a wee problem

petunia
I should not laugh but I did!

Yes, some public loos barely have room to swing anything, even a handbag. I do wonder how people who are obese manage to use them, as I sometimes have to sidle around the door to get in.

M&S loos all seemed to be designed for disabled people, which is excellent, however, that means that they have do have less space in the cubicle to manoeuvre.

Sorry that made me laugh too Petunia just envisaging you clutching your knickers whilst trying to catch the errant grandchild - priceless

Have you noticed, nowadays, the smaller the loo the larger the lockable loo paper dispenser.

I used a loo similar to the one you used petunia, (but without errant grandson, he now uses the gents) except that it also had a loo paper dispenser on the wall that occupied a space about a foot cubed at about breast height, I had to contort my body round it and once sat down I was in danger of banging my head on it.

newbie here. just heard sgd no 5 born at 8.55 pm. all well. No name yet, will see her tomorrow. That makes 10 dgc between us,we are very lucky to see them all regularly. Just wanted to share, hope to join in more often.

Welcome gransal and congratulations. Sorry we have to meet in the toilet! Do join in some other threads and we will get to know you. It’s a bit confined in here!

Petunia that really made me laugh out loud. It’s the unpredictability of small children that’s so funny. Yes, some loos are really poky, you have no sooner navigated your way through the door than you are virtually touching the lavatory. All a bit unpleasant. I am lucky enough to be a camel so can wait till I get home and don’t come in to contact with public loos too often.

petunia - while I agree that M & S have a good number of disabled toilets they are really poorly designed.....I spent some months in a wheelchair and managed to wheel myself in....but the doors open inwards and are huge! It was impossible for me to pull the door open and get my wheelchair round it. Luckily I heard voices outside and a kind lady let me out. I never went to a loo on my own again until I was able to walk again.

My bugbear has been loos in airports and stations when I've had a bag or suitcase taking up space meaning that I have to squeeze in behind the bag and try to shut the door.

We landed in Oslo Airport a few years ago ( family wedding) GD, 3, insisted on going to the loo. We had no Krona. So we had to get money and change. Eventually made it inside. It turned out she didn't need to pee, just wanted to look inside a Norwegian ladies! Bless ???

Lullydully, I'm shocked at an airport loo - especially in the arrivals area - that you have to pay for! Most non locals who've just landed will not have coins. I don't think I've ever come across that before, and I very often use the first available after 'de-planing', as they say across the pond.

Was similarly put out at Boston some years ago, where having just landed, you needed a coin for the trolley. I think it's changed now, though, and about time too.

My pet loo-hate is no hooks to hang bag(s) on. Most do seem to have them now.

Oh such a familiar situation!
However, I'm not always the embarrassed party: one day, while having a wee in a restaurant loo, a small child commando crawled under the door. I don't know who was more surprised me or him! He rapidly reversed though and I could hear him getting a big row from his own gran. When I passed his table on returning to my table we both avoided eye contact!

in my time i have been in all manner of loos. the good, the bad and the downright ugly
went to a loo in a service station once, in germany,and it was fabulous. something from homes and gardens crossed with the star ship enterprise. i was enthralled with the loo seat that, at the push of a button, was drawn into the back of the loo, was cleaned and dried and rotated around and around. such joy

I think a contender for the prize of best loo has to be this one in a Thai hotel. How can you possibly choose from that selection?

Doors that open outwards are the best I think.

I was in my local Waitrose one day last year when I was using crutches after recent surgery, I managed to shimmy around the door but it was a tight squeeze. I felt very sorry for a young, slender lady who happened to be very pregnant and had more of a job shimmying around the door with great difficulty.

Years ago I went into a loo in a bar in Holland. Seeing a button to push I did so and much to my amazement the plastic toilet seat cover proceeded to sort of shimmy around until the seat had a whole new plastic cover! I was fascinated and all my female friends in the bar with me had to come and have a demonstration of the spectacle

oh my B9. that has to be the ultimate. i need one installing at home. must speak to mrP straight away

In a Sports Bar in Saratoga once we were horrified to discover that the 'Ladies' door had no lock on it and, even worse, opened out straight in to the bar. I lost my interest in having a drink that evening!

>>>>>>>another camel here. After a long night of coach travelling with my friend the driver stopped just outside Montmarte ( on our way to Spain ) and we'd landed in the dark ages with a toilet area resembling a shippan with holes in the floor. My friend was desperate but I'd been prepared to hang on. The stench would have knocked your hat off !

From that day, we never complained about toilets.

I've posted this story before, but as it was ages ago, and another thread, it's worth another airing.

I was sitting on one of those public loos as you do, when the giant loo roll dispenser fell on me. There I was, trying to organise loo paper, pants and the door whilst at the same time, holding up the dispenser.

If ever I needed more hands....

In Lisbon airport the floors of the loos are so highly polished they are like a mirror and you can see straight into the next cubicle! One of the hotels also has translucent doors on the public toilets - great, especially at night when the lights are on and you can almost see everything inside.

To me loos are so important that I judge everything by them. I wouldn't give a restaurant a decent review if the ladies' loo wasn't lovely as well as the food being good.

I am appalled at some large coffee chains which have seating for about eighty and just one unisex disabled loo.

I always check to see if there is loo paper (and easily removed from the dispenser too) even though I always have a back-up packet of tissues for emergencies.

I like decent pump soap and love the bonus of handcream too.

Loos should be regularly checked and cleaned and the loo rolls topped up. They should also be single sex. Men are not as fastidious as women and I don't want to see a chap when I exit a lavatory to wash my hands. Some things should be sacred and privacy is one of them.

Favourite loo of all time: A loo with a view, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, on the bank of a small river - it had no door, but you could enjoy the view as long as a friend was standing guard.

Having rather too many ? small dgc's I seem to find myself with depressing regularity in public loos with short people! Having negotiated tiny cubicles I squat in front of the pan holding a little one and trying to keep them from running hands around the rim. However the hardest part is yet to come. Having to hold a wriggling toddler up in front of a sink, turn on the tap and apply soap whilst keeping hold of my bag. (between my teeth). Next comes the handryers but that delight will wait for a future rant!