Restroom conundrums!

Public Toilets (aka - loo/restrooms), an issue that definitely deserves a UK vs US comparison.

First let me say upfront that my whole life I have always drunk more water in the day than average. The result of this being, ‘I need’ to know where the next clean public convenience is going to be or I am just going to fret!

In the UK this is more of a problem than you may imagine. You see business owners back home are not as obliging with lending out their ‘facilities’ as they are here. Smaller garages (Quick Stops here) sometimes do not have a 'public' toilet, the bigger ones will, and only the bigger stores tend to have them. So if you are shopping in a Mall or Strip Mall you’re likely to find one, but if you are just out on a Main St, the shops won’t usually allow you to use their toilet. You can bet on a fast food shop like KFC, McDonalds etc….but a small café or restaurant generally won’t let you use it unless you are a customer!

We do have either old style city council toilets, which trust me are not the most inviting or clean places! Or even worse we have highly visible individual modern toilets, that automatically clean themselves after each customer. But they’re so darned conspicuous most people are wary of entering one, because everyone nearby knows what you’re up to and can you REALLY trust that automatic door! I have always been a too nervous to use one, as it might open early and expose me to the world!!

But more than anything I am ashamed to say that by comparison to the USA, our toilets are often dirty, there’s just no denying it! One of my most embarrassing moments was getting off a flight from Chicago at London Heathrow and rushing with many American ladies to the nearest off plane toilet. It was filthy, one toilet was flooding and there was no toilet paper, I just stayed quiet so nobody knew I was British!

Now compare this to what meets Brit’s at US airports on arrival. After using the ones at O’Hare I had to call my mum just to tell her about the amazing toilets! First of all I couldn’t even put my contact lenses back in (sitting on the loo is a great place to do this), without it flushing every few second as I moved a millimetre! But even more amazing when I first went in, there was a paper cover on the seat that did a complete revolution when it sensed my movement, so I had clean paper to sit on – WOW! Then the water at the sink came on automatically, the soap dispensed automatically and the paper towels did too when I waved my hand around!!

Facts are facts - USA = LOO HEAVEN

Your toilets are nearly always clean! I mean there’s always the odd occasion when they're not, but trust me you are light years ahead of the UK on cleanliness in restrooms. I have also learned to relax about where the next one is going to be.

Just about every store, café, business or garage you go in, no matter their size, has a public restroom you can use and it’s usually stocked and clean. Only once since I arrived here have I been caught short and had to use a dirt road behind the Pickup (I was too nervous of snakes to venture across the bar ditch) out in the canyons.

There is however one very disconcerting element to US toilets that causes us Brit's some distress. Why are there gaps between the wall and door panels of the cubicle?! I can't tell you how much these gaps worry me, I will always choose the cubicle with a screening wall in front if it's an option. And god forbid I have to use the cubicles that are directly opposite the mirrors, where everyone can have a sneaky look! I try to hang my handbag across the gap, but even I don't have one that big! Now I for one am far too embarressed to even glance at those gaps, but how do I know as a foreigner, that American women don't all look in the gaps for a good laugh?

I would choose the US highly commendable restroom situation over the UK anytime. So if you ever venture to the UK you have been warned, always carry tissues and do not get caught short. If you are a Brit’ heading over here, enjoy and be prepared for some eye opening and slightly scarily efficient restrooms!