Disabled toilets/all gender washroom

[Cheeseandapple]

Spotted at my local pool. Want to write to the manager...help me with what to say so I don't waffle!!

Seafour

I am no longer friends with her! But she’s probably still doing the same thing at that gym because the staff told her she could as soon as she said, ‘ I have my needs too ‘. Not disabled remotely.

Zzzz read my posts carefully, I haven't said I can tell by looking - I can't, but people's behaviour, body language and the crass excuses that come out of their mouths give me all the ammunition I need.

Some of the comments here are unbelievable and show staggering ignorance.

Large cubicles in the ladies and gents toilets which normally have a sink in them = designed for disabled people to use, large enough to have an assistant with you, big enough to get a small buggy into, perfectly set up to change a stoma bag, use a catheter or empty a catheter bag if you aren't in a wheelchair.

Accessible toilets, the ones with the wheelchair symbol on the door = designed to be accessible for people in a wheelchair, with or without an assistant. Sometimes these toilets have a baby changing facility in them too, at a height that makes them useless to a parent in a wheelchair Sometimes accessible toilets have a radar lock, I repeat Anyone can buy a radar key on eBay, Amazon, keycutters, some pharmacies, any shop that sells disability equipment for a couple of quid. Alternatively you can call into your local council office with proof of your disability and get one for a fiver after filling in the three page form.

Toilets marked as changing places, nearly always with a radar lock = accessible toilet with a hoist and changing table, these are intended for wheelchair users and those with profound disabilities and need the facility.

I use disabled toilets fairly regularly SeaFour

I'm not sure what you mean zzzz, if you have a disability and cannot access other toilets there isn't a problem with you using a disabled or accessible facility. Your posts seem to be deliberately provocative, why?

Blokes at my work were saying they always use disabled stuff why not, they assumed everyone did it, I don't, I was a bit taken aback.

...and no doubt they piss all over the seat so the next disabled person who uses the loo has to struggle to clean it before they can sit down.

I have no problem with anyone using them assuming the other facilities are in use and there’s not a disabled person waiting.

But what if someone disabled comes along in desperate need of a toilet while an able bodied person is using it? Why is it ok to use the accessible toilet rather than wait a few seconds, a minute or two for a non accessible cubicle to become vacant?

The problem with that attitude is that in most places (pretty much everywhere I can think of) that isn’t a small coffee shop with one toilet for all type place then the amount of facilities for disabled users are far far fewer than ‘normal’ toilets.

Add to that that many disabled people have bowel and bladder issues which mean that waiting could cause them major problems it doesn’t take much to realise why it’s pretty selfish to use a disabled toilet if you don’t need to.

The toilet described by OP is clearly sign posted as both sex’s and parents as well as disabled people.

And that is why people are objecting because that shouldn’t be the case. Disabled people shouldn’t need to wait for non disabled people to finish before they can use the toilets. Lumping everything in with a facitlity for those amongst the most vulnerable is never excusable and shows how little thought many places actually put into providing disabled facilities

This is the updated version of "why can't I put my buggy in the disabled space on the bus", isn't it?

Doesn’t it depend on the situation? If this is the only disabled loo in a big leisure centre, making it accessible to all reduces disabled access because there is increased likelihood that it will be occupied when a disabled person needs it.

If there is only one toilet in a building everyone will need to use it, but it’s better that it is accessible.

To the people who think they can “spot” a non disabled person using a disabled loo - if I come out of a disabled loo 9 times out of 10 I look sheepish because I am aware I don’t look disabled, not because I’m not.

Chchch and I would never say anything other than thank you as you hold the door for me. I wouldn't challenge anyone who doesn't make it completely obvious they could've used the non accessible toilet.

Zzzz I often find that people use the accessible toilet in my local shopping centre because the normal loos are another 20m away. They are huge and there are rarely queues to use the cubicles, it's selfish and lazy maybe we can agree on that.

I’m not entirely sure your magical assessment of who is or isn’t capable of using the other toilets is great.

Don't you know? Disabled people are incapable of feeling embarrassed, even when confronted by a stranger immediately after using the loo.

Disabled people lobbied long and hard for the right to have accessible toilets/changing facilities etc.

Now it would appear that any blue-haired broflake can jump in, 'cos they're non-binary.

I say fck that sht.

Zzzz you haven't been reading carefully my dear, I understand hidden disabilities better than most, I have two children who are disabled, one very obviously and a son with MS.

Thistle well said

Pennydrew

It is unlikely DD and I could fit into a normal toilet cubicle, given she is 5'8" and weighs 14 st. Besides which, as Sirzy said, she is likely to call me "A pervert, a lesbian, inappropriate....." if I inadvertently touched her - and then tell whatever adult she came across next!

There have been around 6 safeguarding investigations in the last 5 years against care staff, who she has alleged has touched her inappropriately. The last occasion in the summer was when I believe a member of care staff called her "Gorgeous" and put some suncream on DD's legs, as is policy where she lives, before going out in the sun! I have to tell all care staff that they must ask her permission before touching her; and explain what they are doing as they doing it, to avoid allegations of sexual abuse! My guess is that was a new member of staff, who forgot to ask her permission. All staff have been told now to tell her she looks lovely in that dress, rather than call her "Gorgeous" or other such terms of endearment!

Day time incontinence pants - she has been in Tena Super for 5 years; but there is a limit to what they can hold, and when that is reached, they can hold no more and clothes get wet. As for talking to someone about why she does it, that would be fiddling while Rome burns - the latest theory is that she has a rare metabolic disorder, causing progressive brain damage. The talk is an MRI scan to compare brain damage with the last scan; and a full range of metabolic tests, including blood tests to see what is building up in her blood!

I apologise to people stood behind me in the cashpoint queue, some people just have an over-apologetic disposition.

Toilets in general are a nightmare, I recently stopped at the garage forecourt (next to a services) and only the men's was available. Luckily I was with a male colleague who checked it out and then stood guard by the door.

I often find though that there will be 2 toilets in places - a men's and then an accessible/ladies/baby change.