toilets. Lots of people who have been brought up with squat toilets would not knkw the difference no and would think they squat still. The sign helps this not to happen but agree with a PP some people view western toilets as unhygienic and will still squat.

surely you can appreciate other people have a different background and knowledge of western culture than you? Not sure why you keep insisting it’s not needed, it’s very common in Asia and parts of Australia where there’s high levels of immigration from Asia

It’s very common- people do it. You can make sure people know how to use a western toilet, but they will do what they want to do, what they have always done, what they prefer to do.

PS recommend people are careful about what hilarious tales they share here!

I’ve seen this in lots of countries, also the worn sections on the loo seats where people have put their feet when squatting on them.

People in my office I think, the kind of organisation where you think people would know how to use the facilities without having a sign.

I've seen this type of sign before too, never really given it much thought tbh.

Clearly some people don't know the difference between a 'normal' seat and squat loos otherwise they wouldn't need the sign. And it must be because squatting on the seat would crack it/break it that they're having to address the issue. Pretty grim really!

My university puts up signs like this every summer when we host summer schools for students from Asia. Otherwise many of them are so used to squatting toilets that they would squat on the seat (and yes it would break - that is why you need a sign or you spend loads of money repairing damage).

If you have been brought up with squatting toilets you don’t think “oh this seat obviously can’t take squatting so maybe I’ll try a completely different way of using a toilet like sitting on it”, you probably think “well this is a pretty weird design of toilet, but hey ho, I’ll just take care to balance well”.

It would probably only occur to you that sitting was an option if you had had a lot of contact with Westeners or travelled. Just like you are incredulous that anyone would consider squatting, they would be incredulous about doing something else.

Have also seen signs in toilets in London telling people not to wash their feet in the hand basins (I would love to be fit enough to get my feet up that high)

Ok so you know better then. Is this what you’re saying?

People will still try to use it, even if you don’t think they’d be able to.