A Simple Need, All Too Often Unmet

I’ll never forget what I saw years ago from my Times Square office window. It was not yet theater time and all the nearby restaurants had signs saying “Restrooms for customers only.” A well-dressed woman standing near Shubert Alley had an accident in the middle of the sidewalk and collapsed in tears in her companion’s arms.

No one should have to suffer such humiliation. The expression “When you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go” is more often true than not. But where?

I am so glad there are people out there pushing for more access to public toilets. When I went to Germany as a high school student, I remember being shocked at how hard it was to find a restroom (oases: department stores and train stations, both of which do require payment). Until fairly recently, I thought it was another manifestation of how the Germans have evidently adapted to require less water than Americans (see also: no water fountains, rare free water at restaurants, and only beer comes in large sizes when you’re dining out). Once I started spending more time in American large cities, though, I realized that we have a problem too.

The author of the article lists some suggestions for finding restrooms while you’re out and about. Her experience generally lines up with mine, although I’ve actually been thwarted at a McDonald’s (in San Francisco, where we also found one of the public toilets she mentions and couldn’t get it to open up). In general, though, the only reason I ever patronize McDonald’s is the fact that they have toilets (I do always buy something once I’ve taken care of needs). And I have to say, one of the major pluses about the recent expansion of relatively upscale chain stores is that they almost always have bathrooms. Target, Barnes and Noble, and Starbucks have all saved me from possible embarrassment more than once.

Posted by Amanda in General |