Menopause Matters Forum

General Discussion => This 'n' That => Topic started by: Joyce on April 30, 2013, 09:40:42 PM

Title: Ladies loos
Post by: Joyce on April 30, 2013, 09:40:42 PM
Can anyone tell me why we generally have to walk further to spend a penny? Practically everywhere I've been in the UK makes us walk much further. One instance had me walking upstairs to find the loos. First door I came to was the Gents so naturally thought the next would be the ladies. But no. Several yards later and down another corridor I found the Ladies.  No wonder men are in & out and have shaken it all about in nano seconds.  ;D It's like an expedition to spend a penny for us girls. Then there's the queues. Although on this particular occasion there were too many loos to count. Somewhat unusual!
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: Scampi on May 01, 2013, 06:42:10 AM
Because most architects are still men?!!

Occasionally, 'they' see sense - I once went to a needlework exhibition at Olympia in London.  The hall being used had 4 sets of toilets - 2 of each sex, but I'm sure you can imagine the women vastly outnumbered the men as such an event (I think most of the men were exhibitors!) - so they had made one of the sets of gents' loos into ladies' for the duration (there were no urinals - just cubicles, so other than the sign on the door and lack of sanitary bins and vending machine, the gents' was just like the ladies' anyway!).  Still a big queue when the show opened though - all those coach-loads needing a wee!!!!
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: littleminnie on May 01, 2013, 08:19:20 AM
We went to an indoor shopping centre a while ago where the toilets were 'open plan'.  There were no doors to get into the main section of the toilets, but they were set out in such a way that nobody could see in. (the actual cubicles had doors). Much more hygienic, especially when some people don't wash their hands.
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: Joyce on May 01, 2013, 09:22:02 AM
Our newest shopping centre is like that too.  Cannot stand it when folk don't wash their hands. Think men are the worst for this.   :sick02:
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: CLKD on May 01, 2013, 05:43:14 PM
However: if you consider that after using the loo we pull up knickers, tights, pull down skirts and generally tidy ourselves up; pick up handbag, open door and then ....... most of the germs will be long gone, on our CLOTHING  ::)

I use hand wash.  Rarely use the basins provided.  Today though, at the Zoo, the basins had lovely soap dispensers plus instant warm water - by putting hands under the tap, automatic turn on.  BUT - I had to walk 6 feet to the hand driers so all that water fell onto the floor, no health and safety there then  >:(
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: honeybun on May 01, 2013, 06:40:57 PM
I have a friend who owns a cafe. She says women wash their hands far more often than men do in her cafe. The bins are always full of paper towels in the ladies and only a few in the men's.
They still have to open doors and they sometimes get wee on their hands.

That's another reason why I will never accept an unwrapped mint in a restaurant. Yuk.....tests have shown they are usually contaminated with wee.
I won't touch a door handle on the way out of a public loo. I use a clean hanky and then throw it in the next bin.

I judge a place by the loos. If they can't keep them clean what's the betting the kitchen is not much better.

And as for putting mother and baby rooms in the toilets.....who wants to feed a baby in a toilet........unreal.

Honeyb
X
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: lily on May 01, 2013, 08:02:28 PM
My mum had a phobia of toilets and I remember when I was liitle, she used to hold me above the toilet as she didn't want me sitting on the seat - good job I wasn't a heavyweight!
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: honeybun on May 01, 2013, 08:52:54 PM
The only toilet I really like is..........mine.    ;D


Honeyb
X
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: Joyce on May 01, 2013, 09:47:04 PM
I'm the same HB!

Lily that brought back memories. My mum taught me to hover!  ;D
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: CLKD on May 02, 2013, 10:37:26 AM
I hate using loos away from home ........ late M in L was the worst, as soon as we arrived there I would need to 'go', she would stand outside the door asking whether I wanted a cup of tea when all I wanted was Peace and quiet  >:(  .......... and I LOVE my 'new' bathroom, even after 6 years  :-*
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: littleminnie on May 04, 2013, 08:27:54 AM
Hand Gel (which I always carry in my bag) on toilet paper to clean the seat, if I have to go whilst I'm out.
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: ellie on May 04, 2013, 08:33:06 AM
I have a Radar key for disabled toilets, these are usually very clean.  :)
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: Elena on May 04, 2013, 12:44:31 PM
I've always hovered too (taught by mum) but it's bad for us!! 

Same with peanuts on bar counters HB  - yuk!  cos the majority of men DONT wash their hands. 

CLKD you're not telling us you put your handbag on the toilet floor??!!   :o :o :o :o

I've seen some disgusting public loos in my time, the worst by far being near the top of Mount Etna.  Dont think I will ever forget those.

Does anybody else have weird dreams about toilets?  Apparently it's quite common  ;D
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: lily on May 04, 2013, 01:43:12 PM
Re-putting handbag on toilet floor  :o hideous!  Also for safety reasons (I have visions of people putting their hand through space underneath and making off with a bag on floor), I always put mine on hook on door or if not one, on the cistern or shelf if any - failing all that, I keep it round my arm.  If I go into a truly disgusting loo, I walk straight back out and hold on until I find a better one.  I don't think I've ever dreamt about a toilet though  ;D
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: Elena on May 04, 2013, 02:22:11 PM
If all else fails I hang mine round my neck!

My toilet dreams are truly bizarre...
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: Joyce on May 04, 2013, 03:41:55 PM
Blimey I've seen some pretty awful and strange loos in my time. Worst loo was an attended one in Portugal. Smell was unbelievable. I walked in and walked straight back out. Strangest was in Cuba. Basically a large cupboard in corner of a bar in Havana with lady handing out 2 squares of loo paper. Heaven help you if you needed more. Of course in these countries the paper doesn't go down the loo, but in a very unhygienic bin in the corner. I take nappy sacks with me and a small packet of tissues just in case.  As for the bugs you get on your handbag if you put it on the floor well.......  :sick02:
Toilet dreams, too realistic and strange to put on here.  ::)
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: ellie on May 04, 2013, 03:48:02 PM
Lol Cubagirl I think we went to the same loo in Cuba.......just swing doors and anyone walking past could peer in.....truly awful  >:(. Also some loos abroad are just holes in the floor where you squat  :o
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: honeybun on May 04, 2013, 06:58:20 PM
I don't put my bag on the floor but I think it really would be alright u less you decide to lick your bag.

I would rather wee behind a tree than use a filthy toilet.

I have to admit to being a bit funny about such things. I will use elbows and feet rather than touch things. I know there are many more than me that do bizarre things in public loos. Only trouble is I have never seen anyone else go through the performance that I do.


Honeyb
X
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: pixie on May 08, 2013, 09:37:48 PM
When mum goes to the public loos she never touches any of the handles - always uses a bit of toilet roll or wears gloves.  She never seems to get a cold.  I don't really like sitting on the seat, but sometimes ones legs aren't up to it and then I have to then I put loo roll on the seat before i sit on it!! I can't stand the smell of public loos. Its always worse than at home!  I could never do a 'number 2' in a public loo - be far to conscious of people waiting.

Those space age ones are terrible on trains. I remember I thought I had bolted myself in to the metal cubicle well and truly. Anyway I was daydreaming, on the loo with my jeans around my ankles, when the  door slowly openend allowing the whole of that carriage to witness me mid stream! :-\
Another time, I was perched on the loo at the back of a bus. The bus went speeding around a bend, the door flung open giving the opposite passengers a great laugh at my expense! ;D ;D
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: lily on May 08, 2013, 09:55:16 PM
My only real phobia with loos are that I might get locked in as I managed to  lock myself in my gran's one when little and could not open it again -  :o  someone had to come in through the bathroom window for me!  I do still lock them when I go, but I get a feeling of intense panic if the lock is stiff at all and I think I can't get out.  :'(
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: pixie on May 08, 2013, 10:18:14 PM
Oh dear yes!  Same happened to me at my cousins house.  Got locked in as a child. Ended up having to climb up onto a very small window sill and squeeze through a top window. Running commentary going on and instructions from the other side of the door/wall!! A fireman pulled me through the window and down the ladder at the other side. My cousins still look at that window in amazement and wonder how I managed to get through it! ;D
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: Firewalker50 on May 09, 2013, 03:16:01 PM
Hands up who could go in one of these?

http://techandle.com/2012/09/20/public-toilet-on-the-street-made-of-one-way-mirrors/ (http://techandle.com/2012/09/20/public-toilet-on-the-street-made-of-one-way-mirrors/)

 ;D

Fx
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: Joyce on May 09, 2013, 03:24:04 PM
Blimey whatever next? To answer you though, not awfully sure I could.  ::)
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: honeybun on May 09, 2013, 06:09:15 PM
Not me that's for sure.

My mother is claustrophobic and someone always had to go to public loos with her as she would never lock the door. I always had to hold it closed.  ;D

Honeyb
X
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: CLKD on May 09, 2013, 09:21:12 PM
 ;D  .......... when we were in Belgium the loos were multi-sexed, walked by the men using their urinals, into a cubicle - only to have lads climbing to the top of the wall to look over  :o  .........

When we went camping in France we would pull onto a site, I would dash to look at the loos - usually squat over a hole types in the South/Bordoeux region - and if there were AWFUL we would speed to the next site.  Fortunately we found one that was owned by a Dutch family and had PROPER fascilities.  We then bought a Porta-potty ..........
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: pixie on May 09, 2013, 09:52:40 PM
 ;D Its at times like that I think I would prefer a bush! 8)
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: CLKD on May 10, 2013, 02:10:24 PM
At one time I knew EVERY lay-by on the A5  ::)
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: Meggie on May 10, 2013, 04:10:45 PM
They say that women are like camels - they hang on to their water !!!

THAT'S PROBABLY WHY


Meggie
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: grumpy2008 on May 10, 2013, 04:22:56 PM
Haha! Funny thread! I used one of those French loos out of desperation once... saloon doors, hole in the ground... ughh. It was truly horrible.

Our local coffee shop has the loos 3 floors up and no lifts. I have the plan my visit to the loo half-an-hour in advance if i go there  ;)
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: Meggie on May 10, 2013, 05:21:27 PM
This will make you laugh .....

Before moving to France, my Father (80 years young) came on a visit with us.  We had to stop at an 'aire' for toilets en-route and said to Dad that these were of the hole in the ground variety with a rail to hold onto, to get back up after doing 'the business'.  Dad said 'Nay lass (he was from yorkshire) - I've been in the War and experienced much worse.

5 minutes later he came out, very red faced with wet trousers.  He'd not rolled up his trouser bottoms and wasn't very fast leaving the toilet.  Instead of the loo flushing, water sprayed out from the walls to wash away waste.  Most of it ended up in his turn-ups !! 

A very funny memory of a lovely Dad.

Meggie
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: Joyce on May 10, 2013, 06:11:23 PM
Oh dear.  ;D These are the best memories though, the ones which give us a giggle.

My brothers first wife used to go on school trips to Austria. She experienced one of the "hole in the ground loos" up a mountain. She said it was a nightmare trying to pee whilst hanging onto jeans, handrail etc plus loo was right on the edge of said mountain. She had visions of careering down the mountain with her jeans round her ankles.
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: CLKD on May 10, 2013, 07:52:55 PM
 :o
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: pixie on May 10, 2013, 08:45:40 PM
Years ago, in Israel on a kibbutz, I was just about to sit on a loo when a toad jumped out. One of mum' :-X :-Xs friends always puts the toilet lid down, because apparently once  a rat came out!!!! Ever since I went to Sydney, I've allways checked the underneath seat of the toilet before I sit on it, because someone told me redback spiders were there.   :o

Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: Joyce on May 10, 2013, 09:31:48 PM
Went to loo in hotel on Cuba, first visit to country, and there's a lizard eyeballing me!  ;D I yelped, hubby laughed. After that it was mosquitoes and ants. Later visits to Cuba I went armed with mosquito plug ins and ant traps. Decided I was probably safe enough with the lizards.
My niece, who now lives in Oz, went there weeks after her first one was born, and ended up in hospital due to spider bite. It was her first visit to Australia. Doubt I would have been brave enough to go live there after that.
Title: Re: Ladies loos
Post by: pixie on May 10, 2013, 10:25:42 PM
Crumbs I would prefer the wildlife to stay in the garden!! ;D x