Why do people with babies think it's OK to use disabled toilets?

[JBee 10]

So basically you think that ending discrimination can be achieved by you ignoring that facilities are provided for disabled people and using them yourself because it's more convenient. And you justify it by not pushing over slow moving disabled people when out walking....

 

Not quite. Judging by the post above I'm not sure that you'll be able to understand what I'm trying to say, but I'll try again:

 

I am suggesting that we all try to consider the needs of others a little more before jumping on our high horses. Half of the posts on this thread have screamed 'me me me'. I just don't see what is wrong with a mum and baby using a disabled toilet if they need it and nobody else is using it. It's called empathy.

 

And for the record, I'm not a mother. Nor am I a "kiddie person" - quite the opposite in fact. But I can see how difficult it would be to juggle a baby or toddler, pram and bags full of shopping when you are busting for a wee.

 

Perhaps it's the planners that are at fault for not providing enough appropriate facilities for all, but in that case why can't we all just be sensible about it and accomodating towards the needs of others?

 

And I didn't say I'd use a disabled toilet because it was convenient. I said I'd use it if I was desperate, the other loos were full, and there was no disabled person around. There's a difference. It's about been sensible about your needs, balancing them with the needs of others, and trying to show a little flexibilty and empathy all round.

 

Like I said at the beginning of this post, I won't be surprised if this goes completely over your head, but at least I've tried.

[Templeman 10]

Because I am physically disabled as well, not wheelchair bound but still entitled to use disabled toilet facilities.

 

Also, teh disabled facilities tend to be cleaner and my hygienic than teh able bodied ones.

Ok, your post dint say that.

 

we are all entitled to use these facilities there is nothing to say they are for exclusive use for disabled only any more than a ramp is only for wheelchairs and no walking, the faciliites are designed to be easier to use if you are disabled and signed in order to inform people as such, that sign is not to prohibit so called ablebodied persons.

 

They should not be more clean and hygienic, ALL toilets should be clean and hygienic and if that is the case i persaonally would use them regardless of whether the others were avilable

[SUPERTYKE 10]

I'm really shocked that the OP could be so narrow-minded as to begrudge the use of the disabled loo to a mum struggling with small children and a push chair, just so her mother can enjoy the luxury of an immediate wee! Surely they could wait at the door for two minutes like the rest of us often have to do in public toilets.

 

 

And for the record, yes I would use the disabled toilet if I was desperate, the other's were engaged and there was no disabled person in sight. I would do so quickly, and I would expect to be shown consideration by any disabled person who happened to arrive outside the cubicle within the two minutes I was using it.

 

You clearly have not had kids or you would know that it is impossible to change a nappy PROPERLY in 'two minutes'.

We used to take a changing mat for ours - lay it on a bench or on the grass -no worries - although maybe most people are embarrassed at publicly undertaking such a 'messy job'.

 

P.s.If my disabled friend found you in a disabled loo you would get an earful - deservedly imo..

[JBee 10]

You clearly have not had kids or you would know that it is impossible to change a nappy PROPERLY in 'two minutes'.

We used to take a changing mat for ours - lay it on a bench or on the grass -no worries - although maybe most people are embarrassed at publicly undertaking such a 'messy job'.

 

P.s.If my disabled friend found you in a disabled loo you would get an earful - deservedly imo..

 

No you're right I haven't got kids, but I'm just trying to show a bit of kindness towards parents who have and are struggling with them while out in public. If you need to take 10 minutes instead of two then that would be fine by me.

 

Shame you and your friend wouldn't extend similar consideration to me if I got caught short and the disabled loo was the only option. Your friend would get an earful back if that was the case, and deservedly so IMO, as I would only use the disabled loo if I had a genuine need.

[Templeman 10]

Now then, I fully understand that going about your business as a disabled person poses challenges. My mum has a very close friend who is in a wheelchair so I know from outings with her how useful disabled parking spaces ect can be.

 

But I also think that if disabled people expect to be shown consideration then they should extend similar consideration to others. We live in an age of equality, so disabled people can't have it all ways. We all have to wait in a toilet queue occasionally, and yes it's annoying when you're desperate, but that's life. I'm really shocked that the OP could be so narrow-minded as to begrudge the use of the disabled loo to a mum struggling with small children and a push chair, just so her mother can enjoy the luxury of an immediate wee! Surely they could wait at the door for two minutes like the rest of us often have to do in public toilets.

 

If we really want to stamp out disability discrimination then I think it needs to come from both sides. I'm often slowed down as I go about my business by ending up stuck behind a wheel chair or a person walking slowly with sticks. Do I shove them out of the way? No. Do I begrudge them for taking their time? Of course not. So I would hope that they would show similar consideration towards me.

 

And for the record, yes I would use the disabled toilet if I was desperate, the other's were engaged and there was no disabled person in sight. I would do so quickly, and I would expect to be shown consideration by any disabled person who happened to arrive outside the cubicle within the two minutes I was using it.

For what its worth i think this is one of the best posts on this thread

[JBee 10]

For what its worth i think this is one of the best posts on this thread

 

Thank you

[Ghozer 112]

ok, after reading this thread, everywhere I have been recently, I have been looking around at the toilet facilities, and it seems that in atleast 90% of the places, the "baby change" and Disabled toilets are one and the same... so i think thats the biggest reason why people use the disabled toilets also...

[Cyclone 10]

So JBee, presumably if I pull into tescos, the car park is busy, it's raining and i'm only going to be two minutes, I can park in a disabled bay, afterall have some empathy, I don't want to get wet.

Or are car parking spaces very different to toilets?

[chris@25 10]

Disabled toilets are for people with disabilities, they are not there to be used by everybody.

 

On EVERY occasion when I (and other people with disabilities) have had to wait for the disabled toilet because a parent and baby was in it, there has been a Parent and Baby room - with a toilet in it - right next door to the disabled toilet.

 

It's a shame so many people seem to think that special facilities, provided solely because the intended user in unable to use normal facilities, should be available to them, just because they happen to be empty at the time.

 

I suppose that explains why so many disabled parking spaces are occupied by cars NOT displaying the Blue Badge - the able-bodied person saw a space - it wasn't being used by somebody with a disability, ergo it's OK for them to use it.

Dozy

 

 

"Disabled parking spaces" (parking spaces for blue badge holders, who may well not be wheelchair users but people who cannot walk very far) are an entirely different matter to "disabled toilets" (wheelchair accessible toilets provided with more space and larger doors).

 

One is exclusive, one is not. Maybe an architect could confirm this, but I suspect that if all the toilets in a building are wheelchair accesible then that would comply with building regs. For example in an office with only one toilet, it must be wheelchair accesible - which would not mean that people who don't use wheelchairs can't use it.

[chris@25 10]

So JBee, presumably if I pull into tescos, the car park is busy, it's raining and i'm only going to be two minutes, I can park in a disabled bay, afterall have some empathy, I don't want to get wet.

Or are car parking spaces very different to toilets?

 

Completely different, as far as I can see.

[Cyclone 10]

"Disabled parking spaces" (parking spaces for blue badge holders, who may well not be wheelchair users but people who cannot walk very far) are an entirely different matter to "disabled toilets" (wheelchair accessible toilets provided with more space and larger doors).

 

One is exclusive, one is not. Maybe an architect could confirm this, but I suspect that if all the toilets in a building are wheelchair accesible then that would comply with building regs. For example in an office with only one toilet, it must be wheelchair accesible - which would not mean that people who don't use wheelchairs can't use it.

 

If that is correct then it's a fair point.

However if that is the case, why do you see the radar activated ones where only people with a special tag can use the facility?

[chris@25 10]

If that is correct then it's a fair point.

However if that is the case, why do you see the radar activated ones where only people with a special tag can use the facility?

 

Well I presume for the same reason that any set of toilets might be locked and only accessable to people that have asked for the key - to prevent them being misused / vandalised / etc. Though personally I've not noticed these radar tag toilets so I await correction...