Comments on: Family-friendly restrooms

By: USA at The Syrex Press

USA at The Syrex Press — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 15:22:14 +0000

[...] a reply to this post on CrookedTimber. I laughed a lot considering the topic under discussion. Published by haris, April 17th, 2006 ——————————————————————————————————————————————————[...]

By: Baptiste

Baptiste — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 12:09:29 +0000

This japanese family toilet sign includes “old man” sign as well.

http://www.johnkeegan.org/blog/Japan/_archives/2005/4/14/579785.html

By: Uncle Kvetch

Uncle Kvetch — Mon, 17 Apr 2006 14:01:43 +0000

Then I heard him say brightly, “Well, hello, smiley, how are you? You look happy!” For the women reading, this is not how a man generally begins his business at a urinal.

Hmph. Speak for yourself.

By: Western Dave

Western Dave — Mon, 17 Apr 2006 03:12:11 +0000

And death (or at least a really bad stomach ache)to all non-parent types who use the family bathroom because it is “cleaner” or “there wasn’t a line.” And has anybody noticed those wonderful chair things you can strap a mobile child into while you go to the bathroom? Whoever invented that thing earned my gratitude. Just wish there were more of them.

By: Baptiste

Baptiste — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 15:01:19 +0000

A collection of gendered symbol signs :

http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm?ContentAlias=symbolsigns

(“male symbol” is used for “female symbol” except for toilets… “Baby symbol” has no gender ?)

By: Eszter

Eszter — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 14:17:41 +0000

Dmitri, interesting find, thanks.

Regarding the collection (the group pool), a bit of clarification:

1. I cannot add others’ pictures to the group pool, only those who post a picture can add it to a group pool.
2. The focus of that particular group is on gender signs not toilet signs, it just happens that one obvious place to find gender pairs is around restrooms. However, a basic important rule of the group is that only photos representing both genders (either in one image or two) can be posted. The only exception is if a sign is supposed to represent both.

By: Spotted and Herbacious Backson

Spotted and Herbacious Backson — Sat, 15 Apr 2006 13:25:30 +0000

Only women without any shoulders get to ride in an elevator? Not fair!

By: Dmitri

Dmitri — Sat, 15 Apr 2006 04:48:37 +0000

Check this one:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/allysther/116263927/

You should add it to your collection.

Dmitri

By: Jay Conner

Jay Conner — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 22:43:38 +0000

The most cryptic I’ve seen was last month in Lisbon, at the tourist office down by the river. The graphic for the restroom is a simple coil, something like a question mark with the top coiled.

Three drops emerge from the end of the coil.

For MEN, they emerge from the side, and the graphic is blue.
For WOMEN, they emerge from the bottom, and it is pink.

I read the drops, my companion read the colors.

By: Tom T.

Tom T. — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 19:33:38 +0000

I was once by myself in a large men’s room (highway rest stop, I think), at the far end of a long row of urinals. I heard someone else come in and vaguely noticed him walking up to the opposite end of the urinal row, but I was staring at the wall and didn’t pay any attention to him. Then I heard him say brightly, “Well, hello, smiley, how are you? You look happy!”

For the women reading, this is not how a man generally begins his business at a urinal. In fact, there is typically no greeting involved at all.

I dared a brief glance over at him. The urinals were separated by shoulder-high metal dividers, so all I could see was his head at the other end of the row, looking down in front of himself with a silly grin. I must have betrayed some alarm on my face, because he glanced back at me with a “WTF?” look. I returned my gaze to the wall and hurriedly finished up.

As I was walking out, it was only then that I realized that he wasn’t at a urinal at all—rather, he was at the changing table, with his baby in front of him.

By: Urinated State of America

Urinated State of America — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 18:36:27 +0000

Gotta say it pisses me off if there isn’t a changing table in the men’s toilet, ‘cos then you have to change the tyke on the floor or in a sink.

I’ve even seen children’s museums/theme parks without changing tables in the Men’s room. Like, Jesus, don’t you think a guy might be on his own there with an infant?

By: tj

tj — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 17:46:18 +0000

Matt,

Your wife is lying about the lack of changing tables. Did you look? It’s a common trick to avoid changing a diaper. I’ve used it myself.

By: Mrs Tilton

Mrs Tilton — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 17:45:32 +0000

Hektor,

yes, well, a Bavarian is pretty much a direct hybrid between proud Castilian and Glasgow hardman, so that sounds about right.

By: Vega

Vega — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 17:41:25 +0000

Forget the signs…for a refreshing rejection of euphemism nothing beats Chicago O’Hare’s American terminal, where a large sign in the baggage area reads: “Men’s Toilet.”

By: Matt Austern

Matt Austern — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 17:18:13 +0000

Now that we have a baby, I’ve become much more conscious of whether there are changing tables in men’s rooms. General observations:

– They’re there more often than not. – There isn’t necessarily a sign on the door saying that they’re there. – The places that are most likely to have them are large bathrooms in public places, e.g. airports. – The places least likely to have them are small one-person bathrooms in places like cafes. Those bathrooms are often unisex anyway. – Most of the time, if there isn’t a changing table in the men’s room, my wife tells me there isn’t one in the women’s room either. – Changing tables are convenient, but if necessary one can diaper a baby on all sorts of strange surfaces.