I often use the WABS. I can turn around without hitting either wall, and can close the door without straddling the toilet. Most of them are bigger than my entire bathroom. However, the public bathrooms I go to *never *have (visibly) handicapped people in them, and no one has ever been waiting to use it when I’ve been in one. And I’m lightning fast. I would never use one if I thought there was a chance of someone else needing it, and of course families get preference, too.
I use the WABS at work. It’s usually empty and cleaner than the rest of the stalls. I don’t usually use the WABS in other public places unless it’s the only stall open.
I have a bad back, and the higher seat makes standing up easier. I also use them when I need to bring the stroller in - there’s really no other option.
I always give preference to handicapped folks though.
I’ll use one even if it’s not the only one left, if I have a reasonable expectation that there won’t be any handicapped people coming in shortly to use it (for example, in a sparsely populated fast-food restaurant). Since I rarely take more than a minute or two in a public restroom stall, the odds that a handicapped person is going to be so desperate that they need it NOW even if they do happen to come in are so low that I usually don’t worry about it.
I always use the handicapped stall at work, because as far as I know we don’t have any “legitimate users” (in fact, it’s very rare that I see anybody else in the bathroom when I’m in there). It’s bigger and more comfortable/convenient, so I use it. If it ever came to my attention that there was a legitimate user on my floor, I would probably stop doing it just to be safe.
Same here - I get claustrophobic in the normal, tiny stalls.
I’ve never seen a disabled person who wanted to use one either, but I can’t help but be reminded of the Curb Your Enthusiasm episode where this very situation happened to Larry David (with hilarious results, of course).
I voted “other”.
I got to the point, weight wise, where I really wouldn’t fit in many of the smaller “regular” stalls enough to be able to turn around and close the door. So I pretty much had to use the handicapped one. It’s become a habit, and even now that I’ve lost enough weight to fit in a regular stall comfortably, I still tend to head to the handicapped one.
I do check for anyone who’s pregnant, wheelchair bound, crossing their legs, herding small children and/or doing the peepee dance before I go into any stall, though. I’m just generally not in that much of a hurry, and I’d rather let them go ahead of me than feel rushed, whether they need a handicapped stall or a regular one.
I voted for ‘anytime’, though in truth I actually prefer to use the WABS, simply because I enjoy the extra space, and hate being cramped especially when I’m carrying a backpack/umbrella/jacket that I have to put somewhere.
If I didn’t use them, I’d never be able to crap at work. All of the Faculty Men’s Room stalls on campus are WABS.
If there’s a line and someone who looks as if they may need it (ie, obviously disabled, elderly, mother with small child), I’ll leave it for them and wait. Otherwise…I’m rarely more than a minute and if there’s a line and I’ve got to pee, well, I’ll use whatever toilet is available.
Additionally, if I’m, say, visiting my grandmother at the assisted-living home, I’m much less likely to use an accessible stall than if I’m one of two customers in Subway.
At work I use the accessible stall all the time, because A) the other stall is somewhat smaller than a phone booth B) there’s three women in the building and none of us need it and C) I’m used to it, because I use it to change my clothes every morning (I bike to work; I’m not some weirdo who pees herself or something).
I’m a gimp and I use them all the time. Sometimes I am using crutches and sometimes I am in a wheelchair, depending on how shitty my body is working on any given day. I personally prefer those ‘family/handicapped bathrooms’ where it is just a single toilet, and sink in it’s own little bathroom. They are much larger than a handicapped stall and perfect for with a wheelchair.
If there were a line, I’d not use any stall. I’d wait a while, and then come back, and hope the giant, spacious WABS were available. But for those that do wait in lines for stalls and also have no qualms against using the WABS, why even give preference to the handicapped? If you’re next, then you’re next. As said above, it’s accessible, not reserved.
I chose “other” (don’t feel like typing the exact words you used to convey “other”), because, likely as not, the handicapped stall’s my first choice if there are no handicapped people present. In other words, if there are no handicapped people anywhere in sight, and all the stalls are empty, you bet your sweet bippy I’m gonna use the larger handicapped stall.
I’ll use it unless someone is already in there.
I chose other because in many bathrooms the WABS is also where the baby changing station is so I don’t have much choice if I have Junior with me.
If I’m baby free I’ll only use it if there’s no other stall free, and there’s no one who obviously needs it more than I do around (i.e. disabled, wheelchair, mom with stroller, etc.) - in that case I’ll wait for the next available one and let them go first.
Me too. There are only a couple of women who would actually need to use the stall and they’re only there part-time, so when they’re not in, I don’t give using it a second thought; if they are in, I only use the WABS as a last resort. Between three ladies’ rooms there are only seven stalls and two of them are WABS, so it seems rather silly to always avoid using them when there is very little demand for them.
I wanted to add - I’ve recently started pushing a GIANT* stroller around shops and malls and I think this woman was a total twat. I hope you punched her right in the boob, and trust me, if she’s breast feeding it would smart. A LOT.
*(well I assume people think it’s giant - it’s this one: Car Seat Stroller Combos - Baby Travel Systems | Chicco but honestly the ones that you can put the car seat in all tend to be about the same size and when baby is small it’s not great to have to haul him out of his seat if he’s sleeping)
Why give preference to the handicapped? Because I hate to see a grown woman piss or shit in her pants if it can be avoided. Sorry to be so blunt, but really, if someone can’t use the next available stall but only one particular stall, and on top of that may not be able to hold it as long or as well as an able-bodied person, it seems cruel to make them wait. Sure, if there’s no handicapped people around I’ll use it if there’s a crowd, but I’ll be quick about it.
This is a really good point - I recall a similar thread here a few years ago when someone (don’t remember who) related that because of their particular condition they don’t have as much control over their bodily functions as a non disabled person and often need to get in the stall really quickly.
I picked “other.”
I’ll use the WABS if there are no handicapped people waiting, but it doesn’t have to be the only one left. And I’ll let someone handicapped cut in line in front of me if that stall opens up and I’m the first in line. Even if I’m not first, I’ll often let someone in front of me who seems to need to get to the head of the line faster (someone elderly, etc.). Usually, the person at the front of the line will get the idea and also let them move up.
If I have free choice of stall, I choose the cleanest one. It doesn’t make a difference if it’s the regular stall or the wheelchair accessible version.
Other. If I’m by myself (rare), I’ll use a regular stall if one’s free. If the WABS is the only thing open, I’ll use it. I tend not to be in bathrooms with lines much, but if I did see someone waiting who needed the WABS, I would certainly cede it to her.
However, most of the time, I have two little ones with me. One is fairly recently toilet trained, the other is in a stroller and probably in need of a diaper change. So when I’m with them, it’s WABS all the way.