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Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,892
Registered: ‎07-16-2021

Re: Coin operated public bathroom stalls.

I haven't seen pay toilets for years; didn't even know they were still around anywhere.  I amd sure any druggies or others who are using them for illegitimate reasons would be able to come up with the cost of getting into a stall, so doubtful going to pay toilets would solve the problems I avoid public restrooms as much as humanly possible. Have never encountered any unsavory people in them but do find them filthy and never what I consider clean. The only time we use them is when we are on road traveling. Then we hope for the best and take plenty of Clorox wipes and tissues with me.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 39,560
Registered: ‎08-23-2010

Re: Coin operated public bathroom stalls.


@J Town Girl wrote:

Before anyone starts to say negative things about this idea just read our experience from yesterday.

 

My husband and I were in a department store and he wanted to use the restroom.  He went in and came out in just a few minutes.  I wondered why.  He said both stalls were being used by what he assumed were two drug users.  He said he could see filthy dirty clothes on the floor and both of them had thrown their used needles on the floor.

 

Needless to say he immediately got out of there.  We mentioned this to an employee and he said it happens all of the time.  The stores just cannot control who uses their restrooms and they have to periodically close them and totally clean them of drug paraphernalia and dispose of all of the filth they leave behind.  

 

After our shopping trip my husband said I'm going to stop for gas and use their restroom.  When he went in to use it the clerk told him he couldn't because she had just disinfected it because someone had totally used the floor for a toilet and she had to bleach the entire room.  She told him I'm usually alone here and when these people come in she's afraid to tell them they can't use the bathroom.  She said she fears what they might do to her.  

 

Our final stop on our way home was to our pharmacy to pick up a prescription.  Usually we use the drive-thru but for some reason it was closed.  My husband said while you are getting your meds I'll use the restroom.  Nope again!  Both the men's room and the ladies room were closed.  The clerk told us that management has permanently closed them because of the things that go on in them.   He told us they have had to call the police to remove people who have set up housekeeping in them and refuse to leave when they are told too.  For a while they tried to keep them open by using a code that you had to get from the clerk but people became irate and the store feared for the safety of their employees.

 

By now it sounds like we live in a crappy area but I can assure you that we do not.  We live in a very middle class area of a nice suburb of a large city.  It is not a rundown area and our police try to keep the bad folk out of the businesses but their hands are tied and they move them out and within a short time they are back.

 

After seeing how bad restrooms have become in our stores I told my husband that perhaps we need to go back to pay toilet stalls.  Most of you are probably too young to remember them but you had to deposit money to get into the stalls.  

 

I know that sounds extreme but perhaps it would keep out the objectionable people who are intent on ruining everything for the good decent people.

 

I'm to the point where I don't even want to use a public restroom.  I have seen so many disgusting things such as used needles and used sanitary products just thrown on the floors of the bathroom stalls.  

 

I'm a compassionate person but it really saddens me to see the way society is going.  Perhaps we need to go back to the ways of the past.  I wouldn't complain of paying a small amount if it meant that we could be sure our public restrooms were clean and  drug free and safe for us to use.

 

For those of you who live in other part of the country do you encounter the same problems in your stores and public areas?

 


 

@J Town Girl 

 

Isn't it disheartening? 

 

Personally,  I have changed my errands routines.   I wait 1 1/2 hours after drinking anything before running out to do errands so I don't have to use a public restroom unless it's an "emergency".   In spite of good attempts, a lot of rest rooms just cannot be kept clean and orderly by the establishments.   So I hydrate well after I get home from errands.

 

I happen to recall seeing a pay toilet situation in a movie theater many years ago.   Since there's always a line of women waiting for the next door to open, everyone would use the stall, flush, step outside and hold the door open for the woman at the front of the line.  Everybody was doing that.  People always seem to find a way around those things.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,627
Registered: ‎01-06-2015

Re: Coin operated public bathroom stalls.


@Sooner wrote:

@Greeneyedlady21 wrote:

@proudlyfromNJ wrote:

I didn’t  realize this was a political post. I try and stay away from them as they are against community standards. My mistake.


It happens here constantly now. Little to no moderation and some people take advantage.

 

Cha cha changes and undoing is not political according to another poster? Lol. Subtle as a sledgehammer.

 

I for one can't imagine not seeing family due to fear of public bathrooms. I wish I had a family to see.


@Greeneyedlady21  I guess any subject could be made "political" to anyone, but here we're talking what it's like to go to the restrooms around us and when traveling. So you are the only one trying to derail the discussion. 


Nope, you are wrong. Her post about cha cha changes derailed it. But since you agree with her and you make similar political comments here all the time it's ok with you. Then you try to blame me. Not playing your game.


 

"You call him The Edge, I just call him The"
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,027
Registered: ‎10-26-2010

Re: Coin operated public bathroom stalls.

When I was a kid (many,  many decades ago) the Pier on Ocean City's boardwalk at 9th St cost 10 cents to use.  There was alwaysxan attendant present to prevent bathers from using the facilities and getting sand all over.

 

And, if someone attempted to hold a stall door open for someone else, the attendant immediately demanded the dime.

Super Contributor
Posts: 357
Registered: ‎07-08-2016

Re: Coin operated public bathroom stalls.

I also remember those toilets in Macy ‘s back in the 1950’s . Always went to NYC at Christmas on the train with my mom and sister. Macy’s was such a exciting place to see Santa and of course we used the bathrooms. Mom always lined the seats and thought how funny it was to pay to go to bathroom!
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,629
Registered: ‎03-20-2010

Re: Coin operated public bathroom stalls.

@J Town Girl 

 

What a sad and GROSS experience ...but even if the stores went back to the coin operated stalls they'd do what people did back then crawl underneath and get in that way.....or if people had child with them, they'd ask the kid to do that...... 

 

There's one store here that you have to ask the Manager for the restroom key, but these days I can see that putting the Manager or Sales Reps in danger..... What a world we live in! 😣😥

 

Maybe the stores need to hire a Security Guard to stand near the restrooms and maybe that would discourage the riff raff...but it wouldnt discourage the unsanitary "pigs".....

Animals are reliable, full of love, true in their affections, grateful. Difficult standards for people to live up to.”
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,629
Registered: ‎03-20-2010

Re: Coin operated public bathroom stalls.

[ Edited ]

@gertrudecloset wrote:

@J Town Girl wrote:

Before anyone starts to say negative things about this idea just read our experience from yesterday.

 

My husband and I were in a department store and he wanted to use the restroom.  He went in and came out in just a few minutes.  I wondered why.  He said both stalls were being used by what he assumed were two drug users.  He said he could see filthy dirty clothes on the floor and both of them had thrown their used needles on the floor.

 

Needless to say he immediately got out of there.  We mentioned this to an employee and he said it happens all of the time.  The stores just cannot control who uses their restrooms and they have to periodically close them and totally clean them of drug paraphernalia and dispose of all of the filth they leave behind.  

 

After our shopping trip my husband said I'm going to stop for gas and use their restroom.  When he went in to use it the clerk told him he couldn't because she had just disinfected it because someone had totally used the floor for a toilet and she had to bleach the entire room.  She told him I'm usually alone here and when these people come in she's afraid to tell them they can't use the bathroom.  She said she fears what they might do to her.  

 

Our final stop on our way home was to our pharmacy to pick up a prescription.  Usually we use the drive-thru but for some reason it was closed.  My husband said while you are getting your meds I'll use the restroom.  Nope again!  Both the men's room and the ladies room were closed.  The clerk told us that management has permanently closed them because of the things that go on in them.   He told us they have had to call the police to remove people who have set up housekeeping in them and refuse to leave when they are told too.  For a while they tried to keep them open by using a code that you had to get from the clerk but people became irate and the store feared for the safety of their employees.

 

By now it sounds like we live in a crappy area but I can assure it that we do not.  We live in a very middle class area of a nice suburb of a large city.  It is not a rundown area and our police try to keep the bad folk out of the businesses but their hands are tied and they move them out and within a short time they are back.

 

After seeing how bad restrooms have become in our stores I told my husband that perhaps we need to go back to pay toilet stalls.  Most of you are probably too young to remember them but you had to deposit money to get into the stalls.  

 

I know that sounds extreme but perhaps it would keep out the objectionable people who are intent on ruining everything for the good decent people.

 

I'm to the point where I don't even want to use a public restroom.  I have seen so many disgusting things such as used needles and used sanitary products just thrown on the floors of the bathroom stalls.  

 

I'm a compassionate person but it really saddens me to see the way society is going.  Perhaps we need to go back to the ways of the past.  I wouldn't complain of paying a small amount if it meant that we could be sure our public restrooms were clean and  drug free and safe for us to use.

 

For those of you who live in other part of the country do you encounter the same problems in your stores and public areas?

 


It might sound just awful to you, but men can do what they need to do (sometimes) without a stall.  I hope you get my drift.  Depending on where one lives makes it very practical especially if you drive.

 

The use of pay toilets might work for a while to hinder bad actors.  They will eventually break them though and cause damage to the property.  Trust.... @J Town Girl 

 

 

 

Invest in one for your vehicle


Sorry that doesnt work.....one time a group of us ladies were out and about taking pictures of the beautiful Texas wild flowers....we stopped at a rest area that had picnic table and we were going to stop and enjoy some soft drink we had in a cooler, but the minute we stepped out of my friend's van the smell of urine hit us so hard we immediately got back in the vehicle and drove off....and one of the ladies summed it up rather well...."MEN!!" So yes they CAN go anywhere and DO what they need to do, but that doesnt mean they should do that !

 

And those contraptions....how many would actually wait until they got home to dispose of the urine properly...

Animals are reliable, full of love, true in their affections, grateful. Difficult standards for people to live up to.”
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,115
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Coin operated public bathroom stalls.

I am a baby boomer. In Philadelphia, New York City and London I remember pay toilets. Always kept coins in my purse for them.

Maybe they were cleaner; I do not remember.

-Solar

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,460
Registered: ‎04-20-2013

Re: Coin operated public bathroom stalls.

I have seen some pretty bad toilets. Surprisingly, NYC store toilets are pretty clean. I’ve never encountered bad conditions. Even Port Authority is kept pretty clean. NYC tried self-cleaning toilets near my former company. They were quite nice and after a certain period of time, the doors opened and the toilet was steamed down. I thought they were quite effective. We had a large number of homeless in the area who used them. I guess it didn’t work out too well as they were removed. I did hear people weren’t happy as the doors sprung open prematurely and led to embarrassing situations; I know they extended the timer and then they were gone but it is a good idea. I’ve met some pretty bad public toilets in Europe but in Japan every restroom is spotless and they have those famed wonderful toilets that have multi functions that kerp you amused.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,936
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Coin operated public bathroom stalls.

I have a friend who hasn't used a public restroom since the start of Covid.  Me, no way.  I have three cups of coffee before I leave for shopping.  Its still early and my Super One restroom is always pristine.  (Upper Midwest)  I developed this habit to lessen my exposure to Covid.  I've never seen any evidence of drug use or other irresponsible behavior in our area.  Small 10,000 population town. I'll never leave here.