# Would you be willing to use a toilet on the hidden side of of one-way mirror? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 27, 2012, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866 "2012-08-27T21:59:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866/1 "2012-08-27T21:59:08Z")
First the [link](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4326340/ns/world_news-weird_news/t/new-way-view-london-toilet/#.UDvr98GPX90), along with a quote from the article: [ > [@](#): > > ]([Bing Maps - Directions, trip planning, traffic cameras & more](http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&where1=LONDON&sty=h&form=msdate))[LONDON](http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&where1=LONDON&sty=h&form=msdate) — Visitors to Britain will find a new stop on London’s site-seeing route this spring: a usable public toilet enclosed in one-way mirrored glass situated on a sidewalk near the[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Georgia] River[/FONT][/COLOR]Thames. The contemporary art exhibit, which allows the user to see out while passers-by cannot peep in, toys with the concepts of privacy and voyeurism There are two pictures in the article, one showing what the toilet looks like from the outside (passersby see only the reflection of things outside the toilet) and the inside (from which vantage one can see the outside clearly). The exhibit in question, incidentally,is from 2003, and presumably no longer in operation. Assuming the toilet were clean, you really had to go,\* and\* that there were probably alternatives available, would you be willing to use it? Why or why not? ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866/2 "2012-08-27T22:07:45Z")
There used to be a bar/restaurant here in town where the men’s room was behind a one-way mirror that was right next to the bar. You could be standing there taking a whiz and look out at someone standing there ordering a drink. It was kind of fun and weird at the same time. ---
**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:** [August 27, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866/3 "2012-08-27T22:08:33Z")
No huhu. A quick check to make sure the glass was really one-way, even under different lighting, and “Bomb’s Away!” ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866/4 "2012-08-27T22:17:32Z")
You left out the middle ground between “no problem” and “only if desperate.” I’d be mildly reluctant, but would manage to overcome this by a process of reasoning. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866/5 "2012-08-27T22:21:28Z")
I’ve been to a few places that have those. Not that unique. One was a bar in Vancouver. It also had a peep hole between the men’s and women’s restrooms…visible both ways. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866/6 "2012-08-27T22:44:41Z")
If I’m seriously desparate, and I really, REALLY had to go. ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866/7 "2012-08-27T23:03:51Z")
no problem in principle; in practice I try to avoid public toilets anyway but wouldn’t necessarily avoid this more than a normal one (my decision on whether to like it more or less than a normal one is whether I judge it to be cleaned more or less than others versus it being used for “sexual deviancy” more or less than others. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866/8 "2012-08-27T23:12:58Z")
Assuming perfect invisibility, no problem ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866/9 "2012-08-27T23:13:50Z")
> [@Simple\_Linctus](#): > > no problem in principle; in practice I try to avoid public toilets anyway but wouldn’t necessarily avoid this more than a normal one (my decision on whether to like it more or less than a normal one is whether I judge it to be cleaned more or less than others versus it being used for “sexual deviancy” more or less than others. Yeah, this. I imagine the appeal would be sexual more than anything else, so only if I had to. But if I had to, I would. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866/10 "2012-08-27T23:30:36Z")
Sure. There’s a toilet in a Darwin restaurant where the back wall of the men’s urinal is a two way mirror facing out to the diners. You get to aim at people you don’t like. Lots of fun :). ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866/11 "2012-08-27T23:55:13Z")
Completely _willing_, but maybe not completely able. I’ve got a shy bladder, and have a hard time peeing if I know someone can hear. Actually seeing them might cause me to seize up. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866/12 "2012-08-28T00:16:07Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866/13 "2012-08-28T00:17:33Z")
There’s a club here which has one way glass above the men’s urinals, which looks out on the main floor area. The spot right in front of the glass is one of the only well-lit areas, so girls often pause to check their hair/makeup in the mirror. Very disconcerting to take a whizz while some chick puts on lipstick eight inches in front of you. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866/14 "2012-08-28T02:26:10Z")
Me am skeptical. These one-way windows, one-way mirrors depend very much on the relative lighting on both sides – must generally be dim light on the see-through side and bright light on the reflecting side, for it to work well. Thus, at night, if this loo is lit up inside, it might even work in reverse! Even in the day time, with no extra light inside, you could peek through the mirrored side by putting your face right up to the glass with your hands around your eyes to shade the excess light – [like this photo](http://karenpaynetableforone.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/man_peering_through_window_of_closed_store_42-16795787.jpg) I’ve seen one-way mirrors where you could do that. Maybe if the adjust the density of the silvering, they could make it not work that way. NOW would you use this loo? ETA: Ditto those bars where you look out through the urinals to watch the girls putting on their faces on the other side. If they look really up close, what will they see? ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866/15 "2012-08-28T02:55:01Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > There’s a club here which has one way glass above the men’s urinals, which looks out on the main floor area. The spot right in front of the glass is one of the only well-lit areas, so girls often pause to check their hair/makeup in the mirror. Very disconcerting to take a whizz while some chick puts on lipstick eight inches in front of you. Jerome Bettis’ Grill in Pittsburgh and my husband said exactly the same thing. And yes, if you put your face to the glass and shield your eyes, you can see the dimmed image of the guys in the bathroom. Please don’t ask me how I know this. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866/16 "2012-08-28T03:26:16Z")
Most random hypothetical ever. ---
**Author:** ![Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/43a26b/32.png) [@Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pine_Fresh_Scent)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866/17 "2012-08-28T03:37:44Z")
After seeing the Dutch version of a [Port-A-John](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=I0P9wR89hEk&NR=1) at a 2003 airshow, an enclosed toilet of any kind is no big deal. They had these things set up next to the food tents with families all about. That day, I discovered what a prude I am. ---
**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:** [August 28, 2012, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866/18 "2012-08-28T03:48:30Z")
I saw a clip on “World’s Dumbest” (think it was one of the Partiers episodes) that had an open trough as a men’s urinal at a music festival, and I’m pretty sure it was in Europe (reporter in the clip was Dutch, IIRC). Noteworthy in part for the drunk who staggered out of a Port-a-John and tried to wash his hands in it, and the stunned (female) reporter who asked another male nearby to confirm whether it was a urinal (he did, undertones of “well, duh!” in his response). ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866/19 "2012-08-28T03:58:00Z")
I’d pee anywhere people weren’t checking out my junk. Poo, I dunno. I’d probably get shy sphincter or something. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866/20 "2012-08-28T04:30:24Z")
Most of the “one-way glass” I’ve encountered has actually been two-way if the lighting is wrong or if you get up close enough. Maybe I just dealt with poor-quality materials, but I wouldn’t trust it. So, no. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-use-a-toilet-on-the-hidden-side-of-of-one-way-mirror/632866.md?page=2)