Handicapped stall etiquette

[Flowers12]

I'll use it if it's the only stall open, but only then.

Same.

 

[ronandannette]

The problem is, what if a person without a disability is using the loo and then a person with a disability arrives urgently needing to use the loo? Or maybe a gentleman with a prostrate problem arrives or a lady with stress incontinence and urgently, like absolutely cannot hold on. I think that loos designated for people with disabilities should, at the very least, be as exclusively for the use of people with a disability and medical conditions meaning ‘when you got to go, you got to go’, as the ‘gents’ are for men and the ‘ladies’ are for ladies.

As many others have said, I disagree. Being disabled and requiring accessible facilities does not mean there should never be any expectation of having to wait. Many people arrive at the washroom with an urgent need. Short of asking straight-up "may I please go ahead - it's an emergency", there's no recourse but to wait.

Yes and to be honest after I posted, I thought, what about young children who sometimes only announce that they need the loo, when they are really desperate. A conundrum indeed. Fast passes for loos?

Whenever I'm in a line for a washroom and the person right behind me is with a young child I always ask if they need to go ahead. Sometimes they gratefully accept! I don't ask people further back in line though because that would be unfair to others in front of them unless I step out of line and take their place farther back, which I would do if someone asked me but eventually I do want to "get on with it" myself.

 

[bcla]

Also, many time the changing table is in the handicapped stall. I remember many instances of having to wait until it was available to change a diaper, but I certainly wouldn't have expected special treatment, or a jump ahead in line.

I've seen that, although more often than not it's at some other location.

Kind of a different setup, but I remember going to one place with my infant. There were two rooms that locked. One was men's, and the other was women's with a sign on the door saying it had a changing table (by brand). I went ahead and used the women's room to change a diaper and did so without any reservations since the management decided that was the only changing table they would provide.

There are also some places that are (more or less) single occupancy setups, although I've fit an entire family of 3 in one before because they're actually quite large. You know - the kind that lock up. Some are labelled as "family restroom" and are usually set up with all the needs for a wheelchair as well as a changing table. The fact is that a lot of these setups are designed for multiple purposes and not just wheelchairs or families. Some might be suitable for some people who aren't comfortable in traditional shared setups for whatever reason.

 

[nursemelis374]

I think as long as there is nobody else around it is ok. That said, I have a very arthritic knee and when it is really bothering me I wait to use it because it is a higher toilet with a bar and much less painful to use.

 

[sam_gordon]

I feel the HC stalls are open for anyone. I agree it should be the last one used, but if it's the only one open, first come, first served.

And here's my justification... let's say there are three stalls, one handicapped. The bathroom will "hold" five people in line, then out the door can of course stretch for however long it takes. If there's someone in a wheelchair that's #20 in line (so those in the bathroom have no idea), if they leave the HC stall open, assuming 1 minute for a stall use, it will take 8 minutes (I think I did the math right) for the WC to get in the restroom where they can jump ahead. However, if all the stalls are used, it will take 5 minutes. So by everyone using the HC stall can actually let a wheelchair (or otherwise "needed") person get to the toilet quicker.

 

[mnrose]

Those stalls are NOT for the exclusive use of the handicap. They are "accessible" for the handicap, and that's it. If that is the only stall open, I will use it. No problem. In City Hall, where I visit frequently because I am on City Council, and there are meetings there a lot, the women's bathroom has only two stalls, one of which is handicap accessible. It can't POSSIBLY be that this stall is ONLY for the handicapped, and it is often the stall I use because it's easier. The other stall is impossibly small, and suitable only for children. Very tiny. I suspect that before the handicap stall was put in, there were two stalls....and they had to "steal" some space from the other stall to make the handicap stall. That being said, I've NEVER been in that bathroom when someone else was there. I don't feel the least bit guilty using a handicap stall there, or anywhere else.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

In all my years of using the restroom (weird to think about that how often we do in our lifetimes) I've never had a situation that would necessitate leaving the handicap accessible restroom stall open in the offchance someone somewhere may just come along and need it. Just go and use it and all will likely be out faster. And from a women's perspective lordy I don't want to actively make the line slower than it already can be lol.

 

[Jennasis]

I use them.

 

[china mom]

I think as long as there is nobody else around it is ok. That said, I have a very arthritic knee and when it is really bothering me I wait to use it because it is a higher toilet with a bar and much less painful to use.

That is me exactly. I will wait longer just for the handicapped stall to open up because I need the highhier seat and grab bars.

 

[goodeats]

I use them, and when I was a mother of little ones in strollers I definitely used them. I wasn't going to leave the stroller (with the baby in it) outside the stall!

 

[china mom]

Just to add two things to the story...part of what brought this question to mind was the fact that shortly after I entered the stall, I overheard someone say something about the handicapped stall which makes me think they were talking about me. So, I brought the question here to see if I was the odd one.

The other thing to add to the story is that on that trip, I developed a brutal foot infection and was banned by my doctors from walking. I was in a wheelchair in the airport bathroom and the handicapped stall was occupied by a mother and child. I waited patiently and never thought for one second that I had any right to the stall over them.

 

[Southernmiss]

I do not even recall being in a bathroom ever when there was a truly handicapped person in the restroom.

I'm with those that use the handicapped stall if it's available and there is no visibly handicapped person around. I would certainly defer to anyone who needed the stall to go in front of me.

I also agree that the handicapped accessible stall being used by anyone cuts the wait time for every one.

And yes, I've ducked in a family restroom at EPCOTand my local sporting venue. No one using them and no one waiting. Saves a little time in the main restroom line. Win/win for everyone.

I'm also one who would not mind non gender specific restrooms with appropriate full doors for privacy on stalls.

 

[bcla]

I'm also one who would not mind non gender specific restrooms with appropriate full doors for privacy on stalls.

You don't recall the thread I started a couple of years ago about the unisex restrooms where they just changed the signs and left the urinals in for men to use?

 

[Southernmiss]

You don't recall the thread I started a couple of years ago about the unisex restrooms where they just changed the signs and left the urinals in for men to use?

Just stating my opinion. Not trying to open any cans of worms.

 

[fly girl]

I use them. It would never be my first choice, but if it's the only one open and I gotta go, why not? (and I will admit, I have used it when several regular sized stalls are open, but disgusting. Clean vs. dirty, there is no questioning which one I am using.)

However, if there was someone in a wheelchair behind me, I would wait as a common courtesy.

 

[Squirlz]

There's no "opinion" here, just fact. It's a stall like any other, but it is designed to be accessible. Not like a parking space which is reserved.

 

[ronandannette]

I do not even recall being in a bathroom ever when there was a truly handicapped person in the restroom.

I'm with those that use the handicapped stall if it's available and there is no visibly handicapped person around. I would certainly defer to anyone who needed the stall to go in front of me.

I also agree that the handicapped accessible stall being used by anyone cuts the wait time for every one.

And yes, I've ducked in a family restroom at EPCOTand my local sporting venue. No one using them and no one waiting. Saves a little time in the main restroom line. Win/win for everyone.

I'm also one who would not mind non gender specific restrooms with appropriate full doors for privacy on stalls.

I would say the same thing about the family washrooms as the handicapped accessible ones. The fact that they are available for those groups to use doesn't mean they should have the expectation of never having to wait.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

yes, I've ducked in a family restroom at EPCOTand my local sporting venue. No one using them and no one waiting.

When I arrived at the airport (after a 12 hour flight) the first toilet I found in the airport had like 7 regular stalls in it and small line of about 5 people waiting. There was an accessible toilet with a separate door right next to the door leading into the restroom. I asked if anyone was in there, no one knew. I knocked, got no reply, opened the door and asked those already waiting if anyone wanted to use it. No one did, so I did.

Another time I used the accessible toilet on a cruise ship, because the regular restroom had no working stalls (2 stalls only in that one).

As noted, it's only accessible, not reserved.

 

[bushdianee]

I walk with a cane and need the higher toilets and grab bars. I just wait until a handicapped stall opens if needed. I was recently at a restaurant where there were 2 regular stalls and a handicapped one. One of the regular stalls was out of order. The handicapped was occupied and the woman in there stayed forever. She was in there when my group of 5 females entered and was still in there when we left. I made several comments that I was waiting for the handicapped stall as the other one was very small. We all thought she was on her phone.
Another time I felt bad for the person who was in the handicapped stall. I had my mother who was in a wheelchair at the doctor's office which was in a building attached to a fairly large hospital. We needed to stop at the restroom right outside the doctor's office and the handicapped stall was occupied by an employee who was pumping breast milk. She tried to get out as quickly as possible and apologized but my thought was why in the world did she have to go pump in a bathroom for privacy? Especially in a modern hospital building. I got the impression from her demeanor that it wasn't her choice.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I treat them like any other stall unless I see someone in line who could clearly benefit more than me (using a wheelchair, pushing a stroller, accompanied by two little kids...) If I’m first in line, and that’s the one that opens up, I’ll offer to let them go ahead. Otherwise, I’ll use it.