Bathrooms
By: Rebecca Flood
When trying to find a public bathroom, the native Londoner will ask the way to the loo, the toilets, or oddly, the water closet. You will never hear the word stall uttered in the United Kingdom. Contrary to the U.S. Public Bathroom Standard of 6 plastic stalls with giant cracks through which everyone waiting can spy on the occupant, the Brits have mastered the art of privacy. Most bathrooms will have separate units for toilets with a solid wall in between and often the door even reaches from floor to ceiling.
Now you might wonder, how does one know if there is someone in the stall without peeking under to see feet? Simple: on the outside of the door there is a small device like those found on Port-A-Potties in the US. When locked, the device will present a word, often engaged, or merely a red dot. No need to congratulate the toilet; the word engaged merely means that it is occupied.
Upon arrival into the stall, one will encounter notable aesthetic differences. The American Public Toilet has a horseshoe shaped seat while in London the seats have no gap. Any nasty particles that might have fallen into that gap will instead reside on the seat itself. Londoners also favor a more slender, oval shape to the Wide Seat Standard of America. A feature also worth mentioning is the low level of water. While environmentally friendly, this can create the experience commonly referred to as “splash back.” Do not fret; the IBS (International Bathroom Standard) has concluded that one can avoid this experience by placing some toilet paper in the water before relieving oneself. Looking for a handle to flush with? You’ll never find one. Search instead for a button which will whisk away your bodily waste.
WARNING: When in public areas such as parks or Tube stations, expect to pay in order to use the water closet. Common price is 30 pence.
By: Rebecca Flood
When trying to find a public bathroom, the native Londoner will ask the way to the loo, the toilets, or oddly, the water closet. You will never hear the word stall uttered in the United Kingdom. Contrary to the U.S. Public Bathroom Standard of 6 plastic stalls with giant cracks through which everyone waiting can spy on the occupant, the Brits have mastered the art of privacy. Most bathrooms will have separate units for toilets with a solid wall in between and often the door even reaches from floor to ceiling.
Now you might wonder, how does one know if there is someone in the stall without peeking under to see feet? Simple: on the outside of the door there is a small device like those found on Port-A-Potties in the US. When locked, the device will present a word, often engaged, or merely a red dot. No need to congratulate the toilet; the word engaged merely means that it is occupied.
Upon arrival into the stall, one will encounter notable aesthetic differences. The American Public Toilet has a horseshoe shaped seat while in London the seats have no gap. Any nasty particles that might have fallen into that gap will instead reside on the seat itself. Londoners also favor a more slender, oval shape to the Wide Seat Standard of America. A feature also worth mentioning is the low level of water. While environmentally friendly, this can create the experience commonly referred to as “splash back.” Do not fret; the IBS (International Bathroom Standard) has concluded that one can avoid this experience by placing some toilet paper in the water before relieving oneself. Looking for a handle to flush with? You’ll never find one. Search instead for a button which will whisk away your bodily waste.
WARNING: When in public areas such as parks or Tube stations, expect to pay in order to use the water closet. Common price is 30 pence.