Where can you 'go' when you're out?

At an agricultural Show in the USA, the loos were excellent, clean, and with towels for hand drying. They were "let" to a woman who applied, and she was allowed to keep the tips, which were generous, as she provided an excellent service. I believe that there were several others around the site. The person in charge of the one I visited was un-employed, and happy and determined to make a bonus!

Any advice on disposal of incontinence pads? I use nappy bags but these are environmentally damaging. It must be a huge problem - just look at the selection of pads etc in supermarkets, Boots etc. Also feel that the costs are too high for someone on a poor pension.

When I was in Shetland at the end of September we were out and about in the countryside with a group looking at the rocks. There was no cover for a pee in many places.

Most parts of Shetland have practically no trees or bushes to hide behind. Probably all eaten by sheep over the centuries and poor soil does not help. It was very windy as well which I am sure you can imagine makes taking a pee outdoors even more difficult.

With a lifetime of IBS I have become very good at marching into places and using their loos - hotels, pubs etc. If you look bold, then no-one challenges you!

I live in London and some tube stations used to have loos but not now or if they have they are very hit and miss. I met friends for lunch recently-it was mainly a residential area. We were going to see a new block of flats when I had to go to the loo instantly, having IBS. I would not have made it back to the restaurant we had just left, put the thinking hat on and raced into a hospital OPD. I do not think that anybody noticed me. I marched in as though I knew where I was going and found a loo quickly.

That would be human progress blue bell......once a day. I would.encourage anyone to research that.

The charity shop I work in will not allow even little kids for 'the dreaded 'elf and safety' I feel incredibly embarrassed to have to say no to people I have used all sorts of places myself including trees in woods when desperate but it's always a huge embarrassment and a reason I so often go out on my own I just can't bear having to excuse myself or explain all the time I imagine it would be like being with a 3 year old and can't inflict that on others

I really feel for that poor man it's never happened to me but I ve often thought it might
Wouldn't it be nice to just empty onc a day ?

I use hotel and dept. store lavs if there are no public facilities. In desperation I buy a cup of coffee. Some large supermarkets also have loos open to everyone. Awful situation for anyone, particularly if they are ill or have a medical condition.

Shops in our village have just started a scheme where they have stickers on the doors saying ..... welcome stop here, for anyone having problems.

Speaking as a retired small business owner (5'2") I would be wary of a scam and robbery if someone asked to use the loo out back.
Sorry to be so cynical
Thoughts go out to the OP

I am amazed at how my knowledge has broadened on GN!

So not the Ladies Powder Room at Harvey Nicks then, whew!

The Urban Dictionary definition of dogging for anybody unfamiliar with the term;

having sex with more than one person in a public place, often with at least one stranger, and usually with others watching. (Hence a more or less spontaneous meeting point between "exhibitionists" and "voyeurs".) Good for spreading the DNA around. The word comes from the idea of dogs "doing it" in the open air with whoever else they happen to bump into. Also includes the sense of dogs wandering around in groups in search of something interesting to sniff . . .

Hear, hear lilygran! That sort of sweeping generalisation needs justifying as it is very damning of those of us who use loos in cafes or shops. I don't understand why the people mentioned would have any more access to goods for instance.
While I am able to believe that "cottaging" (I.e.using mens'publc loos for casual sex ) was frequently the case when homosexuality was illegal, "dogging"?? Really?

It can be very difficult. Near us there is a newish shopping park with the sort of furniture and Currys shops where people spend a lot of time browsing. Until recently the only loos where in Burger King. There are now a couple more eating places.
When building these shopping parks why don't the designers be made to arrange for toilets on site charge each of the retail outlets a proportion of the maintenance costs.

I have all the toilets on my 50 mile route to see the dgcs, with accessible parking mapped in my head.
The first on my way is 15miles in a Morrisons supermarket.
That usually allows for a stop off after my two morning cups of tea.
There are at least seven altogether as I cross a noted tourism area.

I do feel sorry for those of you with these particular health issues.

Miep you omitted the hyphen in p-mates.

granjura How do you know it's the people who only want to use the loo who nick things and leave them in a mess? Why not the customers?

And here is the problem anno- many people who ask to use the toilet in shops and cafés then leave them in a terrible state, and nick stuff too- and public toilets are increasingly used by prostitutes or dogging, or gay casual sex- etc- or vandalised. Such a shame, and as usual, the nice, honest people who would truly need to use them are told NO.

Just looked up Pmates...a porn site!

PS I'm a big advocate of P-Mates - disposable and very easy to carry in your handbag - invaluable for festival toilets!!

My mother in law had stomach cancer many years ago and the operation made her need the toilet urgently at times - she also eventually got a card which briefly explained the problem and would use it as necessary but I know she found it extremely embarrassing. I don't have a medical need as such but have an extremely weak bladder and am forever needing to find a toilet - I probably know every public loo in our nearest town and shopping centres but for years one of our out of town retail areas had no toilet facilities. I would have to get back in the car and go to the nearest supermarket then drive back again to continue my shopping. They recently added a couple of new stores and the Next one has a toilet I'm the bane of my husbands life but then a few years ago he developed a bladder stone and subsequent infections meant he was worse than me - I think it made him realise how difficult it is so he's a little more sympathetic now!

Very intetesting subject. I can have urgent bathroom needs and I often wont go out because I am petrified of not finding a bathroom fast and totally disgracing myself
SPF

I now have to use a scooter when shopping so have Radar key for disabled toilets but when I was mobile both home and abroad I had no hesitation in going into hotels and pubs.

The only time anyone has ever been really nasty to me when I've asked to use a loo was when we drove round the Ring of Kerry; there were no public toilets anywhere so we eventually stopped off at a café and I asked if I could use the loo. I'm pretty sure that I offered to buy something. She did let me use it but she had a face like a box of frogs and made me feel really awkward .

I remember my DS sneaking me into McDonalds in Madrid to use the loo. Ironic as neither of us would dream of eating there - veggies as we are. Many councils have had to close public facilities because vandalism made them too costly to maintain. We once found that one of our public loos was advertised in a certain publication as a good place for gay men to meet each other.