Selfsufficientish.com

To get it out, the squeeze and pull technique works for me - although the instructions mention a vacuum so if you still ahve a seal and pull it might not be great Practice makes perfect. Long nails are something I'm not a fan of any way (whenever I paint them I go and work int he garden or on the bike or something there is no point for me!)

I had twins and manged without clogging up facilites for the disabled

I amnot going to get into an arguement but will say...there by the grace of god go you, try a day in a wheelchair, you will soon change your mind when you pee your pants because and abled bodied person decide the disabled loo is more comfotable!

baldowrie although I do agree with you.. I would point out that there are many people ( me included) who aren't disabled..look absolutley like the average person.. but who sometimes need to used the disabled toilet.
I have IBS and when I need to go I need to go.. no controlling it. I even carry a card that says so. So if you see someone walking out of a disabled toilet.. there could be a genuine reason as to why they are using the facility. The fact is If I can't get to a cubicle in the ladies .. I have to use the disabled loo.

I dont mean to cause offence here but ......
I thought disabled toilets were provided so that people with a disability may use the toilet safely, with dignity and space to move around. I didnt think that they were provided so that disabled people never have to queue up or wait [[although I see the IBS argument there] !
If there is a big queue or I have my kids with me then yes I will use the diabled toilet if its free - why should everyone wait around on the off chance that someone with a disability may come along.

vixnpips

I have IBS and when I need to go I need to go..

This is a disability and recognised as one, particularly when severe. What a pity you have found it necessary to 'prove' you have a need though.....disability does not mean cripple it means a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

Rainy

why should everyone wait around on the off chance that someone with a disability may come along.

.

Because that is precisely the point, you don't know when you in there if you are using a facility designed and meant for those that have a disability is waiting, like vixnips. if you ask a disabled person 'can my child go ahead of you', they will nearly always says yes.

How would you like it if a disabled person used the only toilet that had baby changing facilities in it because they didn't want to queue..why should they wait in-case a parent and child/baby turns up?

Very many people with a disabilities are unable to wait for various reasons. Disabled toilets not only allow room for wheelchairs and carers but also mean from those that are entitled to a radar key do not have to suffer the indignity of peeing their pants because there is a queue or worsening their condition because they need to stand for long periods or mentally disabled are not put at risk because they are required to wait

Without wanting to pee anyone off I have to say that I very often use the disabled toilet with my son as he still needs a hand and the regular toilets arent big enuf. The disabled toilet is often far cleaner & has toilet roll whereas the others can be revolting and paperless. In my supermarket there is a check-out thats marked for people with disablilites to use but regular people use that too - r we not allowed to use that check-out incase someone with a disability just happens to come along? Regular people waiting for a busy toilet that are busting could be just as likely to wet themselves or have a bout of diarrohea and need a toilet just a desperately as anyone else.

here here

all I can say to you is

There by the grace of god go you and becareful what you wish for!

baldowrie wrote:all I can say to you is

There by the grace of god go you and becareful what you wish for!

I have been biting my tounge since the first time you used that phrase. I find it highly offensive. You have no idea what peoples personal or family problems are. In a discussison (all be it heated) about whether people use certain facilities in shops, a comment like that is really not necessary.

Disabled toilets not only allow room for wheelchairs and carers but also mean from those that are entitled to a radar key do not have to suffer the indignity of peeing their pants because there is a queue or worsening their condition because they need to stand for long periods or mentally disabled are not put at risk because they are required to wait

The other thing i find is that people often forget the 'temporarily disabled'. My dad broke his ankle, and my sister had an operation on her leg in the same month. When mum took them both out in the car, she often parked in a disabled bay. One morning, she parked in a bay at a supermarket, and as she got out, she was verbally abused by one of the people woth 'hidden' disabilities (i'm guessing - this person was quite able to stand for 20 minutes shouting at my mum). All this time, both my dad (who needed a wheelchair to get around) and my sister (who was oncrutches) were sitting in the car.

When they got out of the car, the abusive person didn't bother to apologise, but they got in their massive, immaculate 4x4 and drove off.

Sometimes, when people need to use disabled facilities, they are denied it because they are not disabled enough, or for a long enough time. The hospital, social services and the local council all denied my mum a blue badge for the time that she was ferrying both my dad and my sister about. Even after their respective operations, and after they'd come off crutches, netiehr my dad or my sister could walk long distances. I don't have serious enough IBS to get a radar key, yet when i have to go, i have to go.

Does this mean that if i have to go in a disabled toilet because its either that or pass out (or soil myself - just as embarrassing as peeing myself, if not more) and there is a disabled person on the outside when i come out, i have to explain myself? Sometimes, i have felt like that - like i have to go into detail about why i've gone in a disabled toilet.

Although i understand why these facilities are there, sometimes, its not an option. Just as for some people, it is not an option to walk - they have to ride mobility scooters on the pavement (a personal bugbear - they always seem to aim for my ankles!!), sometimes, it is not an option for someone desperate for the toilet to wait. There are many reasons for this - pregnancy, kidney infection, IBS, coeliacs disease etc etc - most of these things don't show, but they are not treated as a disability (I know that IBS and coeliacs are - as long as you are deemed 'severe' enough - it doesn't matter whether that one attack you get every six months happens at a crowded shopping centre, its still not enough) and therefore a lot of the time, people suffering from them don't have any kind of defence.

So i am on the side that says that disabled facilities shouldn't be abused, but at the same time, if there is a queue and its either use the disabled, or pass out/soil myself, i know which one i'm going for! To be honest, its not just the disabled toilets - i've been to needlework shows where the women start using mens toilets because the queues are too long! If anything, maybe its a planning and development problem - architects must be aware that women need more toilets, and those toilets should have room in them (for children/sanitary bins/movement) and they're obviously turning a blind eye to the problem. Maybe it might be more effective of the disabled campaigners turn to the developers/designers instead of the person who's desperate (admittedly, if i see a non disabled person in a disabled space, i will ask them questions, but i do know there are other reasons why they might be there).

Vix - where did you get a card from?

That was a longer post than it was supposed to be...

I have been biting my tounge since the first time you used that phrase. I find it highly offensive. You have no idea what peoples personal or family problems are. In a discussison (all be it heated) about whether people use certain facilities in shops, a comment like that is really not necessary.

I daresay those with disabilities have found many of your remarks highly offensive too

the fee fairy, many years ago the temporarily disabled used to get a very limited time blue badge but because the blue badge and other disabled facilities are abused by able and fully functional people...it was scrapped!

You now must have problem for over 6mths

all I can say to you is

There by the grace of god go you and becareful what you wish for!

I too find that highly offensive. Ive not wished for anything, certainly not a disabled toilet!

I didn't mean to cause such a palava! not kept up with this thread and was a little surprised at the mess I had caused. I'm sorry if my remark offended anyone at all, RADAR keys are for sale, I didn't invent that whether you agree or not- that is the case, and of course I'm not advocating using the toilet when there are queues of disabled people waiting for them, I really am not a heartless monster! the suggestion that I should be modded for my comments I find quite overkill. A forum is a place for exchange of views from those of different opinions and stand points to start bringing in censure for comments not aimed at causing offence but merely suggesting alternatives that would help another member would have me heading for the door. I'm not wishing for a disability, and I don't park in disabled spaces so I'm really not that bad, honest.

Deb

no censureship has taken place (unless anyone mentioned a certain supermarket )!!

it is a sensitive subject, but I believe everyone is entitled to an opinion, both sides of the argument.

I think, personally speaking, I can be too sensitive re disabilites having had to face a number of attacks because my son is disabled.
Now - dont misunderstand, they way I see it - NOTHING on the same level has been said here.. but once you have had this sort of thing happen, you get twitchy at the smaller things.

Personally, I don't see having a period as a disability, however i see little harm in using the disabled loo if you have a good reason, such as having a small child etc. and you are not hindering anyone else with a greater need.

( and Fee, I have often used the gents at airports theatres etc, cos it annoys me to hell that there will be a massive queue for women and nothing for men.)

fee here's the link for ibs support.. you can get the cards there.
http://www.ibsnetwork.org.uk

GD Hunny your a sweety and because of your comment about the radar key.. i now know you can get hold of these, which is particularly useful to me.


Have to say the "be careful what you wish for" comment I find a little harsh I have to say. I think it comes down to more of a lack of awareness, rather than anything else. Maybe if we were all a bit more aware of each others differences ( as none of us are the same) and all treated others the way we wish to be treated the world would tick a little better.

red wrote:it is a sensitive subject, but I believe everyone is entitled to an opinion, both sides of the argument.

I agree with red and I haven't joined in this discussion until now as I see and agree with both sides of it.

However, at the moment I am temporarily disabled and I can say one thing - an able bodied person who is bursting for the loo, can always go outside and squat (however undignified that may be, because there may not be a bush or anywhere to hide behind), but a person in a wheelchair or on crutches is not physically able to do that. It's hard enough getting your pants down whilst standing on one foot!