US Public Bathrooms

[Peter_Pan 661]

Why? Why? Why not make the stall doors wide enough so that I cant see people outside while I'm using them?

[VanessaTony 3,567]

It's especially fun when little kids are running around deciding it's fun to peak in. :S I just don't get it myself either. Maybe they think the doors won't work well if it closes like a normal door? Maybe it's for safety? Maybe it's so they can see people shooting up? Maybe the first designers did it as joke and no-one realised...

[Peter_Pan 661]

For such a prude country, they sure are bathroom exhibitionists.

[Darnell 8,478]

You should make plans for a public-bathroom crawl, finding the ones that suit you.

[Hypnos 6,576]

The doors do have to be quite wide so Americans can fit through them.

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

The doors do have to be quite wide so Americans can fit through them.

The doors being wide isn't really the problem- the gap between the door and the wall/ doorjamb is. I have wondered about that myself, but it is actually very useful when you have toddlers like me, who want to "go by themselves" but still need a little supervision

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

You can't actually see anything from the outside. The gap is so small that all you can see is an amorphous person blob unless you try really hard and peer through the gap (which would get you lots of stares). From the inside it looks like people can see you, but they can't. I think it's better than having to knock on all the doors and force people to talk to you, or to bend over and look for feet (old people might not be able to).

When I was a kid the stalls at the park didn't have doors at all. That was creepy.

[NikLR 13,227]

I look for feet to see if they're full. But I've noticed some bathrooms have wider spaces than others. Most people are just polite and do not look.

[Darnell 8,478]

i swear, there's a website somewhere that's tracking this stuff.

Sorta like a searchable instagram of public toilet spaces, with comments and whatnots.

[sara80 17]

I was reading this to my husband, who is american, as he finds this quite bizarre. He's probably one of the fewest americans who is "puzzled" about the utility of the crack in the restrooms doors! It's funny as it was one of the first things he told me about America when I came over for my first visit! Lol

[AllYouCanEat 3]

LOL, I've noticed this fairly wide gap, too. Thought it's for better ventilation...

[Ozz777 23]

I believe those are supposed to be safety features for children. I remember reading about that after a boy was abused and murdered in a public bathroom on a california beach back in the 80's or 90's. Same with those really short or high off the ground doors like at Mcdonalds.

[lynndy38 64]

I have been asking my husband this since I began visiting 5 years ago.......Im so glad it's not just me that finds it a bit unsettling to see everyone walking into the toilet whilst you're in the stall!!!!

Also I have lost count the amount of times Ive pushed the soap dispenser with my hand in the wrong place leaving it to squirt up my arm!!!!

[Hotter Otter 1,211]

The door thing is really strange, luckily as a guy it rarely affects me! I've also noticed some where the doors are really short so you see peoples heads poking up above the cubicles as you walk into the bathroom

[Protocol417 161]

I always assumed (lifelong American here) that it was due to shoddy materials and/or workmanship. I figured this was why you only really saw it with those cheap, pre-fab dividers.

By the way, lovely topic... a bit of comic relief is nice once in a while