# Trapped in a bathroom: did she over-react? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 12, 2013, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191 "2013-12-12T19:51:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191/161 "2013-12-16T14:07:19Z")
> [@MrDurden](#): > > I love how this thread basically breaks down into: She was black and crazy and did damage. > > OR > > She was a person and was trapped and damaged some drywall to get out. Huh? So far as I recall, you’re the first person in the thread to mention skin color, and might well be the only person who even cares how much melanin the woman in question has. I certainly don’t care about her pigmentation. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191/162 "2013-12-16T14:36:09Z")
> [@MrDurden](#): > > I love how this thread basically breaks down into: She was black and crazy and did damage. > > OR > > She was a person and was trapped and damaged some drywall to get out. Speaking as the OP, I didn’t know she’s black. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191/163 "2013-12-16T14:40:34Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > It’s called claustrophobia. And the panic that ensues cannot be explained to you unless you’ve experienced. It cannot be rationalized away. And it doesn’t just go away after the door is open. It’s a mental state that is measured in degrees. I understand how a person might panic when there’s no objective danger. But that panic, regardless of its source, is still an over-reaction to the actual situation. And it certainly doesn’t excuse the media reporting on this incident as if the danger was genuine. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191/164 "2013-12-16T15:08:11Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > It’s not clear from the article, but I don’t think it was an actual door lock. It was not locked with a mechanical lock that needed a key to open. Rather, the handle became stuck or broken. It is probably more correct to say she was trapped in the bathroom. > > The article said she opened the door by reaching around to the outside and turning the door handle. That would imply that it was not an actual lock which prevented the door from opening. It would be useless to have a bathroom which was locked from outside yet could be opened from the outside without a key. Some bathroom doors do have locks on the outside, such as in a park, but a key would be needed to lock and unlock the door. It would seem that in this case the inner handle broke and could not open the door, but it was not literally locked. Yep. But the picture looks like there is a dead bolt on the door. But she was able to get out by reaching around and turning the handle. So the handle probably failed from the inside. Shit happens. The only thing she did wrong is waiting to long. As others said, it was a great idea to try to get attention by sliding paper towels under the door. I certainly would not have waited 8 hours before getting out. A Friday night? Gonna be locked in all weekend? Um no. Time for total MacGyver mode. And it may not have been as easy as some suggest. It was a good thing that she found that pipe (or whatever it was). ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191/165 "2013-12-16T15:17:03Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > Huh? So far as I recall, you’re the first person in the thread to mention skin color, and might well be the only person who even cares how much melanin the woman in question has. I certainly don’t care about her pigmentation. Well, **magiver** did mention how _those folks_ like to destroy property. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191/166 "2013-12-16T16:11:09Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I understand how a person might panic when there’s no objective danger. But that panic, regardless of its source, is still an over-reaction to the actual situation. And it certainly doesn’t excuse the media reporting on this incident as if the danger was genuine. Claustrophobia isn’t an over reaction. That would be a deliberate act. And the news folks may have made it sound dramatic but I’d be damned if I’d wait for more than a few minutes of banging on the door on a Friday night before I started tearing shit up. There is no excuse for putting a lock on the outside of a door without an interior hand mechanism to open it. None. She had every right to do what she did. They’re lucky she didn’t sue over it. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191/167 "2013-12-16T16:23:56Z")
Maybe she’s waiting for the right offer. If she went to shit, you must submit! ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191/168 "2013-12-16T18:01:43Z")
Was busting out an overreaction, hell no, I’d have done it hours earlier. Were her statements to the press a little over-dramatic, sure, but who cares. Am I the only one that :rolleyes: at the Shawshank comparison. She opened up the wall enough to reach her hand through…that’s hardly what I would consider “tunneling out.” ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191/169 "2013-12-16T18:08:01Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I think you got whooshed. I hope you got whooshed! 🙂 Yep, he very definitely got whooshed. I thought of including a [/sarcasm] tag, but decided it would deflate the sarcasm too much. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_York](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_York](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_York)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191/170 "2013-12-16T22:36:50Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Claustrophobia isn’t an over reaction. That would be a deliberate act. > > And the news folks may have made it sound dramatic but I’d be damned if I’d wait for more than a few minutes of banging on the door on a Friday night before I started tearing shit up. There is no excuse for putting a lock on the outside of a door without an interior hand mechanism to open it. None. She had every right to do what she did. They’re lucky she didn’t sue over it. That’s my thoughts exactly. I wouldn’t panic, I’d just be highly pissed off, and do what’s necessary to free myself. I certainly would not be prepared to sit in a toilet for over 2 days. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191/171 "2013-12-16T22:54:18Z")
How many of us would wait eight hours? Note to self: never ever leave cell phone behind. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191/172 "2013-12-16T22:57:16Z")
> [@SmellMyWort](#): > > Was busting out an overreaction, hell no, I’d have done it hours earlier. > Were her statements to the press a little over-dramatic, sure, but who cares. > Am I the only one that :rolleyes: at the Shawshank comparison. She opened up the wall enough to reach her hand through…that’s hardly what I would consider “tunneling out.” Frankly I’m impressed with what she did. I would have gone straight through the wall without even thinking about the lock mechanism. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191/173 "2013-12-16T23:55:08Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Frankly I’m impressed with what she did. I would have gone straight through the wall without even thinking about the lock mechanism. Me too. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191/174 "2013-12-17T00:09:41Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Frankly I’m impressed with what she did. I would have gone straight through the wall without even thinking about the lock mechanism. I would have expected more from you. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191/175 "2013-12-17T00:11:02Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Frankly I’m impressed with what she did. I would have gone straight through the wall without even thinking about the lock mechanism. I’m picturing the Kool-Aid pitcher. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191/176 "2013-12-17T00:14:10Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > I would have expected more from you. I was thinking some kind of rudimentary tunneling machine built out of plumbing fixtures and cleaning supplies. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191/177 "2013-12-17T00:16:55Z")
Personally, I would have tried to find a more clever way out. Take apart the handle, pop the hinges, go through the vents. But I guess since it was a black woman trapped, I shoot expect that. There you go MrDurden. Just so you have something to be all self righteous about. Your welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191/178 "2013-12-17T00:44:32Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I was thinking some kind of rudimentary tunneling machine built out of plumbing fixtures and cleaning supplies. Well making explosives is frowned upon these days. Go figure. I probably would have looked up to see if there was a false ceiling but generally bathrooms are assembled with one way screws so you can’t take stuff apart. Not sure why anyone would steal a stall door unless it was to smash through a wall. I hate to admit this but I actually locked myself into a bathroom while installing a door handle. I swung the door shut to see if it latched properly and as the door was closing I saw the screwdriver I needed on the other side. Fortunately it was the kind of mechanism that you could slip a piece of metal in and retract. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191/179 "2013-12-17T00:49:44Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Personally, I would have tried to find a more clever way out. Take apart the handle, pop the hinges, go through the vents. But I guess since it was a black woman trapped, I shoot expect that. > > There you go MrDurden. Just so you have something to be all self righteous about. Your welcome. Boy Scout preparedness mental note, carry screwdriver or black woman into restroom when working late. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191/180 "2013-12-17T01:06:07Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > i’m picturing the kool-aid pitcher. oh yeah! 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trapped-in-a-bathroom-did-she-over-react/676191.md?page=10)