What is the deal with public restrooms? Who designs those things? I’ve been in upscale restaurants and museums where they are quite nice; very comfortable, above and beyond useful, but all I really care about is that they work, and they’re reasonably clean. Well, maybe that isn’t quite true. User friendly might be considered when someone, whoever they are, designs them.
I can only speak of women’s restrooms, as I have no experience in the men’s room, but I have a few helpful suggestions. I realize we are talking about maximum occupancy in a small space, but come on people! You shouldn’t have to be Flat Stanley, or in this case, Flat Sandy in order to use the facilities. I was in one recently that I had to literally lift my leg up and over the toilet in order to make enough room to open the door, so I could get out. I am not tall, more of a Hobbit than an Amazon, so this is tricky. I’m not sure a seven year old girl could actually squeeze by this door, but even with the acrobatics, I still had to wedge myself between the stall door and the wall, pushing and pulling, and holding my breath to get by. I know I’m not alone. I’ve seen other women performing this maneuver from time to time as well. We all laugh at the ridiculousness of it all, but it’s frustrating more than funny, and so unnecessary.
As for the door only clearing the toilet by one and a half inches, I have two suggestions. Make the stall deeper, which I have seen, so there is actually enough room for an average adult to walk in, turn around, and close the door. The other option, if there isn’t enough room, have the door open out! Now there is a concept! Rarely does anyone ever bolt out of a restroom stall so fast as to knock over anyone standing nearby, unless it’s overflowing, and then everyone is running. And by the way, if you are standing that near to a stall door, you shouldn’t be, so back up!!
My second pet peeve is the toilet paper roll, or rather the industrial size holder. You know the one; big, black, circular plastic thingamajig that holds 4 or 5 rolls of toilet paper. I appreciate the attention to quantity, but placement leaves me baffled. They are always placed at shoulder height. Why? That means that you must pull your shoulders in while using the facilities, because there is no room for them, leaving minimal clearance for any movement right or left. You are sandwiched, especially if it’s a particularly narrow stall! Here it would be advantageous to be a 10 year old girl the size of a pencil.
How hard could it be to place the toilet paper dispenser say, slightly above head level of the average person? We have arms you know. Reaching up for toilet paper can be just as easy, possibly easier than reaching down. With your shoulders pinned as if in a strait jacket, you only have the rotational use of your hand, along with a very slight movement in your forearm to actually reach the toilet paper. Even head level would work, but shoulder level appears to be someone’s idea of a solo twister game.
Attention architects! Don’t keep doing something just because it’s always been done that way, or just because you can. Why don’t you actually use the restrooms you design, and see if you still think it was a brilliant idea!? I have no idea how mothers can manage to get themselves, along with one or two small children, into a single stall while shopping, or traveling alone. Unless of course, their names are Candy, Stanley and Sandy, all members of the Flat family.