Was I wrong ?

Coco51 I don't agree with your point. Even non disabled people are sometimes desperate for a pee.
I would not use a disabled toilet unless the other facilties are all occupied but if that is all that is available I will use it before I wet myself .

Absolutely OK take no notice all. Of course if you wrestle a disabled person to the floor to get there first, it's probably going to be frowned on

My reaction would be "would you rather I peed on the floor.

As it happens I always wonder why they have disabled the toilet.
Get a sign saying Accessible toilet for the disabled, or something similar.

Common sense should prevail here surely. Just because a toilet is accessible shouldn’t mean it is only to be used by disabled people. Does that mean I should only use steps and not slopes and not touch handrails! These facilities give priority but not exclusivity.

Not all disabilities are visible! Common sense prevails. Disabled toilets have more space for wheelchairs etc and an emergency cord, that’s the difference . If no one is waiting ( disabled) then I think it’s fine. I cannot hold on very long due to a bladder condition which isn’t obvious. I consider myself bladder disabled!

Coco51.I could get this operation to hopefully! alleviate my back problem if I were to travel to the U.S.
My relatives in the U.S have confirmed this as a much younger friend of theirs' did have this procedure.
I would willingly go private in the UK to have this op but as I had obtained a second opinion' privately' , after my NHS scan I would not dispute two different surgeons who advised against this as they could not guarantee it would be successful. I do have a vehicle blue badge so it appears I should now stick one of these on my person.

Charleygirl, I did the same thing. I was desperate for the loo and saw what I thought was a male loo and assumed that the other loo was for females, I was wrong! My husband pointed out my error when I came out and like you thankfully no one else was using the loo at the time. I will say in my defence that we were on a beach in South Africa and the signs weren't clear.

I will also use the disabled toilet in this country if there is a queue for the ladies and no one waiting to use the disabled.

A toilet is a toilet, it’s that simple. 5e disabled ones are simply more accessible and easier to access for people with disabilities and certainly not to be sitting empty whilst people wait in a queue to use others.
Whilst we are on the subject, how about gender neutral in places now where toilets are kept regularly cleaned and monitored.

And don't mention the price of using the loo these days. 'Spending a penny' costs at least 40p in our nearest town!

Similar situations can occur with parent and child parking spaces. There often seem to be lots of empty spaces for parents and children, yet other drivers are queuing for a place to park.

I have been advised, by the Dementia support workers, to use the separate Disabled toilets (i.e. not in the Ladies or Gents) for myself and DH together after having 'lost' him numerous times when we have gone separately. This is a particular problem at theatres and other such venues who have these long runs of toilets with an entrance and exit at each end, because DH is bound to come out of the other exit no matter where I am waiting.

We do get some funny looks when we come out - I just giggle and leave the rest to their imagination

To those of you who think it is OK to use these loos, how would you feel if you came out to find someone who does need quick access because of their medical condition or disability?

Unless I thought I was going to have an 'accident' I would not use the disabled loo.

I have mixed feelings about the trend to put up signs saying not all disabilities are visible because it will encourage people without a disability to use the sign as an excuse to use these loos.

I'v spent 5 minutes or more in a disabled loo,I have colitis and I can be in the loo for a while if I have a bad bout.I dont look disabled ....because I'm not ,but I do have a condition that I would class as needing to use whatever loo is available and when I need to go I need to GO now .Anyone who wants to quiz we when I come out is welcome,the more people understand the condition the better

I have an on going lower back problem which a MRI showed unlike a hip replacement was advised by a surgeon a difficult procedure and an op would not help or could make worse so its medication only. Toilets at my home have the facilities one sees in a disabled public toilet.Any one who observes me going into a disabled public toilet could assume I did not have a disablement.
Do I need to explain or wear a label? as I have been subjected to the ' you don't look disabled 'comment.

The difference then, is just how selfish people are. If everyone takes the view that using disabled facilities to jump the queue is fine, what happens when a genuinely disabled person eg. someone with Crohns disease or someone who has to transfer from a wheelchair needs to get in there urgently? The purpose of disabled facilities is to assist disabled people to overcome the complications caused by their various conditions. If any of you ladies would like to swap your able-bodied condition to qualify as disabled and use these facilities you’d soon be grateful to wait in a queue

I used to work in construction and the regulations governing the provision of accessible toilets for people with disabilities allow for the toilets to be used by people without disabilities as well. This eases the cost for smaller businesses who can provide one single loo providing it caters for both groups. For example in garages, small food outlets, cafes etc. Toilets which cannot be used by everyone are provided under the RADAR scheme, which mostly exists to prevent vandalism, prostitution and drug taking which unfortunately take place because the loos are larger.

If there is queue and you are at the end of it, I think you could safely assume that there is nobody in front of you who is disabled - who knows how soon someone who is might join the queue after you. .... However, my point is as somebody else mentioned, not all disabilities are visible & nobody has the right to comment on somebody else using those facilities unless they are certain that person is not disabled.

I had both knees replaced (at the same time) and for quite a while could not use normal toilets as they were too low & couldn't bend to sit. Was I truly disabled - no, but I did have to use the toilet, so for a time I used these toilets when I was out. I was only once commented upon when leaving the toilet that I wasn't disabled, I just looked at her and said 'How do you know?' it amused me greatly to see the embarrassment on her face. Never judge a book by its cover.

I would hasten to add that I've never had to use one since, but if I was desperate, I would. I'm sure fellow queuers would rather I did than left a puddle on the floor!

I think there is a big difference in using a disabled toilet to parking in a disabled/or mother & baby bay without a blue badge or a child. That is just selfish and lazy.

Exactly right kwest! Anyway when I've got to go, I've GOT to go so I'd even go in the gents (only in a nice place and if there was no smell!) if I was desperate.

I don’t see a problem. You weren’t preventing someone else from using it and I don’t expect you were in there long. I also have used it when I had children with me. The doors are wider so you can get buggy in.

You were absolutely right to use the empty disabled loo.
You used practical common sense. Don't worry or even give it another thought.

course not! mind you when I used one in Australia once (I'm not disabled) a police officer glanced at me.so I started limping, much to my sister's amusement !

Coco51 It is illegal to park in a disabled bay and that is quite different.
If there are a lot of toilets then I would wait even if there was a queue but there is a difference between toilets designated for disabled people and those which are accessible for disabled people.
I share glammanana's problem and would either have an accident or be in pain if I had to wait too long (in fact I have to consider the loo situation when I go anywhere nowadays).
I would definitely not spend 5 minutes in a disabled loo and that is inconsiderate but does that really happen often and I can't actually remember the last time I used one but it seems that people are less and less able nowadays to use discretion and common sense.

I like the way places like Asda are changing their signage to Accessible Toilet Not All Disabilities are Visible I have a dicky hip which I prefer using a higher toilet seat for I also have a radar key for a bladder condition too even though I'm not eligible for a blue badge

Of course you weren't wrong. A disabled parking space is an entirely different thing. When people park they are usually gone for ages. A quick pee in a disabled loo is unlikely to lead to a long queue of wheelchairs outside the loo door!

Yes common sense must rule. It is not like the 'disabled only' parking bays which are legally restricted. The loos are 'disabled friendly' to allow wheelchair access by the law which is great....and are not 'disabled only'.

I was at a tourist spot once where there was a long queue going out of the door and a way outside. They only had two loos one of which had a disabled sign on it and the queue was for the other one. It was ridiculous. Politeness and consideration is important but sometimes it just gets silly and people can't use common sense and discretion. No one wanted to be the one to break the 'rule' that everyone had imagined existed (including me). I considered it but I wasn't in the mood for the argument that I knew would follow.