Sunday, March 29, 2009

Mind The Gap.

A few days ago, Brit Gal Sarah, in Oklahoma, posted about the difference between restrooms/toilets in the US and UK and like several others, I commented about the horrendous lack of total privacy due to US door gaps.

Why do these gaps exist anyway ?

When flying back to England last Thursday, I started my trip from Miami airport and had to pay a visit to the restrooms there.  Having my camera with me, I turned off the flash in case anyone wondered what the hell I was doing in my cubicle and took a couple of photos to show the gaps we're all talking about.



Not the best quality I know but there isn't much room to get far enough back in a public loo and I'd no wish to be seen taking a photo from the outside !  You can also see the hook on the back of the door that no one should use unless they have to as it has been known for passing sneak thieves to reach over and remove anything hanging there.

Speaking of privacy, I'd just finished taking the 2nd photo and had put the camera away when, through the gap I saw a man coming towards the door. I was standing up and fully dressed but initially he wasn't to know that. As his face filled my view, his hand appeared over the door, closely followed by his head ! We made brief eye contact and I'm sure mine reflected the shock and surprise I was feeling but he moved away before my anger set in. I picked up my carry on case and left the stall but he must've found an empty one and gone into it as he was nowhere to be seen.

Gap or no gap, that was just not acceptable.

Next morning, over on this side of the pond and thanks to my 11 hour wait at Heathrow, I had to use their restrooms a couple of times and am happy to report the following : they were clean and gap free.

And as no one tried to leap over the door or even limbo under it, I was able to read my paper and have my tea and scones in peace and quiet.

Ahhh it's good to be home.




6 comments:

  1. I was also surprised when I was in America (I've been to AMERICA you know) that there were also huge gaps under the doors - - the old graffiti joke "Beware of limbo dancers" began to seem quite relevant.
    That incident with the man approaching the door does not sound pleasant at all. Grrrr.

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  2. I've noticed those gaps, and I hate 'em too.

    What a shame you'd just put your camera away!! You could have taken some nice flash shots of his ugly mug and passed them over to security.

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  3. By the way ... is that an upside-down footprint on the door? My, these MerryCans can be weird, huh?

    ROFL!

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  4. You actually drink tea and eat scones in a bathroom stall????

    How weird some people are! :)

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  5. Haven't heard it call tea and scones before!
    Used to work with someone who'd tuck his paper under his arm and say he was just popping out to drop the kids of at the pool!

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  6. Goodgod I would scream if somebody did that to me, how rude and threatening! Great piccies of the 'gaps'!

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