Should you ever use an accessible toilet if you don’t have a disability?

[sph3re]

I'm super guilty of using it, but I won't deny that it's not something I should be making a habit of doing.

But I don't take shits in public restrooms often, so it's a non-issue for me.

In the event that someone with a disability needs it, I'd pinch that loaf ASAP and get the hell outta dodge.

 

[Wilf Netherton]

All single-occupancy bathrooms are also handicap accessible, by the way.

 

[Tezz]

I'm in an out of any restroom. No one would be waiting on me.

 

[Clowns]

I'll use them if it's all that's available. Or if the other stalls are really gross. Can't say I've ever ran into it being a problem?

 

[DreamsthatFade]

My mom works at this fast food restaurant type place in Arizona. She has two jobs and was using the stall to change before work quickly. Someone started rapping on the door to the stall frantically and when my mom hurriedly finished putting on her clothes and opened it, a woman was standing outside the door and had... relieved herself. She said ever since then, she doesn't use that stall.

 

[Figgles]

Yes. Sometimes there are no other options. Sometimes everything else is full... sometimes there is only 1 toilet.

 

[Cross-Section]

I sometimes use them because I'm a nervous pee-er and it's easier for me to relax in a larger stall.

 

[TheRagnCajun]

I figure we can all manage by following the rule of using it only as a last resort.

 

[Deleted member 6582]

Sure. Accessibility is not a monopoly, it's flexibility. It's like asking if you should use ramps or door button if you don't have a disability. Of course you can. Maybe you're pushing a cart or holding something or maybe the other entrance is blocked. Whatever. If you get to the stall and nobody is lined up, then you are free to take it. If someone who could otherwise not use the other stalls would like to use it, then you would yield to them. The point is that they can reasonably use the bathroom, not necessarily that they don't have to wait in line if the resource was already in use before their intention was known. Just don't sit in there playing with your phone.

It would be the same thing for using the family bathroom.

The reason parking is reserved is that people can park for several hours and it would not be appropriate to force people to wait that long.

 

[Deleted member 8005]

Jesus, today I learned that ectera thinks that disabled toilets are there just for a fucking giggle.

The people who just use them whenever you make me sick.

 

[klastical]

Use them whenever you need to. The designation of a handicap accessible stall doesnt mean that only the handicap can use it but instead that its specifically designed to make using the restroom easier to those who do have a handicap. If I gotta shit though and it's the only open stall you bet your ass I'm going in there.

 

[Ramala]

Jesus, today I learned that ectera thinks that disabled toilets are there just for a fucking giggle.

The people who just use them whenever you make me sick.

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Handicapped toilets are for handicapped people first and foremost. I would not compare them to handicapped parking spots, simply for the fact that there are millions of public bathrooms that have a single toilet that is also handicapped equipped.

 

[Davidion]

Avoid it wherever possible. If it's an absolute, unavoidable emergency, make sure no one disabled is about to use it.This isn't the same as parking unless you're taking time away from usage by those with disabilities, or if you're somehow doing so much damage that you damage the damn stall. And on that subject, obviously be clean about it.

I apply this to single bathrooms of opposite sex too.

TBH I honestly can't remember ever having to do either of the above. It's just general balance of being both considerate and pragmatic.

 

[Deleted member 10629]

I always feel shitty (heh) when I do it, but I only do it if there's no other option, I REALLY need to go, and I try to do it as fast as possible.

 

[Cokie Bear]

Jesus, today I learned that ectera thinks that disabled toilets are there just for a fucking giggle.

The people who just use them whenever you make me sick.

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this seems like an over reaction.

 

[WedgeX]

Our only men's stall at work is an accessible stall....

 

[Luminish]

Jesus, today I learned that ectera thinks that disabled toilets are there just for a fucking giggle.

The people who just use them whenever you make me sick.

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What's the argument for disabled people needing to having instant access at all times? Obviously if you don't yield to a disabled person in line you're a jerk, but I don't see what the worst case is for using it not knowing a disabled person needs it and they have to wait at most a few minutes.

Like in the single toilet examples brought up, those don't stop being handicap accessable just because non-handicapped people use it too.

 

[MrKlaw]

Good to see "liberal" resetera maintaining its stunning record of ableist posts. Time to put EtcetEra on ignore again. Disabled facilities aren't for people without a disability. You don't need them. You didn't have to fight for them or suffer without their absence.

And by the way "handicapped" hasn't been an acceptable synonym of disabled since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law in fucking 1990.

DON'T USE THAT WORD. Are you still walking around talking about "colored people"?

Don't bother replying, I won't be seeing it anytime soon.

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Are they 'toilets only for disabled people', or 'toilets designed to enable disabled people requiring increased accessibility to use them'?

Eg - if you have IBS - an example given in this thread. You can use any stall. Should you actually use the accessible one which may block a wheelchair user who specifically requires the space and equipment inside that stall?

 

[Luminish]

Good to see "liberal" resetera maintaining its stunning record of ableist posts. Time to put EtcetEra on ignore again. Disabled facilities aren't for people without a disability. You don't need them. You didn't have to fight for them or suffer without their absence.

And by the way "handicapped" hasn't been an acceptable synonym of disabled since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law in fucking 1990.

DON'T USE THAT WORD. Are you still walking around talking about "colored people"?

Don't bother replying, I won't be seeing it anytime soon.

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What's the better word than? I don't like "differently abled" because it implies that people must have to be good at some other ability to offset the disability, and I haven't heard any other alternatives.

 

[Ryaaan14]

They're made so handicapped ppl aren't completely fucked over. Not to exclude anyone else.

 

[SapientWolf]

Are they 'toilets only for disabled people', or 'toilets designed to enable disabled people requiring increased accessibility to use them'?

Eg - if you have IBS - an example given in this thread. You can use any stall. Should you actually use the accessible one which may block a wheelchair user who specifically requires the space and equipment inside that stall?

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In the OP's case, the other stalls were occupied so it came down to using the accessible stall or violently shitting himself.

OP, you made the right call in your situation and no decent human being will judge you for it.

 

[MrKlaw]

In the OP's case, the other stalls were occupied so it came down to using the accessible stall or violently shitting himself.

OP, you made the right call in your situation and no decent human being will judge you for it.

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I know. I agree with OP. I'm just curious

 

[Sectorseven]

I've been in bathrooms where the handicap stall was the only one with a door for some reason.

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

This happened to me a little bit back.

Except I didn't have access to the bathroom with disabled stalls because it was locked.

So I found the nearest patch of secluded grass and unloaded my guts all over the place and wiped myself clean with leafs and grass.

Itchy asshole but it was 2am in the morning and I don't think anybody saw.

 

[Acorn]

I need a choice between emergencies and never. Also some places like my doctors all the toilets are able to be used by disabled people so you don't have a choice.

 

[nullref]

They are an accommodation, not a reservation like handicapped parking. go ahead.

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This is a nice, succinct way of putting what I think is the intention. I think it's polite to choose the other stalls if you don't need the accessibility features, if any are available, but I also don't think there's anything wrong with using an accessible stall if that's all that's available. (There are small public bathrooms with only a single stall, which has to be accessible by law, but which also obviously has to be used by everyone, which I think makes the intention clear.)

 

[Volimar]

I need a choice between emergencies and never. Also some places like my doctors all the toilets are able to be used by disabled people so you don't have a choice.

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You don't even have to choose. If it's the only stall available, use it. It doesn't have to be an emergency. Once again, those stalls are handicap (though we really prefer you don't use that term it's the the colloquialism that everyone knows it by) accessible. Not handicap only.

 

[PJV3]

I need a choice between emergencies and never. Also some places like my doctors all the toilets are able to be used by disabled people so you don't have a choice.

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That's how it would be in a civilised world, they shouldn't be wondrous temples like Karnak that people fear to enter.

 

[Pelicano]

I always poop in it.

 

[Escafeld]

What's the better word than? I don't like "differently abled" because it implies that people must have to be good at some other ability to offset the disability, and I haven't heard any other alternatives.

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Disabled.

 

[Dalek]

How is this not posted yet

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Classic

For what it's worth, OP I have IBS and when I'm in that emergency mindset that comes on with no advance warning-I'm going to use whatever I can. Most public bathrooms are awful and there's usually one stall broken, one occupied and one disabled stall. If it's a choice between shutting my pants in public or using the disabled stall, I'm using the disabled stall.

 

[Acorn]

You don't even have to choose. If it's the only stall available, use it. It doesn't have to be an emergency. Once again, those stalls are handicap (though we really prefer you don't use that term it's the the colloquialism that everyone knows it by) accessible. Not handicap only.

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That's how it would be in a civilised world, they shouldn't be wondrous temples like Karnak that people fear to enter.

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Yeah, what I meant by a choice between emergencies and never is I'll generally use it whenever but if there is someone waiting behind me for the only toilet they can use I'll offer for them to go first.

Also agreed, just makes sense to have every toilet accessible to enough to meet everyone's needs. At the very least in public buildings it should be the case.

 

[Deleted member 8005]

What's the argument for disabled people needing to having instant access at all times? Obviously if you don't yield to a disabled person in line you're a jerk, but I don't see what the worst case is for using it not knowing a disabled person needs it and they have to wait at most a few minutes.

Like in the single toilet examples brought up, those don't stop being handicap accessable just because non-handicapped people use it too.

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So my wife has a stoma and she has a stupidly urgent need to use a disabled toilet. In the UK we have RADAR keys which you apply for so people like those in this thread don't cause her to have a "accident"

I myself am also disabled (knee, use a cane) and if I saw someone coming out who was quite obviously not disabled and just there as it was there, there would be hell to pay.