# Ever accidently walk into the wrong public restroom (or have someone walk in on you)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 2, 2016, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521 "2016-08-02T02:05:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521/1 "2016-08-02T02:05:03Z")
I can only recall one incident, years ago, when a woman walked in while I was watering down the porcelain. She gave a quick shriek and exited immediately. I didn’t even get a look at her face. There must be some more interesting stories than this one out there. Whatta ya got? mmm ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521/2 "2016-08-02T02:15:44Z")
In high school, I walked smack dab into the room where the girls were changing to get Senior pictures taken (you know, those off-the-shoulder coverlet dealies). No one said “Boo.” I spun on one heel, a quick “Sorry, excuse me” and I was gone. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521/3 "2016-08-02T02:46:42Z")
Once, in college. Waked in, thought to myself ‘hmm, wonder when they put couches in here, nice’ (yes, I know couches=women’s bathroom). Before I used it I noticed a condom machine. Thinking that was odd, I looked at it closer and realized it wasn’t a condom machine it was a tampon machine and quickly exited. I thought I was going crazy, but thinking back, I’d used that bathroom plenty of times. However, it was right next to the (mostly female) admin office, so they must have changed it over. A (bigger) sign would have been nice. I really doubt I was the only person to make that mistake that day/week. I assure you, those couches and the ‘condom’/tampon machine were not there in the weeks/years I had been using the bathroom previously. It was not a women’s bathroom the week before, they changed it over the weekend. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521/4 "2016-08-02T06:39:28Z")
Both situations more than once. Sometimes I be real stupid or not paying a penny’s worth of attention. There was one day I shall never forget. I had so many emotions going through me all at once. I happened to be the only on around one day at my Mom’s when she was about 88 or so and She asked me to help use the rest room. Then a little later she wanted a shower so I had to help her with that too. During that she went very still, turned her head and smiled a funny little smile and was looking at me with bright clear eyes that I had not seen from her for many a year and said, “You are a good son, Gus.” Then we went back to getting her clean. Later that day I realized that no matter when she would actually leave us, that our last goodby’s were done and we were good. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521/5 "2016-08-02T06:51:21Z")
I was using a urinal in the Palace of Versailles, France by the door, when someone walked out past me. Immediately, a French woman walked in and went into the recently vacated cubicle. No one batted an eyelid as a stream of women from the very long queue for the Ladies used the cubicles in the Men’s room. Happened at a busy roadside services, too. Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521/6 "2016-08-02T09:08:48Z")
Once, earlier this year. I was driving from Seattle to Portland and pulled into a truck stop to use the bathroom and get something to drink. I stepped into the bathroom, found it odd that there weren’t any urinals, and just then a big and burly female trucker emerged from a stall in front of me. I immediately said something to the effect of “Oh God, I’m in the wrong bathroom, sorry”, covered my eyes, and stared at the floor as I made my way out. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521/7 "2016-08-02T09:21:39Z")
Covered your eyes? Really? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521/8 "2016-08-02T09:28:56Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Covered your eyes? Really? Yes, really. I was embarrassed and didn’t want to cause any further offense. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521/9 "2016-08-02T09:36:51Z")
I would have been more offended by the gesture than by your walking in. It’s a bathroom, not a harem. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521/10 "2016-08-02T10:22:43Z")
In a hotel in Madeira, where men’s and women’s were on opposite sides of a corridor, I was surprised to find an elderly lady coming in as I was going out. As she turned and exited in some embarrassment, she ran into her husband who was coming out of the opposite door. Admittedly, the graphics on the doors were a bit ambiguous. And it gave us all a laugh. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521/11 "2016-08-02T11:10:09Z")
I was in a bar that had two restrooms with crappy dog cut-outs on the doors. I _really_ needed to pee, and I couldn’t figure out which room to use, so I picked one. After I was done, a woman walked in. She laughed at my embarrassment/confusion and explained that the dog silhouettes were constantly misunderstood. One was a pointer, one a setter. In dim bar lighting they looked identical. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521/12 "2016-08-02T11:37:37Z")
Back when I was wearing hard contacts I got some junk on on and had to rush into a bathroom in a department store to take it out. I finished that, then noticed there was only one child-sized urinal, thought it was odd and left, almost walking into a woman coming in. Ooops. A better story happened to a policeman friend who responded in plainclothes to a report of a man using the women’s room. He went in and was peeking under the doors to see if there was the suspect when some women came in. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521/13 "2016-08-02T12:13:17Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > One was a pointer, one a setter. In dim bar lighting they looked identical. Because it was the different breeds of dogs that cause the problem? ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521/14 "2016-08-02T12:40:35Z")
The building I used to work at in Charlotte had 3 floors, and a set of bathrooms on each floor. Every Friday I would go to the 3rd floor to work because it was a “free thinking” kind-of space and Fridays were usually dull. Having gone up there for weeks on end, I knew the men’s was on the left, the women’s on the right. One time I had to do a numbah 2, but the stall was taken. So I went down a floor, went to the left, and noticed the urinals weren’t there, so I quickly left the bathroom. Why the building designers decided to switch the bathroom locations on different floors is beyond me. Thank God no one saw me/was in the bathroom at the time. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521/15 "2016-08-02T12:53:04Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Because it was the different breeds of dogs that cause the problem? Pointer=men’s Setter(sitter)=women’s Or am I missing some deeper meaning? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521/16 "2016-08-02T13:35:28Z")
I go into the library women’s room, which has two stalls, one being used. I go into the unoccupied one, and notice the feet in the other stall are pointed the wrong way. And the person is peeing buckets. I finish and go out to wash hands. The other stall door opens, and out walks a young MAN. He looks at me and says “Is this the ladies bathroom?” I have an inspirational thought, go open the inner door, then the outer door, so he can see the sign. I say “Yes.” He exits out the door I’m holding without saying another word (or washing his hands). ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521/17 "2016-08-02T14:13:06Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I was in a bar that had two restrooms with crappy dog cut-outs on the doors. I _really_ needed to pee, and I couldn’t figure out which room to use, so I picked one. > > After I was done, a woman walked in. She laughed at my embarrassment/confusion and explained that the dog silhouettes were constantly misunderstood. One was a pointer, one a setter. In dim bar lighting they looked identical. Old Warner Bros. cartoon about dog breeds: This is either a setter pointing, or a pointer setting, or a, oh, to heck with it…here’s a poinsettia! ---
**Author:** ![SUZ\_MAC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e8cbc/32.png) [@SUZ\_MAC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SUZ_MAC)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521/18 "2016-08-02T20:24:40Z")
Yes I have. Many times … only on purpose. Ladies know that going to concerts or sports events at big arena’s can be challenging due to long lines. Small bars with one stall bathrooms are even worse. Watch the door I’m goin’ in ! Of course you try to plan ahead, but it doesn’t always work out that way. ---
**Author:** ![spamforbrains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@spamforbrains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spamforbrains)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521/19 "2016-08-02T20:37:49Z")
I have frequently and deliberately used men’s bathrooms. The reason being the women’s bathroom line is too long. No one says a thing or acts upset about it at all. Once our sports team was not given a changing room at the location (due to sexism, the men had a lovely locker room) so we kicked all of the men out of the bathroom and changed there. Our coach was a very scary woman. ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521/20 "2016-08-02T21:07:29Z")
Here’s my bathroom policy: I don’t give two flying farts who is in the room as long as everyone is behaving correctly. I’ve walked in to use the “ladies” room when male janitors are in there cleaning, doesn’t bother me. They need to get their work done, and I need to answer the call of nature. If I can go in there while the female janitor is cleaning the sinks, why do can’t I do the same thing when the male janitor is cleaning the sinks? So with that baseline attitude, this happened a few weeks ago. I was at a beer tasting event at a local yummy brewery. Had to use the loo. Because the bathrooms are small, and the crowd was large, they’d taped a sign to the men’s room saying something along the lines of “due to the crowd size today we ask the men to use the portapotties outside and leave this room for the ladies”. So I walk in. There’s a guy in there washing his hands in the sink. See my policy - I don’t even hesitate as I walk into a stall and close the door. It apparently freaked him out a bit because he said “I’ll be out in a minute”. I told him through the stall walls “That’s fine, don’t worry about it” and proceed about my business. A minute later he leaves and as he’s going out the door he calls out “it’s all yours now”. I suspect he was being a bit sarcastic because I didn’t wait for him to finish washing up. But I was like “whatever, dude”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-accidently-walk-into-the-wrong-public-restroom-or-have-someone-walk-in-on-you/761521.md?page=2)