10 Ugly Truths About Accessible Toilets 

The ugly truth about accessible toilets, these are my pet peeves, what are yours? Why Not check out my passed videos? Thank you everyone who sent in photos for me to use. :) These comments hurt ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-nPk8xdEHJ5A.html Never do this to a wheelchair user. EVER ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-nPZkPJAXDaQ.html These Disability stereotypes need to stop ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-9CVy44pxWuU.html

When I (female) was a child with disabilities it was sometimes difficult to go out with my dad because sometimes the only accessible toilets were within the block of male or female. Some people have carers that are a different gender and this is not always considered.

I have mostly hidden disabilities and am also an ambulatory stick user. I used a disabled toilet once. It was remarkably clean and well laid out. The problem came when I was leaving and someone screamed at me "You can't use that. You're not disabled" My reply was "Oh, so you've got CT - O - Vision and can see my neurological problems and the hole I have in the base of my spine, which causes me crippling pain?" I had similar issues at a former workplace too, where they used them as a storeroom. Their excuse : "We don't employ disabled people (meaning wheelchair users) on the shopfloor, so it's not generally used" My reply : "But you employ me and I'm listed as disabled for your insurance purposes. Therefore, I'm allowed to have access!" Keep up the good work 👍 😊

My biggest pet peeve is how only one stall in a bathroom is set up for disability, even in medical centers.

thank you for remembering those of us with invisible disabilities.

I'm an ambulatory wheelchair user and last year nipped into a garden centre to use the loo. I used the disabled one because I use intermittent catheters so I need to have a sink in the same space to wash my hands before and after. The loo was beside the door so didn't take my wheelchair in. When I came out there was a mother and child waiting and the Mum made a comment about how I shouldn't have used it (it was a disabled loo, NOT parent and child) and I literally had a bag of catheters in my hand. If I had been less paranoid about covid and just getting out I would have said something. My pet peeve is that too often the sinks are tiny so there's not really room to get your hands under the tap or the taps are too powerful for the small sink and splash over the side of the sink into your lap.

I have an invisible disability (Fibro) and i am in and out of a wheelchair. the only time i have ever felt hated for using a disabled bathroom when not using my wheel chair is by people with kids. sometimes the Disabled bathrooms have changing stations for baby's and i get a look of death or a scoff off the mothers/farther but i have never felt hated by another disabled person.

Gotta love the “accessible” toilet that is not even wide enough to get a wheelchair through the door. Had this experience earlier this year.

I'm dumbfounded. I used to think that accessible toilets need to fulfill certain regulations, to meet these necessities. I can't believe nobody is supervising this. I'm truly astounded.

Also: Lightswitches so high up that there is no way someone could reach it from a wheelchair, locked accessible bathrooms (or ones that can't be locked when in use), bathrooms with a tap you have to push down to turn it on, no handlebar on the door so you could just easily pull the door closed, And if facilities don't have accessible bathrooms would it be so hard to add one or two handlebars to their regular ones!? Sometimes that would make a huge difference. Sometimes I think that the people designing "accessible" places for people with disabilities think that we are transformers or something.

For some bizarre reason, the disabled toilet at my last place of work had walls that were covered in mirrored glass. Four walls of mirrors! It was really disorientating and unnecessary, I wonder what the designer had been thinking!

Just wanted to thank you for the non-visible disability reminder. Can't tell you how many dirty looks I've gotten over the years. Actually been called out about it a few times.

One bathroom I went to in a shopping center was enooormous. You could easily fit at least 5 manual wheelchair users at one time. So it probably was perfect for people with electric chairs which take up more space. BUT! The toliet was in one end, then the sink after that at the wall to the right..and after THAT came the toilet paper dispenser. So unless you hade someone with you for those who need help there were no chance in hell to reach the paper from the toilet. And when I need to go I really need to go and there is no time to stop on the way to gather up toilet paper….bad placement!

I am in the US. Some problems I have encountered are: 1) the stall is too small to turn around in the wheelchair and sometimes even can't close the door. 2) the grab bars around a lot of toilets seem more designed to help people who can stand, because they are high up/not that close to the toilet. 3) the toilet is sometimes pretty low. 4) the bowl is shallow (don't know if this is specific to accessible toilets) and my clothes may get in the water/it's hard to insert a catheter without getting my hand in the toilet water. Red cords are not much of a thing in the US. Have seen some in doctor's offices. Have not come across too many being used as storerooms. Long ago my eye doctor's office had a toilet marked with the wheelchair symbol on the door but even a regular sized wheelchair could not get through the door. Once I went to a YMCA and they kept the accessible bathroom locked and could not find the key. Accessible toilet or not, a lot of women stand up to use the public toilets and don't clean up the urine splashes afterward. I don't have a choice to stand so I have to clean it first.

I've been a wheelchair user for about a year now and before that I thought disability bathrooms were pretty accessible until I had to use them. I can hardly turn around in them in my area. It also makes it more difficult since I also have a service dog, so I have to make sure she has enough room to move with me.

I rely on a hoist to access a toilet, trying to leave the house is almost impossible most of the time. For electric wheelchair users, standard accessible toilets are too small meaning you can’t even shut the door. No wonder why I had surgery for a suprapubic catheter to be put in and thinking of a colostomy too just so I can get some sort of a life back.

My pet peeve is when the door opens into the stall and you can't actually wheel a chair in and be able to shut the door.

I have an invisible disability. I’ve had disgustingly judgemental looks (and some incredibly rude comments) for using the accessible bathroom. I look physically fine, but I can’t physically use a non-accessible toilet. I also have mental health problems so these looks and comments do deter me from even going out at all, especially on my own. If I’m having a bad day mentally, I can’t cope with the judgement from others. So then to go out I’m reliant on family to advocate for me. Toileting really shouldn’t be as complicated as it is, it’s really interesting to hear your perspective as a wheelchair user too. I completely relate to the not having a decent (or any) surface, trying to balance necessary items in a toilet setting is never fun!

Although I don’t need to use an accessible bathroom this still annoys me for people who do need it. My school has just installed an accessible washroom this past year and it’s way down the hall away from most of the classrooms we use. Almost as of they are ashamed of having it. Plus although they installed an automatic door button it doesn’t always work and the door is quite a heavy door.

The door of the stall pushes into the space, instead of pulling to open out from it, and there's not enough room, either to the side of the toilet or in front of it, for you to get your wheelchair out the door's path to close it.

I’ve only been in disability stalls where it isn’t its own room with a sink, I use a cane and think about all the germs getting on it because I have to do quite a bit of steps before being able to wash hands, and the paper towels aren’t right next to the sink so I have to choose between crashing into a garbage bin or getting the handle of my cane wet (which makes it slippery and it’s hard to dry). I’ve fallen in the bathroom quite a few times

I typically use a cane at school at it’s quite awkward telling 5 people to skip me in line because there’s only 1 disability stall with room for my cane and I’m late to class because people use it. I remember walking in during class with my cane and someone walked into the disability stall when 5 other stalls were available, as they started walking into the stall, they gave a wide eyed stare at my cane. When they left the stall I walked in and they knew full well I waited for them to be done. They looked a bit ashamed, but I’m guessing they’ll do it again

I have ADHD and autism and a rare genetic disorder that use to cause childhood sizures. I remember being about 10 there was a really long que for the toilets and my condition causes kindey / stomach pains. So I used the accessible bathroom. I was about 5 minutes max. When I come out I woman in a wheelchair raised her voice at me and asked me why had I been in there and told me that it was only for disabled people. I remember being really scared by her. I'm still scared of using an accessible bathroom and just put up with the pain now. I'm 20 now so this is counting to affect me 10 years later. So thank you for mentioning hidden disabilities

My pet peeve is when a children’s hospital only has ONE bathroom that has a giant changing table (not the flimsy baby ones). And since it is advertised as a family restroom it is often being used

Excellent video! As a paraplegic who also has an ileostomy, the thought of going somewhere where I'm not familiar with the bathrooms is a nightmare. You made a great point concerning a place to put medical supplies. So many places, in fact most places here in The US at least don't have this. And many don't even have a trash can. It's not acceptable and I let them know of this. There are times when I have to completely change flange, you name it, the works. So to not have a ledge where I can place everything in order to change hygienically makes it very difficult. And also to be able to cath. Grrrrrrr

I have a hidden disability and when there isn't a RADAR lock on the door I feel shamed when walking out of a normal lock toilet especially if a person who has a VISIBLE disability is waiting to go in... awkward!!

Went on a long drive through regional Australia last week, found some absolute gems Accessible toilet is present in the outside public toilet block, but is locked in the middle of the day, and there is no number to call to ask to be let in Another outside public toilet, on the accessible toilet door, someone has written in biro "do not lock door, lock is faulty" And at the ski lodge, the accessible loo was just one stall at the very end of the room of about twenty regular stalls. Inside the gendered toilet area. Same size as the other stalls. Wow. Just wow.

I don’t know why I didn’t get a notification from YT when you posted this video, maybe YT was afraid that my blood pressure would get to high 😀😜 everything you said in this video I also experienced. I think it’s really sad that we as a community have to often plan our lives around accessible bathrooms. So often I’m going out with friends for dinner, and because we don’t wanna visit the same two restaurants with an accessible toilet every time, I have to think about everything I’m drinking, and constantly hope that my bladder will be on my side and I can enjoy the evening and get home without any accident happening. I really can’t keep track anymore how often the accessible toilet in a shop or restaurant was used for storage, because it’s so unlikely that somebody with a disability is coming along, so why not just use the space🙈🙈 I had lockers for employees and drinks stacked up to the ceiling, cleaning supplies and so much more put in those toilets. Sometimes the stuff could remove the things so I could use the toilet, but I had more than ones that there wasn’t a way for me to get into the toilet. And anyone who has a problem with controlling there bladder, can probably imagine how terrible that is. So the times that happened I had to get to my husband and tell him that the nice dinner or evening was over and that we either have to find another accessible toilet nearby or we have to get home asap😏 those moments really make me feel disabled, not me getting around in my wheelchair or having to cope with everything that comes with my illness. This really need to change, and I think the best way to improve,really everything associated with disability, would be to just get a disabled person involved, it’s not rocket science. Don’t let abled bodied people, who don’t have a clue about disability, plan and design things and places that are for disability people. We clearly understood that for other groups, why doesn’t the society get it in this case. Gem, thank you so much for making videos like this and doing campaigns for things we as a community really need, and need to change. 💜Katy

I have ADHD and autism and I don't need an accessible bathroom. I wouldn't use one unless all the others were occupied and I _really_ needed to go. But in my teens/lower twenties I had fairly severe paruresis, where I really couldn't use toilets in those open-floor type cubicle bathrooms, so I just held it. Which is obviously bad for many reasons! But a big part of that condition, for me, was social anxiety, so I would never ever use the accessible ones (though they would for sure have helped me!) even when I was in agony needing to pee, because I'd just have felt so bad occupying one for someone who "actually" needed it and making them wait. :/

I don’t think I have ever seen or used an adjustable sink in a public place. The U.S. is really pretty behind in accessibility if we can’t even put up emergency pull chords. The only places I have occasionally seen those are in hospitals.

They are used as broom closet in many venues, stuffed full of rubbish, even whole Christmastrees/decorations, where i could hardly reach the sink to wash my hands. Plus since i have an ostomy and not in a wheelchair, i oftentimes have to go through lengths in able to have them grant me access. Many are locked.

Oh yeah, the stupid layouts of some supposedly accessible bathrooms! Some cafés etc have only one toilet, which is allegedly for everyone, and they try and fail to make it accessible... but I've actually left notes with the staff several times, telling them things like "you NEED to move the toilet roll holder; I'm short and clumsy but otherwise ablebodied and _I_ could barely reach it!" or "the grab bars are broken/missing". Let's all speak up, whether we personally need the accessibility or not!

That thing with automatically fluching and sencory sinks and soap dispenser is actually really difficult for blind people to use. Much better to have longer handels that reach further out and so you get a bit of leverage 😊

My husband is hemiplegic after a stroke and can only move his right limbs. In the US (where we live), most accessible bathrooms only have a bar on one side of the toilet, and it's about a 50/50 chance of it being on the right side. When the bar is on the left, it doesn't do much good since he can't move his left arm or hand to use it. When we visited Europe, the accessible bathrooms had a drop down bar on whichever side didn't have a wall with a bar. It made every bathroom work for him. It's such a simple addition, but I've only seen it in a few places in the US.

Took my daughter out for dinner. We went to use the washroom and yes; they had an accessible stall, but even getting her wheelchair in and maneuvering to close the door was honestly almost impossible without rubbing the toilet during the turning. Getting out was another problem too. So poorly designed, almost just so the restaurant could ‘pass’ for having the bare minimum, legal requirement.

I was in M&S at the weekend, as well as a main disabled toilet, they also had one for non wheelchair users in the main women's toilets. Great I thought, that's perfect for me, I could use a little extra room, but no, there's no lock!! Forgive me M&S, but I want to poo in peace!

My biggest complaint about bathrooms and handicap accessibility have to with the doors especially with how they open. I didn't have a problem with waiting for a handicap accessible stall to become available. I had to to use them for a short period of time after breaking my left foot while I was out somewhere using a knee scooter. My biggest complaint about my apartment complex is kind of related to this and that would be how high of a step there is right outside of my apartment.

In the US, we don't have emergency cords. When you pull it, who is alerted? The staff there, or emergency personel?

It's hard when older people will tut at me because I am using an accessible toilet. They have no idea that I have a pad full of poo. Then I get in there any the only bins are sanitary ones or similar and they are just too small to try and squeeze an adult pad and it's contents into without making a huge mess. It's really frustrating that accessible toilets don't even have bins big enough for continence wear to go in.

A year &1/2 ago, my mom , who had been a roller walker user, fell & dislocated her shoulder. While she was recovering, she used a wheelchair. She was unable to transfer herself, we had to lift her from the wheelchair to her recliner, toilet,etc. After a doctor visit, my brother & I took her out to lunch. She had to use the toilet while we were at the restaurant. The so called handicapped stall was the same width as the regular stall , just a little longer. I could get her into the stall, but there was no room for me to be stand to lift her without putting pressure on her shoulder. She had to wear a brace that was like keeping a basketball under her arm ( to keep her arm from slipping out of the socket) I eventually got mom on to the toilet, but not before she had an accident and wet her clothes. She felt humiliated & I don’t blame her. We are ended up getting lunch to go, went home. I got her cleaned up and then we ate our lunch. All could have been avoided if the handicapped stall was an actual handicapped stall

I'm actually jealous of your guys accessible toilets. Here in the US, we are lucky if they have handicap stalls in the regular restrooms. I've actually gotten stuck in a "handicap stall" at a movie theater because the door swung inward, and the power chair I was using literally got stuck between the door and the wall and they had to have maintenance take the door off so I could get out.

By the way I don’t know if episodic paralysis is the right term but I have episodes where my sensation and ability to move my legs is severely impaired I have had this issue since my lumbar spine sustained an injury in 2015 and due to my other conditions it’s too risky to operate so had to adapt to using a wheelchair as well as being born blind and having EDS Don’t get me wrong I’d not change my life for anything but these accessibility issues really do try us I love your videos gem I’ve watched them all several times and they have really helped me Keep it up

Thank you for mentioning adhd and autism among the invisible disabilities, some times the single room units are used for 2 things at once using the toilet and using the time to self regulate from overstimulation..

My son has a hidden disability and still in nappies it can be so annoying when there isnt the room to change him.

I saw a TikTok just yesterday from UK in a restaurant where they asked for accessible toilet & they said no… turns out they’re all storing their bikes in there 😡

Invisible disability here and I have a RADAR key; I've never had anyone say anything to me but I've had glares! The annoying thing for me though is the people who see me use the accessible loo then try and get straight in afterwards because they don't have a key. I understand some might have Invisible disabilities too but often it seems like its to avoid a queue or paying for facilities.

I have invisible psychiatric disabilities and while I don't need the resources in an accessible toilet stall, I do use them due to the presence of my service dog taking up too much space in a regular stall. Though I definitely use stand alone bathrooms with only one toilet to escape to during an episode so Im not stared at which would make it far worse

I suffer from chronic migraines and have really wacky blood pressure and get lightheaded when pooping (I've fainted from the blood pressure drop while pooping before) so I use the disabled toilet for that reason.. need to have access to be able to call for help.. I'm glad I've never had to use it before. 2 of my brothers have autism and full time carers so they get the roomy, quiet bathrooms too to avoid sensory overload.

There is a restaurant near me that has an accessible toilet… up a narrow, steep staircase and no lift. The abled toilets are upstairs too, there is nothing downstairs, so even if I went in the regular toilets, my joints cant physically get me up the stairs to any of the toilets.

The thing that is most annoying is when people feel entiteled to use the accessible toilets. I have a Service Dog and need to use the accessible toilet. Just the other day there where two Ladys using it and they were very rude. Not ok...One time there was a Mom with 4 children who used it and im perfectly fine with that. And she even appologised and was very kind.

Yup - Amazing! There is a disabled bathroom in Hobart that is UP a FLIGHT of stairs, I kid you not! Makes me think Accessibility Guides are needed Everywhere - and indeed, many of the loo-doors are too heavy for me to open, I have to have someone do that for me - which can be a bit tricky when I want to get out!!!

At my work, the 2 accessible bathrooms are also the non gendered ones, and it can be very annoying because they are always in use. Technically, one has an accessible sign the other has a non-gendered washroom sign, but inside they are the same, so everyone uses them. I have EDS, and it happens enough that I need to put a joint back into place or something like that, and they are both in use. Plus, if I am using my cane, there is not really anywhere I can lean it in the ladies room, so sometimes I'll do the not necessarily safest thing and will go without it. It is just a few meters, but on a really bad day having the cane and walking the extra 20 steps vs using the ladies room and not having my cane really does make a difference.

The doors on our disabled toilets here weigh a ton ,I have to get Hubbie’s to help or I would never get in or out.

There has just been a new changing place, with a winch put in to the toilets at my local park, it's a pretty big park and has a cafe do you can spend majority of the day there. This new bathroom has been put in after a campaign by people who use it regularly and need the winch and changing table available. Really glad that they did it. Just hoping that people don't misuse and mistreat it.

I just think of the episode of IT Crowd, when Roy gets caught using the Disabled toilet 😊

Thanks for sharing this. There have been and are many times I opt out and hold it…but then yeah I really can’t. But the bathroom that is supposedly accessible is not.

I have a petite teen sized wheelchair, and my workplace doesn't even actually *have* accessible bathrooms, there are no handicap stalls, and my little 16" seat wheelchair doesn't even fit in the bathroom door, so I have to park it outside the door and get up, and hobble to the toilet

I learned the hard way NOT to "help" by carrying a female into the men's room barking out "head is secure everyone out". She was equal parts mad at me 100% and embarrassed 100%.

I wear a hard back brace, I started wearing it at 7 and am now 18 and I would use the disabled restroom or stall because in order to use the restroom I’d have to take it off completely but one time I came out and got the rudest look from an older person because you can’t see my brace because I wear it under a hoodie to avoid the stares so I look like every other young healthy female and ever since I do my best to cram in a small stall and become a contortionist even when no one else is around

I got stuck in a disabled toilet because the lock was a tiny nub you had to rotate. It was in our national football stadium and my hands were cold and stiff which didn't help. I have the opposite problem with the mirrors in my local stadium, they've recently 'done up' the toilets and removed the large mirrors that everyone could use and replaced them with smaller ones low down which, while good for people in wheelchairs, are only any good to let me see my belly button.

I went into a disabled toilet on Saturday in a Costa and #LetItDangle! The emergency cord is no use wrapped around the grabrail next to the toilet! (Also meaning you couldn’t lower the grabrail without pulling the cord 🤦‍♀️)

Your washing machine was ready for takeoff 🤣🤣

You should do a video over service/ assistance animals.

i once called the owner and asked sit in my chair go in and see yourself what is wrong but also when it is great

How about making all restrooms accessible? Even able-bodied people might use the bars and other equipment if they’re there. Might even be fewer accidents causing disabilities if the equipment is there.

My town doesn't have any public toilets, accessible or not. There are some in m & s but that store will be closing later this year, leaving the 2 in the Tesco which are hardly ever cleaned.

Recent trip to London. Kings Cross station disabled toilet. It has all the usual features and no baby changing facility. Yet i had to sit in my wheelchair and wait five minutes for a mum to exit with a pram and two toddlers. (I was desperate to go to the loo). She had used the disabled toilet as shr didn’t want to leave her pram and children on the other side of the normal toilet door. I understand why she did it but it was so frustrating for me. When i have to go, i have to go. It’s not like i have the opportunity to use the “normal “ toilets.

Only time I’ve seen a long, red cord in the accessible bathrooms in the US, is in hospitals… I wish they were more widespread…

I have invisible dissabilities untill recently when I started using mobility aids, including more recently a wheel chair. And it wasn't untill I needed a rollator that I felt comfortable using an accessible bathroom. Even when I needed it before. I didn't want to be questioned.

I have ADHD, Autism, PTSD and was born with hip dysplasia I use accessible toilets because I can take the noise of hand dryers it hurts my ears really bad I have had loads of people shout at me and i makes me scared

As man 6'5 310lbs with a genetic overgrowth and back problems and other things it can be very hard for me to use some and because of my size not all grab bars will help me most plastic ones i dont trust after almost fall at the hospital thanks to my grandma and nurse there weight stopped me from getting really hurt but thru my many years ive learned ways around my problems

A built in shower bench fell with me on it not attached to the studs crazy me I felt bad for breaking it OH the early years have a day love from TEXAS

I hate when the toilet paper dispenser is a big, hard, sharp metal thing that is jammed up right against your thigh. I struggle to reach the toilet paper, and it gets in the way of certain maneuvers I need to do to be able to take care of business. Now I'm obese, so maybe it's just my body size, but I can't imagine normal sized people finding that convenient either. Put the toilet paper in spot where people's hands can actually reach under it and pull it out. It's really annoying.

I have a bin with an automatic lid. There is a censor on the lid which I wave my hand over and it opens.

when i'm not using any aids, i feel bad using the disabled seating on the bus much less bathrooms 😭

I don’t typically use the accessible stall but occasionally if I’m really struggling with crowds and I need the space or I’m having a bad pain day and the handrails help I will. I’ve never had anyone harass me because it’s the US and everyone does it but sometimes I wish I was visibly disabled just to make people have a little awareness when they come out and I’m waiting if they’re not disabled.

Hi gem , where I live we have three towns within 8 miles chippenham has large size toilet but no always clean and then there is melksham and the council has closed the disabled toilets so no one can use them . So if you need the disabled toilet you have to go to Sainsbury's supermarket the other end of town and then devices town which is much better than the other two but not very big . .

Accessible bathroom are so much easier for me especially acseable showers because at home I can sit in my bath the acsseible bathroom/ changing room at my swimming pool is the one I use most frequently and it's fabulous , but I feel quite guilty using them especially recently someone was banning on the door , it turned out to be the cleaner , the best acseable loos I have seen have been at welcome breaks service station

Good video, but unfortunately the people who need to see this won't, because they are not in the community. My pet peeve is bathroom toilets are too low.

As one with multiple sclerosis why aren’t handicapped stalls in the front?

I'll have to take a photo of my nearest gym-disabled loo it says the manager's name above it saying it's her changing room!!

Let peeves…..here in the USA many accessible bathrooms are either too small to move in let along close the door.

In Liverpool, the marks&Spencer’s accessible toilets are ridiculous. Firstly, they’re on the first floor instead of ground. Secondly, the toilet is level with other toilets. Third, the red cord is about 2 1/2ft off the ground. Fourth, the lever to flush was up in the air on top of the tank (also in the air). I mean… at least it was spacious and had transfer rails. Also, the KFC in my town doesn’t have a handle on the accessible bathroom door and it’s extremely heavy. I had to open the door with just my radar key. I’m pretty weak and I don’t have EDS and I’m not in a wheelchair, so I can’t imagine the difficultly they would have trying to get in there Edit: the M&S red cord wasn’t tied up, that’s genuinely how long it was

Toilet roll out of reach is my pet peeve! Haha

My local community college does the bathroom right. There are 6 bathrooms across the campus, 3 each gender. I need an accessible bathroom, I have cerebral palsy and not the best core strength to be able to propel myself off of the toilet, so I use the bars to help me get up and lower down. But that’s not all. There’s a stall for mobility device users with bars, and a stall with bars not meant for mobility needs and it’s slightly wider than a normal stall to accommodate bars. This way, I can use that stall if I don’t have my scooter. In the case I need my mobility scooter and have it with me, there is plenty of space. I’m an ambulatory scooter user due to walking issues. I can’t walk far distances. For example, 1/3 of a mile (.53KM) is my maximum on a treadmill at the gym before my back hurts pretty bad and 1/2 mile (.80KM) pavement walking.

Invisible disability here, I don't have any mobility requirements that would require an accessible toilet, but I do have a service dog. While I'm new to having an SD (assistance animal) I find that Im often afraid to use accessible toilets. My first SD was pretty slim and even managed to squeeze into airplane bathrooms with me (even though she is a GSD), but my new SD is quite big. Im curious if others with service dogs feel like they cant use the large stalls or disabled bathrooms because it feels like its not meant for them or you are taking it away from someone who needs it? I feel that same embarrassment abled individuals might feel if they used one ,only to come out to see someone in a wheelchair or the like. Thoughts?

Sometimes it can be very hard to find a decent accessible toilet. I have been to ones run by the council which are disgusting, the floor is wet and does not have a pull cord for emergencies. It's a intercom system not sure how you are supposed to press the button if you are laid on the floor. Pull cords that have been cut or non existing. Even a recent trip to the hospital, staff using the disabled toilet, or full off non essential stuff and you can't turn your wheelchair around. They even use pedal bins. Some toilets you need a key, which I purchased and it's not compatible. The other one is the disabled toilet is miles away from the main toilets or they are closed.

Heavy doors without accessible button is hard for me. Invisible handicap like Fibromyalgia. Dirty bathroom gross me out.

again, in the US, it is ACCEPTABLE for anyone to use the accessible bathroom as long as they are quick. there are ambulatory people with bladder problems also. and if they are about to have an accident and the accessible bathroom is quicker...its DISGUSTING to store high chairs on anything else in the bathroom...they get sprayed with germs, then a baby sits it and touches and puts their hands in their mouth

Does anyone really want to be sittin’ on the pot with a plant next to them? Lol

1. I hate it when the wash basin and the towels are across the room. How do I get to the towels with wet hands/arrms. 2. That does even count when the soap is too far to reach without getting all wet at the sink. I have to clean the sink to not get wet to try to get my furtherest finger just make it to be able to get the soap. 3. Having it so the door is in the way to get into the stall with a wheelchair. 4. And of course the mum that takes her 4 kids into the stall and having to wait and hope you don't have an accident waiting for them.

Thank you for understanding because I can use the normal bathroom if that what you want to call it but I do have feet pain sometimes because of my disability and anxiety where sometimes I need the a disability bathroom and people don’t understand that not because I’m lazy or a crowd it because it can be difficult for me and btw it not any one business to ask why someone is using the disability bathroom or disability stall What are they going to do call the police or resort it to the manager? Probably not

I've got autism and anxiety. Omg the glares I've had and got worse in lockdown not being able to wear a mask. Glares going into disabled loos. Aghh

I don't know if you touched on it, Toilet paper placement. I have autism and sometimes I use the stall to help me wipe but I have noticed that in different bathrooms in different places some are high or higher or some are really low were someone might fall over.

I have a question. How do you report a problem with an accessible bathroom?

Mirrors are useful for people with colostomy bags They can see easily what they are doing Mirrors really should be at wheelchair level too (because of course you can have a colostomy bag AND use a wheelchair)

I would like there to be a cane holder on the wall for cane or crutches it would really help not to have to balance it against the wall! I am autistic and I use a cane because I have really bad ancles and they are slowly causing me to have bad knees and hips so I decided it will be the best for me. Also my Autism and Ocd really hate public bathrooms and I am trans and I just started transition so it is much safer to use the accessable bathroom. I was pretty ashamed of using the accessable bathroom before I got my cane because you know you can't see I am not ok but now I will use it sometimes maybe

There was/is (I havent checked if its fixed) at the local shopping centre that is too small for a wheelchair (I just got my walker in, its thinner than standard) but worse, you couldn't lock the door because if you reach for the "lock door" button it triggers the automatic door opener, so it was impossible to lock it I had to use one before I had mobility aids (I had a trolley full of groceries and it was an acute emergency) and got the worst looks. Even then I was using trolleys as a walking aid

I was at the hospital last month for surgery and the cord was tied up! (I live in the US)

Soap dispensers being too high, and no one cleans the handrails. I am not a wheelchair user, but I am quite short, and I have been in numerous bathrooms where the soap dispenser/s was too high. I had one above my head once. I'm 4'11. Who needs a soap dispenser that high? Then the handrails. I have done cleaning over the years, and I have only been in two places so far that actually clean the handrails in bathrooms. Every time I go somewhere new and go to clean the handrails, I'm terrified. Because what comes off onto the rag is so disgusting and a clear indicator no one has ever cleaned them. Another thought popped in mind but for blind people, the signs with braille. I don't think anyone cleans those either. I have wiped signs and gotten gunk off of them. Blind people need to read these signs to know if they found the bathroom or whichever room they are looking for. If I try to bring these concerns up, I get blown off and I am left being the only one cleaning everything. It is just disrespectful and rude to not keep things clean for disabled people. A side note, I have tried to use a public bathroom once, but you had to push a button and wait for a voice from a hidden speaker to let you know when the door was unlocked, and you could go in. One problem. I'm deaf. I stood there waiting and having no clue it was open and a line was forming behind me.