# So, what's up with New Jersey Rest Areas having no bathrooms? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 16, 2017, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-new-jersey-rest-areas-having-no-bathrooms/801741 "2017-11-16T03:02:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-new-jersey-rest-areas-having-no-bathrooms/801741/21 "2017-11-17T10:43:42Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > We had one near me that was open for a while after one of our nutbag politicians closed down the restrooms because they were allegedly being used by gay men for hookups. I’m not sure that’s a nutbag reason. Is your local government area obliged to provide facilities for recreational sex? The rest-room near where I lived was unusable as a toilet, because it was fully occupied by guys hooking up. I wasn’t offended that it was closed for that reason: t was already unusable for any other purpose. I /was/ offended by the pretence our nutbag politicians made that it was being closed so that it could (20 years later and still counting) be replaced by handicapped-accessable facilities. They were afraid (reasonably) that if they admitted the real reason for closure, people would condem them for doing so. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-new-jersey-rest-areas-having-no-bathrooms/801741/22 "2017-11-17T10:51:46Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Etymology. > > Sorry to nitpick, but it was really bugging me. Ching! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-new-jersey-rest-areas-having-no-bathrooms/801741/23 "2017-11-17T12:02:26Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **Kimstu** : > > Etymology. > > Sorry to nitpick, but it was really bugging me. No, that was a word you were picking, not a nit. Completely different fields of study. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-new-jersey-rest-areas-having-no-bathrooms/801741/24 "2017-11-17T13:06:25Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Etymology. > > Sorry to nitpick, but it was really bugging me. Someone has a bee in their bonnet. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-new-jersey-rest-areas-having-no-bathrooms/801741/25 "2017-11-17T16:29:44Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > I’m not sure that’s a nutbag reason. Is your local government area obliged to provide facilities for recreational sex? If they are, they could at least provide a bed or something instead of making people do it in a toilet stall. I’m picturing a bathroom so filled with piles of writhing guys that you can’t squeeze through to reach the urinals… ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-new-jersey-rest-areas-having-no-bathrooms/801741/26 "2017-11-17T16:39:26Z")
Well, I’d guess that there _are no_ bathrooms in New Jersey. Or, _all Joisey issa bat’room._ You pick. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-new-jersey-rest-areas-having-no-bathrooms/801741/27 "2017-11-17T16:45:44Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > I’m not sure that’s a nutbag reason. Is your local government area obliged to provide facilities for recreational sex? > > The rest-room near where I lived was unusable as a toilet, because it was fully occupied by guys hooking up. I wasn’t offended that it was closed for that reason: t was already unusable for any other purpose. > > I /was/ offended by the pretence our nutbag politicians made that it was being closed so that it could (20 years later and still counting) be replaced by handicapped-accessable facilities. They were afraid (reasonably) that if they admitted the real reason for closure, people would condem them for doing so. This happened shortly after I moved here so I don’t know if it was a real problem or just a nutbag politician as people told me. I am always surprised that anyone can have sex in these places, they’re usually so disgusting i can barely stand to use them for their intended purpose. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-new-jersey-rest-areas-having-no-bathrooms/801741/28 "2017-11-17T18:34:01Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > This happened shortly after I moved here so I don’t know if it was a real problem or just a nutbag politician as people told me. I am always surprised that anyone can have sex in these places, they’re usually so disgusting i can barely stand to use them for their intended purpose. That bit about gay sex at rest stops was a joke and an urban legend 30 years ago, and parodied in “Something About Mary”. Everyone knows it really happens in airport washrooms. ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-new-jersey-rest-areas-having-no-bathrooms/801741/29 "2017-11-17T19:40:25Z")
It seems that pretty much all highway (autoroute) rest areas in Quebec have toilets, except for a few that are just lookouts. ([Handy guide here.](http://www.quebec511.info/en/Diffusion/Haltes/Default.aspx)) That’s probably for the best: Imagine stopping in winter, attempting to enter the woods to pee, then sinking into hip-deep snow :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-new-jersey-rest-areas-having-no-bathrooms/801741/30 "2017-11-17T20:21:44Z")
I’ve seen some labeled cell phone area. Get of the highway to talk. All that entomology upthread! ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-new-jersey-rest-areas-having-no-bathrooms/801741/31 "2017-11-17T22:52:23Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > No, no its not and that is pretty insulting for GQ. Not funny, just small minded and stupid. > > ETA: Removed inappropriate word. Ah, c’mon! You know I don’t mean it. And you would have loved it if Jon Stewart had said it. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-new-jersey-rest-areas-having-no-bathrooms/801741/32 "2017-11-17T22:55:37Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Ah, c’mon! You know I don’t mean it. And you would have loved it if Jon Stewart had said it. Well probably not even Jon Stewart, but he at least earned his right to pick on New Jersey, by tolerating it all these years. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-new-jersey-rest-areas-having-no-bathrooms/801741.md?page=1)