Public toilets are a necessary requirement and should be, I believe, in the forefront of public issues. Suffragists, (of the 20th century) in the U.K. were instrumental in gaining the provision for women and of course, men have benefitted too. Rightly, no gender preference in this matter. However, there do seem to be comfort disparities, especially for ladies.
Where there is public toilet provision, (it is not universal) there always seems to be more male toilet provision. That is more, in the sense that the male structural and natural need is well provided for. The same cannot be said about women's needs.
The female toilets have inadequate provision and are always furthest away.
Women do take longer in using the cubicle, and with accepted natural more complex reasons. Consequently queues form in women's toilets sooner than in men's, and they move more slowly because of the natural requirement. Other reasons for this, must, in certain environments, include the towing of children in buggies and meeting their toileting needs. The nappy changing facility is a blessing where it exists, even so, it is not appropriate for all family toileting. Fewer men than women are involved in children's personal hygiene activities.
Some of the slowest moving and longest queues are to be seen in shops (which provide customer toilets) cafés, bars, cinemas, and theatres.
Many municipal facilities have closed permanently. Others open seasonally. On street provision of the ubiquitous circular pay-as-you-go facilities, are often out of order with technical problems. I almost got a shower in one of those and was lucky the door slid open to let me exit. 'Out Of Order" dutifully flashed up on the electronic sign, following my departure.
Do you think public unisex toilet provision would be an answer?
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The first pic said click on pic. I did as I was told. Nothing happened. Was it supposed to flush, or something?
Yes, in my town most of the outlying public toilets, which used to be on my wayfaring routes, have now closed. Being of a certain age, I find a shorter interval between awareness of need and overwhelming urgency. A secluded tree is therefore sometimes as welcome as an oasis for the Saharan traveller. When I go on these walks with K, she can't perform the same function with such minimum exposure. Fortunately she always says she can wait till she gets home.
There used to be pubs you could go to in case of need. But most of those have closed down too.
No, why should we put up with unisex? Let there be adequate provision as in the civilised decades past; and let there be willing workers preferably not from overseas, whilst we have burgeoning unemployed) to keep them clean with pride.
LOL - Something amiss in the mechanisms...and no, the W.C. wasn't meant to flush.
Even the women's pee-wees aren't easy to use outside of a covered vehicle or well-leafed shrub. As you clearly confide, men do have other options to relieve urgent fluid needs of nature. Your Sahara seems to be a fecund one! ;)
Your last sentence is pertinent...pride in work that is done at service levels, is not something that appears to come naturally to Brits. A re-education in that department, on the lines of the continentals would not go amiss for everyone, not just the service workers. Doing the job well, and it being appreciated for being done well, is all important.
What price civilised facilities, and not the electronic, all seeing, singing, flushing and dancing ones that are unreliable. Getting stuck in one of those would be a nightmare...... more showering than anyone could wish for.
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