Was I wrong ?

I use the disabled loos with my DGS, as long as no one is waiting. He has very sensitive hearing and won’t enter a public toilet where there are hand dryers as the noise overwhelms him. (Can sympathise Glamdram). However, I always feel funny about it.

For all she knows,you could have a hidden disability. Disabled people aren't always in a wheelchair or walking with crutches!

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I've spent days and days at the hospital, and just today realised that whole wings (the newer ones) have 'disabled toilets'. So, sooner than walk for 20 minutes to the older part of the hospital, I've availed myself of the ones nearest.

Oops! I meant to say, have only disabled friendly toilets. There is no other option.

Oh how the British love to judge. One day I will say to someone, that a lack of intelligence or imagination is not always visible and neither is a disability, rather than just think it.

It seems we are still a country were we must make up these little Hitler rules and expect others to obey them. You were quite Mauriherb.

As for being annoyed at waiting for the disabled loo to be vacated by someone who is not disabled you can (and I have been) just as easily be kept waiting - for 15 minutes - by someone who is disabled. This was not for me who could walk and manoeuvre to another loo - my issues are not visible - but for my mother whose wheelchair could not be manoeuvred into the "everybody" loo and this was in a hospital! It is seared on my memory.

You were quite right Mauriherb.

What’s really really strange though is that when it comes to misuse of blue badge spaces there never seems to be support for the law being enforced from passers by (shame on you GG btw for evoking Hitler - a tad OTT). Are you really saying that re disabled loos there is a regular stream of people criticising (apparently) able bodied people who use them? Is the OP’s experience an everyday story?

And how do you know that the 15 minutes was unreasonable? You do know what changing a bag and maybe having soiled yourself might involve do you?

Isn't the point of these toilets that there is extra space for manipulating a wheelchair and/or a carer, and also washing facilities? I need a toilet with a basin and it's hard to manage without one, but am glad that my problem isn't obvious.

Anyone can develop a sudden problem and need to go quickly but being 'disabled' doesn't mean that one needs a toilet available instantly and at all times. Yes, maryeliza54 I do know what changing a bag and maybe having soiled yourself might involve, but an able-bodied person is usually pretty quick so wouldn't cause much delay.

If I find that there is a queue but the 'disabled' is free, I say that I need that one but wouldn't anyone else like to go first? I get very stony looks when all I'm trying to do is reduce the waiting time for all.

Blue Badge is quite different. You park and leave the car, so you can't see when a person comes with a genuine need for the space.

I don’t think it’s just about the extra space for a wheelchair or career. It’s also about the raised seat,the grab rails, manoeuvring with sticks/crutches. One of the problems with the disability/access debate in general is that it gets hijacked by the wheelchair

Carer

Yes, usually they have all that as well.

But there's still no reason why an able-bodied person shouldn't use it as well. We all know how long queues get for the ladies.

I’m not saying there is a reason as long as people are thoughtful which all the people on here say there are. Maybe it would help if the sign on the disabled loo said something like ‘priority for disabled people’ like certain seats on trains and buses. Anyone can use them but should give them up to a disabled person if required.

Some disabilities are invisible but no less real therefore nobody should criticise someone using a disabled loo without complete knowledge of their medical condition. Great distress and embarassment can be caused. Equally there is no true way of knowing whether someone is disabled by merely looking.

If able-bodied people are able to use a standard loo without the added helps or fairly instant availability which are provided to disabled people in disabled loos it makes perfect sense to expect them to do so. Sometimes people who need to use these disabled facilities suddenly get a desperate urge and need to use them instantly. It is important to be sensitive to the needs of others less fortunate.

maryeliza 'little Hitler' is a common phrase meaning: an unnecessarily or pretentiously dictatorial person - rather like you being - evoking Hitler indeed.

And who the hell do you think you with your inflammatory questioning ? "And how do you know that the 15 minutes was unreasonable?" I did not, in any way, say it was unreasonable. Try reading and understanding the post. I was simply explaining that you could be equally as likely to wait outside a disabled loo for a disabled person as outside a disabled loo for a non-disabled person - there is no difference.

My mother may be 96, suffering from Alzheimer's so unable to understand the wait, and in a wheelchair - not to highjack any debate but because she can't walk. And I may suffer from a condition that means YOU would rather I use the disabled loo but we both are 'able' enough to understand the problem and sympathise with those who have hidden disabilities which you seem to completely lack the ability to do.

Your nasty attempt to inflame the discussion makes me think that the "disability", in this instance, is not ours.