No separate women's or disabled toilets at Gas station M&S toilets

[Capitalismwantsyou]

Just a rant. I went into a BP/M&S gas station today and used the loo. There was a men's toilets, as marked by the "man" symbol. Then there was another toilet marked with all 3 symbols for women, baby change and disabled. I was gob smacked at the sheer sexism and disregard for disabled people. On top of that it was disgusting.

I wondered how long it would take.

Your point being what? Sometimes I need and use the accessible toilets. You couldn't tell from looking at me that I have that need.

My point being that there are so many people who claim to need the accessible facilities (when they're capable of getting into and using the standard ones) Accessible facilities are increasingly used and abused - is it really so hard to believe that that person coming out was a chancer?

@AgnesX

Accessible facilities are increasingly used and abused - is it really so hard to believe that that person coming out was a chancer?

You know this judgement makes it harder for people like me with genuine disabilities, not easier?

And me- unless AgnesX you'd like me to explain to your face why I sometimes have to use accessible toilets.

I imagine it matters quite a lot if you’re in need of a toilet. The queue for women/ baby change/ disabled is clearly going to be long. As well as there being more people 2 of those groups are potentially going to take significantly longer. OP hasn’t said why it was designated for men only.

My beef with petrol station toilets is the number of times they are “out of order”. I am prepared to believe that this is true quite often , but suspect that sometimes the station staff mostly lock them because they don’t want the hassle of providing them.

They don’t need cleaning if they’re not used

No desire to meet @NatashaDancing but thanks for the offer all the same.

@eetee I don't imagine you care what I or the OP think in much the same way those who abuse the accessible facilities don't. If you feel you have a justifiable reason then you have the moral high ground.

@AgnesX

I don't imagine you care what I or the OP think in much the same way those who abuse the accessible facilities don't.

I don't really understand what you are trying to suggest here? I do care what other people think, which is very much my point about being judged making it harder for me to use accessible toilets.

If you feel you have a justifiable reason then you have the moral high ground.

This sentence is all kinds of weird when talking to a disabled person about their use of the toilet provided for them

eetee No , I've no idea what that's supposed to mean either.

No desire to meet @NatashaDancingbut thanks for the offer all the same

I wasn't offering to meet you- I was thinking of the situation where I or eetee might have the misfortune to meet you , or someone like you, outside an accessible toilet, tutting and making ignorant, ill-informed, judgemental comments.
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^^

If there was a long queue at one toilet and not at the other then
a) complain to staff that there toilet facilities don't match customer needs or
b) use the quieter toilet

Yes, but would you say "gas station" if you're British and it was a British petrol station?

Most people here would get a huge shock if they went abroad.

I went to Paris recently. Apart from the airport and a shopping centre every toilet I saw was Unisex.

What a patronising comment.

I was in Amsterdam last week and I think I saw one gallery with a unisex set up and even then there was a separate women's toilet.

@AgnesX you’re being wildly offensive to people with disabilities that aren’t visible.

Maybe you didn’t realise you’re being offensive - but now several people have enlightened you. Time to wind your neck in, or even apologise and change your attitude.

Bit late to the party with this one aren't you. You can join the queue behind me for the disabled loo.

@AgnesX no idea what your problem is with invisible disabilities using disabled toilet facilities. You’re being very weird about it.

Petrol station ‘combination’ toilets which are accessible and have changing table are usually self contained I.e the wash basin is behind the locked door, so not unsafe?

The mens was probably urinals and tbh I would rather the men use those than join the queue and use the combination toilet.

Yes, but would you say "gas station" if you're British and it was a British petrol station?

I presume OP is American and living in/visiting the UK (or do they also have M&S in the USA?).

Hearing that term always reminds me of an old episode of Scooby Doo that I saw, where they were stopping off at a combined fuel station and diner, with the sign outside saying "Eat at Barney's and get gas!"

I suppose their decision may have been driven by the customers they get. If it's overwhelmingly used by lorry drivers - the vast majority of which are male - they may have been intending to keep a toilet free for female and disabled customers, and those travelling with babies, that stays relatively clean (owing to much less use) and available.

To be honest, petrol stations can be so hit-and-miss with having toilets that I tend to be grateful if they have one at all - even if you do have to hold your nose. I suppose the ones that don't bother offering a toilet at all don't get criticised when it's not exactly as people would like it to be, so maybe easier for them just not to have the hassle in the first place.

I'm guessing it's because they didn't want to locate the baby change in the men's loo.

Mens toilets at petrol stations are normally just urinals, they rarely have a toilet cubicle.