How wrong is it to use the disabled toilet when you are not disabled?

[emkana]

And does it make a difference whether you have small children or not?

I nearly always use the disabled toilets when I'm out with the children, I just don't see what to do otherwise, where to leave the children while I'm in a tiny cubicle.

Wrong or not?

and our local library has one with a radar key but it also has the baby change facilities in it - you just have to ask and the staff open it up for you. So even a radar key lock doesn't mean it's exclusively for disabled people

Gingerbear - was this in Doncaster??? There is a 'family toilet' in the Debenhams in Donny... I was so impressed as usually facilities round here are more like medieval than 21st century. Mind you, one of the toilets was 'out of order' about one week after it opened...

no, I don't think "accessible" is the same as "solely for the use of"
that doesn't apply to other things does it, e.g. using disabled ramps etc.
I am not disabled but frequently care for (3) people who are and tbh have never ha a problem with access to disabled loos.
the radar key system is not to prevent use by the "able bodied" as a toilet but abuse by drug users/people using the cubicles to have sex.

Did you know that building regulations now stipulate that new houses must have all entrances accessible by a wheelchair?
My brother had to replace all the doors in his house (too narrow), build ramps instead of steps and install a downstairs loo. I think he was a little peeved to say the least. (Fair enough if a family member is disabled, but no-one in my brother's family is)

I have a dd with Aspergers and can use the disabled toilets as she is registered disabled and I have radar key.

However I won't unless an emergency occurred. It's the same as using a parking space imo. You can use a normal toilet but disabled people, especially with a physical disabilty can't. Let's face it there are plenty of normal toilets but usually only 1 disabled.

I don't think that designing a toilet for disabled people means that it can only be used by them at all.
That's like saying that all shops that have disabled access are only for disabled people too.

I think it's pretty stupid for places to only have one disabled toilet though, or for the baby change to be in it.
In my local shopping precinct there are at least 4 "family" cubicles in the toilets, but only one disabled loo. I always wonder why they didn't make all the family ones disabled friendly too, as they are plenty big enough

I did know that GB - also I understand that all new houses have to have a downstairs loo with a wheeelchair accesible doorway

I used to work on magazine for people with disabilities and can't remember ever coming across anyone who objected to able-bodied people using accessible loos. Used to get a lot of letters from people with bowel/bladder problems about the general lack of public loos but nothing beyond that.

oh yes and I use the disabled changing cubicles in the swimming pool too if I have two children with me because god knows I can't fit in an ordinary cubicle and there are not enough family ones and I am super quick

Surely the radar key system makes it difficult for someone to 'just pop in, there's nobody else waiting to use it...' - and choose to use the ladies/gents instead. I know I've hunted for staff at railway station so I can use the dual disabled toilet/baby station - and thought afterwards it would have been quicker to use a station bench.

TBH, if there's a queue and ds's are desperate for the toilet, I just ask if we can push in.

I just can't help thinking that the inconsiderate sods who park in baby/disabled parking spaces use exactly the same excuses vis 'they are 'enabled' spaces, nobody was waiting when I arrived/left, the mum struggling across the car park wanted to park 3 miles from the shop door...

disabled loos aren't just for those in wheelchairs. I'll be taking ds1 into them when he's 30 (and perfectly able bodied, just not able minded). Pedantic I'm sure but quite a lot of wheelchair=disabled posts in this thread.

TBH I look like a sprightly young thing in my 20's but suffer such horrendous diarrhoea 9gp is still testing my blood'n'poo) that if I don't get to the toilet when I need to, I would crap myself - literally. If that means using the disabled loo, so be it.

sorry jimjams

ds1 can't wait- but if you don;t mind him trying to break your door down whilst you do your business, not a problem...... (For that reason I growl if they're being used, and I'd be well pissed off if they were being used by someone putting make-up on), but I do nip in with ds3 in buggy as well......

quite so, colditz.

To all those saying designing a disabled toilet just for disabled people doesn't make sense could say the same about disabled parking spaces. You can get a ticket for parking in a disabled bay!

I think the change in building regs reflects the fact that there are more (younger and older) people who use wheelchairs and live at home (as opposed to 'in' a home, in hospital etc). Gingerbear, your brother might not need wheelchair access yet, but what if your mum/dad did in the future?

Gradually, the number of places (shops, homes etc etc) accessible to the disabled will be increased (and the old habits of making the disabled access to shops etc 'round the back' aren't acceptable anymore)

Here here Colditz! (immodium is my Best Friend on shopping trips)

That's the point, though, BH, using a disabled parking space is illegal (if you don't qualify), using a disabled loo isn't.

ahem wife of disabled person here, mother of one possible SN child, aunt to 2 children with CP.

one thing that annoys me with other people using diabled toilets, they tend to tie the cord up out of childrens reach, which means if a disabled person requires help, then they cant reach it. PLEASE DONT DO IT, IT COULD BE A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH IN PETERS CASE!!

It also represents a lot of campaigning by disability groups jamiesam (and lots more still needed)

btw, i do use them if i have dd2+3 with me. dd2 requiers lots of supervision in toilets.

using the disabled changing rooms at a swimming pool is the only way I can take dd swimming if I went and couldn'y use them she wouldn't be able to go swimming is that fair??
I understand the problems parents have with public loos(been there pardon the pun) but at the end of the day surely these loos should be left for people in need (and yes I include pregnant women as 1 you can't wait and 2 you can't fit in a normal loo)

If you need to park and can't you drive off, but if you need to poo and there's only the disabled toilet free...what do you do?