Alright on to today's topic, handicap bathrooms. If you are in my wheelchair you can feel my pain on this subject. One of the most frustrating things I encounter weekly is public handicap bathrooms. I will wheel into the bathroom and all stalls are open except for the only one I can actually fit into.... the handicap stall. Every time this event occurs I was to scream and then catapult myself at the person when the finally walk out. Now I understand there are moments when all stalls are filled and nature is kicking down the door to get out. In that case yes go right ahead and use the handicap stall but please make it snappy. Because you never know when someone who needs the stall is going to come in. The one thing you should never do as an abled bodied person is go into the ONLY handicap stall when every other stall is open. I cannot tell you how many times I have wheeled in right behind someone and they stroll right into the handicap stall with the rest completely open. All of these ladies are lucky I can keep my temper and they didn't meet my fury after being so ignorant. The handicap stalls are not for whoever wants to use them. There is a specific population who truly need them, they are not just a roomy stall because there was extra room. Finally, people stop POOPING in the handicap stall. It seems like every time I get stuck waiting for the handicap stall someone is pooping in it. It is just something about the space that draws people to it for doing their stinky business. It is bad enough I have to wait for you to get out of the only stall I can fit in, now I get to smell your brand?! No thank you, I will pass. This is me begging the able bodied people to stop being so ignorant to the needs of the disabled and be aware of your surroundings. These accommodation are not just for your convenience.Also those of you who own or hold an important position at a public place, please make sure your bathrooms are actually wheelchair accessible. The guidelines for ADA compliant are changing next year and becoming more stern in reinforcing these guidelines. And generally when I go somewhere that doesn't have an accessible bathroom I can promise I won't be back and I spread the word to other disabled friends. Because I feel that when someone isn't ADA compliant it is them saying to me they don't want my business and don't care about my needs as a human. Just a little food for thought for you who own public buildings. Okay fine I will go back to my homework now :(
P.S. If anyone has questions they would like me to blog about please email them to me @ stevie.beale21@gmail.com.
90% of the time, people use the handicapped bathroom because it's the only clean one or the other ones are so small they can't even open the door when you're inside of them.
ReplyDeleteUnderstandable but know that hogging that stall will probably cause someone who can't even fit in any other stall to have an accident while waiting (which has happened to me, since being in a chair usually means no control of bodily functions). Go right ahead and continue to base your comfort over someone's basic needs. I would much rather use a dirty small stall than be forced to only fit in one stall because I am in a wheelchair.
ReplyDeleteI definitely can relate.. It is true, especially the number of times I have seen every single stall empty except for the accessible one. I have left the bathroom in the stadium and came back after a quarter of football (about 20 minutes) and the same person was still in there. Who are these people that leave their homes, buy a ticket to an event, and then use the bathroom for that long?!? They need to start ticketing these people - just like people that use the handicap spot to run into pick something up quick. It's not that it is just a convenience to park close or have plenty of space in the bathroom - it is the only one that is usable most of the time!
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying it justifies hogging the handicapped bathroom but sometimes the stalls are so small that the door barely opens without hitting the toilet, that's all. Even as a smaller person if you carry a purse or, you know, have legs, the door won't open without having to squeeze (since some open in, which is dumb) and you gotta touch the nasty wall which isn't gonna work. That's the only time I use the handicapped toilet, unless all the others are just filthy or in use.
ReplyDeleteIt's a little extreme but http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&safe=off&biw=1366&bih=667&tbm=isch&tbnid=amy3dzvQhTJi-M:&imgrefurl=http://www.ghettoredhot.com/fix-bathroom-door/&docid=uC4dGT94CQeSSM&imgurl=http://www.ghettoredhot.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/fix-bathroom-door.jpg&w=500&h=547&ei=Pi3HTuXoItPqggf_oOFD&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=625&vpy=135&dur=2891&hovh=235&hovw=215&tx=107&ty=139&sig=103332324358346008922&page=1&tbnh=146&tbnw=133&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0
ReplyDeleteAlso, there's lots of public bathrooms like this
http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&safe=off&biw=1366&bih=667&tbm=isch&tbnid=hq-kfKn1FKOehM:&imgrefurl=http://stevebutterfield.wordpress.com/2011/07/25/in-my-own-little-corner-of-a-faraway-land/&docid=-PDjy7zfjmgojM&imgurl=http://stevebutterfield.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/img_2260.jpg&w=3648&h=2736&ei=Pi3HTuXoItPqggf_oOFD&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=779&vpy=155&dur=2953&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=167&ty=107&sig=103332324358346008922&page=1&tbnh=146&tbnw=195&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0
That's what I'm talking about. If I know I'm gonna be touching every filthy thing in the bathroom when I get done peeing so that I can open the door, I'm not going into that stall, sorry.
And it's not just handicapped or fat people that have a hard time fitting into stalls. I understand your frustration completely cause I'm not handicapped and I weigh 120 pounds and some of those bathrooms are too damn small for me. It's just poor construction. And if they were kept clean, that'd fix the nastiness issues. It's not about pizza or burgers or dieting, it's also not like people are doing it to make you wait or be mean to you, maybe they don't want to have to have an accident trying to squeeze themselves into a 2X2 bathroom stall or touch the walls that are covered in piss and shit when even a small person can't fit into those stalls. However, when someone parks in the handicapped spot or fire lane, I always report those jerks. There's no reason to do that besides laziness and selfishness that I can think of. If you can't walk, you can get a handicapped sticker. If not, just park out further and don't be a jerk.
ReplyDeleteHey Anon...where the hell are you shitting and pissing? Europe? In America, I've found the stalls for able bodied people have more than enough room. Stop being so God damn selfish and use the other stalls like you're supposed to. I'm sure Stevie would be more than happy to deal with your bathroom "problem" over hers.
ReplyDeleteToledo, Ohio. Lots of places do have adequate stalls, but some do not, that's the only time when I do use the larger handicapped bathrooms. I'm just trying to explain that it's not a personal thing when people use the handicapped bathroom, and, while it is rude, I simply will not squeeze into a tiny, filthy stall if a larger one is available. If there's a handicapped person there, I clearly would allow them to go first. On top of that, I don't go into public bathrooms and spend any amount of time or make messes, so I'm not sure where you're getting at. Stop being so "God damn" obtuse and consider the fact that you are, in fact, not the only person on this Earth and neither is she. I agree with her that people are inconsiderate in the manner that they are always defiling/using the handicapped stalls, I am just trying to enlighten her, and you (which may not be possible because you think it's cool to swear and NEVER consider the reasons behind others' behaviors) that it's not like every single time it happens it's just rudeness.
ReplyDeleteAnd PS, it's not just "washing my hands", it'd have to be, wash my whole back from standing against the wall just to open the door. So your friend doesn't know what they're talking about. The bathrooms that are too small or filthy is the only excuses I can think of. And filthy as in, the toilet filled with poop and all over the seat, I'm not gonna clean that up to use that stall.
ReplyDeleteI also won't use a stall if it has a large jungle cat in it. A little extreme, but I'm just not going to deal with something as deadly as a tiger to make it convenient for others. I have decided to use the handicap stall in the few times I have encountered this in the smaller stalls, but I try to be expedient in those situations.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's "cool" to swear. The swearing actually comes from anger. The anger comes from people like you trying to justify actions that deliberately hurt someone whom I deeply care about. I don't have to consider your reasons for using those stalls because those stalls are NOT FOR YOU. Period. Clearly you are missing the point here. Maybe instead of coming up with reasons for it to be socially acceptable to use the handicap stall at certain times, you should be coming up with ways to reform you life to help people like Stevie in any way you can. In most cases they need the help but are just too proud to ask for it. I would understand your reluctance to help if Stevie were a bitch, or a horrible person but that simply is not the case. This whole blog is centered around education in the hopes of teaching people how to change their selfish ways. Your actions and words are completely counterproductive to what she is trying to accomplish. Maybe it's time to do some soul searching.
ReplyDelete