# Why do so many bathrooms have tamper resistant screws? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 30, 2005, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-bathrooms-have-tamper-resistant-screws/314847 "2005-07-30T03:28:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Thin\_Lizzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9a140/32.png) [@Thin\_Lizzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thin_Lizzy)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-bathrooms-have-tamper-resistant-screws/314847/1 "2005-07-30T03:28:35Z")
Have you ever noticed that bathroom stalls are put together with one way or tamper resistant screws? Why? Before they started using them was there an epidemic of people taking apart bathroom stalls? and besides what if you have to take it apart one day? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-bathrooms-have-tamper-resistant-screws/314847/2 "2005-07-30T03:40:55Z")
Some people get bored easily, and like to take things a-part to pass the time. More here: [Things that require non-standard or unconventional tools](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=297265) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-bathrooms-have-tamper-resistant-screws/314847/3 "2005-07-30T03:43:53Z")
Hell, I’m a respectable teacher-type, and even I’ve been tempted to take apart a bathroom stall as a prank. The difference is…I know where to get the necessary tools for the job! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-bathrooms-have-tamper-resistant-screws/314847/4 "2005-07-30T03:46:14Z")
> [@Thin Lizzy](#): > > what if you have to take it apart one day? Boy, if I had a nickel… ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-bathrooms-have-tamper-resistant-screws/314847/5 "2005-07-30T05:54:15Z")
Are you kidding? With the amount of grafitti and general defacing of toilet stalls going on, you don’t think someone would find it humerous to disassemble it slowly, one screw at a time? ---
**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:** [July 30, 2005, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-bathrooms-have-tamper-resistant-screws/314847/6 "2005-07-30T05:58:46Z")
At my very first job. Wendy’s. I actually got extra hours, converting the Stall to tamper proof’s as someone had snuck the old stall door out. Weird prank. I thought it was kind of funny back then, but was only 17. So as I was driveway mechanic, manager asked if I willing to make change over. Much cheaper to pay me couple of extra hours at $3.40 then a real handyman/installer type. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-bathrooms-have-tamper-resistant-screws/314847/7 "2005-07-30T06:03:27Z")
A selection of “security” bits for your drill is a handy thing to have. Especially the Torx bits. They put up all sorts of signs with those… ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-bathrooms-have-tamper-resistant-screws/314847/8 "2005-07-30T11:06:21Z")
> [@Electronic Chaos](#): > > Are you kidding? With the amount of grafitti and general defacing of toilet stalls going on, you don’t think someone would find it humerous to disassemble it slowly, one screw at a time? To expand on this, bathrooms are relatively secluded, low-traffic areas with no video security. They are a tempting target for vandals. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-bathrooms-have-tamper-resistant-screws/314847/9 "2005-07-30T15:11:57Z")
On a slightly related note, I’ve noticed that most trailers and RVs use screws with a square hole in the middle of the head. Similar to a Torx screw but square instead of six-sided. Anyone know how or why this convention got started? ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-bathrooms-have-tamper-resistant-screws/314847/10 "2005-07-30T15:25:07Z")
> [@FatBaldGuy](#): > > On a slightly related note, I’ve noticed that most trailers and RVs use screws with a square hole in the middle of the head. Similar to a Torx screw but square instead of six-sided. Anyone know how or why this convention got started? That’s a Robertson head screw. I see them a lot in furniture and cabinets. From [About.com](http://inventors.about.com/od/sstartinventions/a/screwdriver.htm) > [@](#): > > Robertson Screw > In 1908, square-drive screws were invented by Canadian P. L. Robertson. Twenty-eight years before Henry Phillips patented his Phillips head screws, which are also square-drive screws.The Robertson screw is considered the “first recess-drive type fastener practical for production usage.” The design became a North American standard, as published in the sixth edition of Industrial Fasteners Institute Metric and Inch Standards. A square-drive head on a screw can be better than a slot head because the screwdriver will not slip out of the screw’s head during installation. The Model T car made by the Ford Motor Company (one of Robertson’s first customers) used over seven hundred Robertson screws. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-bathrooms-have-tamper-resistant-screws/314847/11 "2005-07-30T18:00:50Z")
Face it. There are all too many indiviuals who take great pleasure in making life difficult for others, namely those who have to keep things working and in “Ship-Shape” condition for others to use and enjoy. \*\*A pox upon them, one and all. \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-bathrooms-have-tamper-resistant-screws/314847/12 "2005-07-30T18:25:33Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > Face it. There are all too many indiviuals who take great pleasure in making life difficult for others… Plus, If you’re looking for assholes, a bathroom stall is a _great_ place to find them! 😉