Using the stall for disabled people

[Sterling]

My office is on a floor with only 1 ladies room and that room has 2 stalls.  1 disabled the other typical.  No one avoids the disabled stall.  For the 30 of us who regularly work on the floor and the 20,000 students who visit the building we would have lines going forever

[Betelnut]

I actually actively look for and use the handicapped stall.  It is simply more comfortable and easier to use.

[baglady]

I do think it's polite to make one's use of it as quick as possible, just in case - no settling in with a magazine 

Ha! Yes, this. I read some years back a rant about how people always used the disabled stall for their more...extended...stays in the bathroom, and realized to my embarrassment that I did this too! It was pretty subconscious and it took me a while to put my finger on why I did that, and I finally realized it was that it was a more comfortable and less claustrophobic place to be for a long stay. Once I figured it out, it became easier to break the habit for whatever reason.

Me, too. But in my case it's because the handicapped stalls in our workplace restrooms are on the end and the farthest ones from the entrance. When I have "serious business" to do I want to get as far away as possible ... if possible ... from everyone else.

[DavidH]

It's odd that there seems to be a gender effect on using the handicapped stall since I have never seen a guy avoid it when there is a line.  The same for the handicapped urinal, it is usually used just like all the others.

I think if there is a person right behind you in line in a wheelchair or with an obvious disability it is rather rude to use that stall rather than wait for another to open up, but otherwise I see no issue with using it since the time it will be engaged is limited.  Settling in with War and Peace is another matter.

[s]

One time, a very long time ago, I was in my mid to late teens and working at a movie theater.  I think I had come from somewhere besides just home so I needed to change into my work clothes in the bathroom.  I used the handicapped stall since it was easier.  And shortly after I started changing apparently somebody that needed it entered the bathroom. 

The entire time I was in there, only a good 2-3mins at most, she was talking bad to whoever was with her about how dare someone be using the handicapped stall and couldn't they hurry up!  I felt embarrassed since I was only using it for changing but no one was in the bathroom when I entered!  I really didn't even want to leave the stall after hearing this woman go on and on and on. 

I actually pulled my jacket over my uniform and zipped it up so she couldn't see it.  It just looked like I had black pants on and a jacket over it.  The vest underneath the jacket would have been the giveaway that I worked there.  I just was not looking forward to a possible confrontation with this rude woman and I didn't think after that that she needed to know I worked there.  I just gave her a "look" as I left and said nothing.

[Shoo]

One time, a very long time ago, I was in my mid to late teens and working at a movie theater.  I think I had come from somewhere besides just home so I needed to change into my work clothes in the bathroom.  I used the handicapped stall since it was easier.  And shortly after I started changing apparently somebody that needed it entered the bathroom. 

The entire time I was in there, only a good 2-3mins at most, she was talking bad to whoever was with her about how dare someone be using the handicapped stall and couldn't they hurry up!  I felt embarrassed since I was only using it for changing but no one was in the bathroom when I entered!  I really didn't even want to leave the stall after hearing this woman go on and on and on. 

I actually pulled my jacket over my uniform and zipped it up so she couldn't see it.  It just looked like I had black pants on and a jacket over it.  The vest underneath the jacket would have been the giveaway that I worked there.  I just was not looking forward to a possible confrontation with this rude woman and I didn't think after that that she needed to know I worked there.  I just gave her a "look" as I left and said nothing.

See, I think that person was rude.  Being disabled doesn't mean never having to wait in line, or wait one's turn.

[rashea]

One time, a very long time ago, I was in my mid to late teens and working at a movie theater.  I think I had come from somewhere besides just home so I needed to change into my work clothes in the bathroom.  I used the handicapped stall since it was easier.  And shortly after I started changing apparently somebody that needed it entered the bathroom. 

The entire time I was in there, only a good 2-3mins at most, she was talking bad to whoever was with her about how dare someone be using the handicapped stall and couldn't they hurry up!  I felt embarrassed since I was only using it for changing but no one was in the bathroom when I entered!  I really didn't even want to leave the stall after hearing this woman go on and on and on. 

I actually pulled my jacket over my uniform and zipped it up so she couldn't see it.  It just looked like I had black pants on and a jacket over it.  The vest underneath the jacket would have been the giveaway that I worked there.  I just was not looking forward to a possible confrontation with this rude woman and I didn't think after that that she needed to know I worked there.  I just gave her a "look" as I left and said nothing.

See, I think that person was rude.  Being disabled doesn't mean never having to wait in line, or wait one's turn.

No, but on the other hand, the stall shouldn't be for changing. While a quick change would be fine, I think it is rude to be in their significantly longer than someone using the bathroom. If you are going to be a while, I would say it is less rude to use the regular stall.

[Jones]

I have often wondered about using a diaper changing table when it is in the handicapped stall. I guarantee it can take longer to change a diaper on a little wiggler than it does for an non-handicapped adult to use the facility.

[rashea]

I have often wondered about using a diaper changing table when it is in the handicapped stall. I guarantee it can take longer to change a diaper on a little wiggler than it does for an non-handicapped adult to use the facility.

If it's the only one in the room, then that's another thing the stall is used for. It's not ideal, but I wouldn't call it rude. I've petitioned many places to not put the changing table in that stall though.

[whatsanenigma]

I had a very embarrassing experience involving the handicapped stall once that I'm still not entirely sure what to make of.

I won't get into the TMI details here, but long story short, I legitimately needed to be in a bathroom stall for a few minutes longer than the standard, expected time. This was in a fast food place.  I always feel somewhat guilty already whenever this happens because of taking up so much time, but in this case I did not feel nearly so bad, because there were, in fact, two stalls.  One regular and one handicapped.  So, I went into the regular stall, and...began the proceedings.

Almost immediately after this, a woman walked into the bathroom, and just...stood there.  Didn't knock, so I suppose it was clear that my stall was occupied.  She just stood there, and stood there...even after over 5 minutes, and even though no one else came into the restroom, she just stood there.

Finally, when I finished my business and was washing my hands, she went into the stall I had been in and proceeded to do her own business.  I felt really bad because she clearly had such strong feelings about not using the handicapped stall that she was waiting on mine! And I noticed she had on the uniform of the fast food place, so I wondered if she had just spent all of her break time waiting on me or what.

I still don't think I did the wrong thing.  Had I known in advance what would happen, I would have used the handicapped stall instead.  But I can't read minds.  Odds were much better that a person in legitimate need of the handicapped version of a stall would have come in, than what actually happened, I think!  But I still feel really weird about it.

Bottom line, I think some people take this handicapped stall thing, not too seriously, I wouldn't say, but seriously in the wrong way. So we get situations like mine, and like the OP's where somebody felt the need to not mind her own business.  And I think the OP handled it very well!  It wasn't anybody else's business if she was handicapped or not or what the nature of that handicap might be.  Ms. Busybody got exactly the reaction she deserved.

[drebay]

The stall is like the accessable lane at the grocery store.  It is wider for wheelchairs.  If only people in wheelchairs were allowed to use it, most of the time the cashier would just be standing there.  I agree with accessable does not equal only.

[Hillia]

Years ago, I had an elderly lady make loud comments to her husband about how awful I was for using the 'crippled' lane (the accessible checkout lane at a store). I just chuckled to myself.

[quiescent]

I use the handicapped stall over regular ones all the time for two reasons. One is that I find regular stalls claustrophobic, and the other reason is that usually the handicapped stall is both at the end of the line of stalls and has the gaps in the door positioned somewhere other than directly in front of the toilet. I don't like that most regular stalls have gaps around the doors that people can see me inside the stall through.

[Claire]

This incident happened about fifteen years ago shortly after I returned to work after having DD. I was still nursing and had to go on a business trip. I had to change planes and when I landed, my breasts were huge and aching. I had a small hand pump in my carry-on bag, so I headed to the ladies' room to express some milk to relieve the pressure. I went into a handicapped stall to have a bit more room.  I had only been in there for a few minutes when I heard someone yelling at me to get out of the stall. I hurriedly fixed my shirt, etc. (dumped the milk in the toilet) and came out. There was a irate woman in a wheelchair cursing at me for daring to use that stall. I tried to stammer an explanation but she was having none of it. I was mortified.  I have never been able to decide whether or not I was in the wrong for using the stall.

[kckgirl]

Claire, the rude person was the one in the wheelchair. She should have either knocked on the door to ask if you would be much longer, because she needed the only stall available to her, or just asked through the door. When she started yelling, she was nothing but rude. You didn't owe her any explanation and didn't need to offer one.