Wasn't allowed to use disabled toilet despite the fact no other toilet was available. AIBU?

[fakenamefornow]

Seaside town with beach that stretches about 1.5 miles away from town centre with just flats and houses facing beach, ie no pubs or cafés that might let me use the toilet. It's about 10am rainy January morning, nobody else about apart from about two/three people and dogs on the beach.
Half way along on seafront is a public toilet block. Both mens and womens shuttered up and locked. Disabled toilet, locked, had a phone number to call for remote access so they could let people in. Called number and despite me pleading that I was desperate for the loo (I was) and pointing out no others available, I was refused absolutely point blank access because I wasn't disabled.
I don't think this is fair at all, but what do others think?
YANBU - she should have let you in.
YABU - no way should she have let you in regardless of how much you needed the loo.

It is not a toilet. It is a specialist facility for people with severe disabilities. It is not a toilet. Every time a Changing Places facility is used, it should be checked and cleaned. Because it is a specialist facility. It is not a toilet. These facilities are only for use by carers of people who need specialist equipment. It is not a toilet. Sigh.

I'm guessing that OP didn't wet herself and therefore was able to find alternative facilities (or at least have a wild wee), in which case they were right to restrict access for use by people with disabilities only, not people who are 'desperate' for the loo.

It has a toilet in it with rails to help people lower themselves onto the toilet and get themselves off. This one is not just a ‘changing room’ and shower like some of them are. Therefore, it is also for disabled people to use the toilet if they need to go. Sigh.

No they are not being protected they are being forced to state their medical situation out loud and in a public place to a random on the end of the phone. Its wholly inappropriate and undignified to treat people this way.

Incontinence is a medical condition requiring easy access to loos in order to participate in every day life. What actual preparation is the OP supposed to do - build a few loos on the high street? Or just use the she-wee in public because there is no private place available - like an actual loo.

https://www.changing-places.org

for anyone unsure of what a changing places toilet is and how it differs from general disabled toilets.

ds is a part time wheelchair user but the only time I have used a changing places toilet with him is when I have had to do running repairs on his feeding tube and needed him lying flat to do it, I wouldn’t use it generally because thankfully he can use the toilet and transfer to it with minimal support.

these places need to be protected for those who wouldn’t be able to go out without them.

I have twice been refused access to disabled toilets. On both occasions it was staff face to face who decided by looking at me that I was not disabled.

For future reference my photo shows you where the nearest free public toilets are - they should have been open today according to the Council website. I’d say they’re a 5 minute walk away, perhaps asking one of the shop assistants would have helped you locate them.

Try again!

It doesn’t sound like she has incontinence issues. She added in, after the fact, that due to menopause and having three children she frequently needs the toilet. There are thousands and thousands of us like that. If she has incontinence then she already has a radar key and wears Tena/equivalent, and would plan or know where the toilets are before taking a long walk.

If anyone wants to know what the toilet in question looks like then have a look at this link:
https://www.astorbannerman.co.uk/news/new-accessible-toilet-facility-officially-opens-in-weston-super-mare/

And this is the CP guide.
https://share.google/34TMbgtPzV3N1tK
Screenshots from the guide of the 2 most relevant pages. For some people, a CP toilet is the only toilet they are are able to access because of their care/support/equipment needs. Actually having one in Weston when it can get v.busy during the summer is a bonus and in addition to other accessible toilets. These kinds of places can cost around 60k to install btw depending on location, equipment. They are far from cheap and not for general public use.

Why not just call again using a different voice (French accent?) and say you were disabled?

Lots of these points focus on whether the change places toilet should be used by other people if they are desperate to wee themselves. I don't think that's relevant here. The point here is that the "emergency number" is really for proper actual emergencies, where someone is in a locked toilet cubicle, alone, injured or ill with no way out, not to save people from wetting themselves whether or not they are disabled.

'Incontinence is a medical condition requiring easy access to loos in order to participate in every day life'

The op herself says she isn't incontinent rather after 3 kids and being menopausal gets urgency which probably applies to quite a few people.

These facilities are for those with significant issues, not someone caught short and those on here supporting lying or whatever are part of the problem.

How do you work that one out?
How could they make the call when the phone number is outside the toilet and they are locked inside?

You really can't see it can you?
The other toilets were locked.

Why? Cos it's winter and the council don't want to pay for them to be cleaned because they won't be used (much).

It's human decency to allow someone to use a public toilet and if it happens to be one that is equipped for special needs, it doesn't mean that on the odd occasion it can't be used by someone else.

The dictatorial posts here make Iran look like a nice place to live.

Get some bloody compassion and common sense.

You never go to the toilet when you are with other people, or if you do they always come into the toilet with you? There's a universal rule that there can only be one copy of a notice in existence?

To class as an official Changing Places toilet it must have a toilet. It's main purpose isn't for changing incontinence things, it's equally for those that need to hoist onto a toilet. I don't have any incontinence issues but can only use a CP toilet as I am dependent on using a hoist for all transfers. I used to sit next to the staff that ran CP so know the ins and outs very well.

I think it’s you who can’t see it. If this is a changing places toilet it’s very expensive to install and equip. It doesn’t fall under the category of accessible toilets, and is exclusively for the use of those with specific needs because of disability. If you’re going to unlock them for all and sundry what is the point of reserving them for those who need them ? It’s not a question of compassion because someone has been caught short and the other toilets are locked. That’s a different issue and down to local authority budget constraints, so make a complaint, but don’t expect to be able to use designated disabled facilities as the default.

Thanks that's really helpful as we are trying to get ours removed as it's expensive to maintain as the hoist needs testing etc. & could be replaced with facilities that more people can use.
If it doesn't meet the current criteria then that helps our case to get rid of it.

It is not a public toilet. It is a specialist facility with expensive equipment for people and their carers who have extra needs. Again. It is NOT a public toilet. Please read the thread. Someone being ‘caught short’ is not what these facilities are for. Because they are NOT public toilets. Previous posters have shown other open public toilets close to this specialist facility which the OP could have got to in 5/10 mins.

You know full well everyone calls and says they’re disabled. So that’s what you do next time. What a stupid system. I agree with writing to the council about it.

THis

Saying 4 times it’s not a toilet, doesn’t mean it’s not a toilet. If it contains a toilet, then it’s a toilet.

Quite. Just not a toilet for all, and Sunday to use. Look at the link that Sirzy posted, I can see why their use should be restricted for those that do require them.

It's all and sundry.

There are some toilets that are 'changing places' but they also double up as an accessible toilet. And are the only option other than the 'normal' ones.