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?

I always use them, have twins and not enough room in little cubicles, what are you supposed to do otherwise?

I have ms and therefore am 'entitled' to use the disabled loos, but feel really guilty doing so as I am able to walk pretty much OK most of the time (the trouble at the moment is that my bladder lets me down!) but the looks I get sometimes coming out when I seem to be perfectly OK really embarrass me... I don't have a problem with people with kids or pg using them though.

Thank you Cass - sorry about your problem though!

OMG OJ - PMSL. Ds1 has a thing about trying to put his hands in a urine stream if someone is peeing standing up, or he gets right down so its at eye level and stares at the wee, so dh doesn't dare take him near the urinals They installed in the nursery/reception classroom toilets at school so they could be taught to use one, but then he ended up weeing everwhere (think he liked watching it).

DS1 likes to play with the disinfectant blcks that DH tells me are in mens urinals. Pleasant habit, no?

I rarely use them because A) DS1 doesn't have mobility issues as such, B) I wouldn't dare take DS1 out without Dh anyway unless it was 1 on 1; and C) I am fed up with people giving me 'but he looks OK he can't be disabled...' glares. DS won't use the ladies loos though (in typical ASD 'I ahve a rule in my head so I'll stick to it style...).

Had a mjor rown with a colleague at uni who uses the disabled loo because 'there aren't any people at uni whoa re disabled coz I haven't seen any wheelchairs and the rest don't count'

(JIMJAMS- Ifyou think looking uder is embarassing, DS went through a phase of looking under and yelling 'I can see your hole' in the Ladies.... which is why I wouldn't take him in there even if he'd go !)

Oh yuck - at the urinal blocks! And yes sometimes I'm very pleased ds1 can't talk- go knows what he'd say.

Had a big problem with toilets at mainstream. DS1 wasn't allowed to use the teachers/disabled loo but wouldn't use the children's toilets (too smelly and too dark I suspect). So he held on all day, came home and charged to the loo.

I know he's happy at his SLD school as he'll even poo there

In Ds1's class, there is a table next to the entrance on which drinks are placed by the volunteer for the morning. Then right next to it is the stinkiest toilet ever.

Even if DS became magically able to have the same drinks as the rest, there's no way he's having drinks kept there 9and it's not hearsay, I was one of those volunteers). But of course food provided by school is more healthy

(nausea at memory of the toilet stench emoticon)

I don't think you should use them just because you're pregnant. Urgency issues aside, normal cubicles aren't that small. I was the size of a whale but still fitted in a toilet cubicle.

If I can use an ordinary loo, I will. If for whatever reaon I can't (generally only if I have BabyDragon in a buggy) then I'd use a disabled one (unless I knew of a family cubicle). Whilst clearly not disabled, I am unable to use a normal one. Or at least unable without a lot of hassle and going with the cubicle door open, which I have done...! I am more comfortable using ones that double up as baby change though, I'd only use a purely disabled toilet if absolutely necessary.

Once DSs were potty trained, they could be easily supervised in ordinary toilets so we used them. Very few people would deny a desperate child the front spot in a toilet queue if asked nicely.

you sound like you take the same approach as me soupy. If ds1 is with me I use a disabled toilet. If just ds2 we queue, if wiith ds3 in a buggy we use the disabled. I'd never use as RADAR key toilet unless I was with ds1 though (despite having a RADAR key on my keyring).

Big queue for ladies, disabled toilet empty..I use it or the mens depending where I am

I use them all of the time in Bromley as they are the only ones that I can take DS in, in his buggy, and I refuse to leave either buggy or DS outside.

I don't really see the problem and would politely explain to anyone if questioned that if there was a toilet that I could take DS in that would mean he could stay in his buggy and be in view of me when I was on the loo I would.

I have to say that I wouldn't park in a Disabled Space as it is unlikely that I would need the space for the short time that it takes me to wee so would mean a disabled person would have to wait ages for me to finish shopping rather than 30 secs for me to finish weeing!!

so why then can't people use p/t spaces when they are only going to be a "couple of mins"

A parking space is not the same as a toilet.

yeah but if it is ok to use a toilet as you are only going to be a couple of mins and can't wait whats the dif
people say that when they are in a p/t parking space

The need to park is rarely as urgent as the need to use a toilet is it? It's not the same thing at all.

I've never used a diasbled parkings apce despite having a disabled child, I don't have the sticker so I wouldn't. I have no entitlement.
I never used a disabled loo with three under 4's and a double buggy either. Or when I was PG, and I never had a problem fitting in a cubicle.

Either people have a good mind for excuses, or I was the smallest pg woman ever AND the most clever with a double buggy / sling combo.

Peachy is now running to the corner shop to hide LOL

Well because if you were in the loo I would know that at most you could be say 5 minutes, wheras with the car parking space, if you were in Tescos or a shopping centre, you could be all day so I would think it viable to wait for a loo and not a parking space.

Also, you leave your car in the parking space, you don't leave the toilet. Using a parking space is more akin to locking the toilet door and then wandering off for 5 minutes or so.

You tried waiting 5 minutes for a loo with a despearate autstic child approaching meltdown? Ain't funny, I can tell you. Seems like hours at least

Out of interest Peachy how did you fit your double into a toilet cubicle? that is a genuine question btw. Ours is only a nipper and to date has never fitted in a cubicle with the door shut.

of course I am not talking about people going shopping but just going to cash machine/buy a paper only takes a couple of mins
People who are disabled can't wait for a toilet

I Am now walking away from this thread (as I need to get back to rl and lift dd on the toilet)
Just realise people would realise potty training doesn't last for ever but a disibilty does.

"People who are disabled can't wait for a toilet" isn't strictly true though. Some can't. Some ordinary people can't either.

I am not prepared to leave BabyDragon outside a public toilet if there is an alternative. Until planners cotton on to the needs of parents with buggies and provide "family" cubicles then I'll use a disabled one if necessary.

Which brings to mind a problem with the "family" cubicles in Croydon't Whitgift centre... they're in the lovely changing/feeding room. Fantastic. But, it's just occurred to me that this room is accessible bu a automatic door which is operated by a button at adult height (so a child can't pressit I guess), which makes it inaccesible to a wheelchair parent. The changing tables are all standing-adult height too. I don't know if thee are wheelchair-friendly changing facilities in the disabled loo...

just popped back to say
the changing tables in a disabled toilet have to be at adult height as it kills your back if they are any lower(does mine anyway)