Community Chat

[cherry]

Founded in 1970 by then-nineteen-year-old Ira Gessel, the Committee's purpose was to "eliminate pay toilets in the U.S. through legislation and public pressure."[1][2] [3]

Starting a national crusade to cast away coin-operated commodes, Gessel told newsmen, "You can have a fifty-dollar bill, but if you don't have a dime, that metal box is between you and relief."[4] Membership in the organization cost only $0.25, and members received the Committee's newsletter, the Free Toilet Paper. Headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, USA, the group had as many as 1,500 members, in seven chapters.[1]

The group also sponsored the Thomas Crapper Memorial Award, which was given to "the person who has made an outstanding contribution to the cause of CEPTIA and free toilets."[1]

In 1973, Chicago became the first American city to act when the city council voted 37–8 in support of a ban on pay toilets in that city. According to at least one source, this was "... a direct response, evidently," to CEPTIA.[4][5][6]

According to the Wall Street Journal, there were, in 1974, at least 50,000 pay toilets in America, mostly made by the Nik-O-Lok Company. Despite this flourishing commerce, CEPTIA was successful over the next few years in obtaining bans in New York, New Jersey, Minnesota, California, Florida, and Ohio.[7] Lobbying was so successful that by June 1976, twelve states had enacted bans and the group announced that it was disbanding, declaring its mission mostly achieved.[8]

[Kachina624]

Can you imagine holding the toilet door open for Elizabeth Taylor?   I remember those toilets being mostly in airports,  at least in my world. 

[cherry]

They were everywhere. Imagine the money they got from 50,000 of them

[Drythe]

They are still very common out of the US.  There is usually a woman sitting at a table by the door - no slipping by!

[PurpleBunny]

Holy smokes, I had forgotten about them!

[RedTop]

There were 2 in this town; at the bus station, and the G C Murphy store.   Both were small unisex bathrooms, so male or female, you had to pay the dime to gain entry.  

I remember the one at Murphy's best, as you could smell it before you got to it.  It was in the area where records were sold, and kids would purposely flush paper towels to clog the line and cause an overflow.   The "out of order" sign seemed to be a permanent fixture on that door.   By the time I was married and shopping in the store, the pay lock was removed, and that area was no longer a public bathroom.   

[fthunt]

Lost my wallet with all the money I had at the bus station in Albany's pay toilet when transferring bus to Boston.   (returning to college)    Wallet was mailed back to my parents a year later - with no cash - surprise!

[Lila Belle]

Yes I do but only in Europe

[GSPgirl]

Harrod's in London charged one pound to use their bathrooms.  I used to run across the street to the pub and then come back to shop.  

[Shanus]

@PurpleBunny. I remember pay toilets when we stopped  at the Welcome Centers driving from NC to NY or NC to FL. Between that & money for tolls...expensive trips for those good old days.