The Problem with Accessible Toilets
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Good afternoon!
A few years ago, when I first started using a wheelchair, I had a frightening experience when using an accessible loo. I got stuck and needed to pull the emergency pull-cord, which ended up being faulty. I was found on the floor six hours later!
I now work for BBC Wales and want to highlight the problem with accessible toilets.
It might be that the toilet was out of order, full of furniture or faulty/missing pull-cord!
I'm particularly looking for people in Wales to take part in this project.
Please share your stories and let me know if you would be happy to talk to me!
Comments
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Im not from Wales but I used toilets in Wales whilst on holiday and like England some of my biggest issues are:
Toilet not the right shape /size making it difficult to manoeuvre in a wheelchair
Dual use with change station means bins in the wrong places
Accessible toilets are quite often dirty, low on toilet roll and soap
In Tenby there was an accessible toilet but it used a key from the council and not a radar key so I couldn't get in and had to struggle to use a non accessible toilet.
Hope that is of some help
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My only curious tale from public toilets was about twenty years ago, in a service station in Kent.
After I transferred onto the loo and removed my trousers I heard a rattling sound coming from the door.
Less than a minute later the door was opened by three female pensioners.
They'd used a 10p coin to open the lock from outside!
A minute or so after they left, the door was again opened by a father and child. They left it open!!
I was living in Liverpool at the time which is close to Wales.
Good luck
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That would be my worst nightmare whilst using any toilet. I always sit there hoping i am safe!
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Find a decent toilet is a hard thing to find nowadays especially that there're less toilets. Disabled toilets combined with Baby changing rooms. No radar key, access to anyone, it wouldn't be so bad if people knew how use the toilet.
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During covid I needed a toilet to fix my knee braces and was told due to covid I was unable to use the toilets even the disabled toilet and I was told I could use the walk in cupboard the coffeehouse used to store their dried goods. I was horrified and was mortified because they really were trying to help and didn't know how to tell them I didn't feel comfortable taking my trousers off in the store cupboard and didn't have anything to sit on. I was so red when I came out of the cupboard and I also had to put the dogs lead under the door with her on the outside. I did find it a bit funny but couldn't go to the coffee shop for a couple of years. P.s. I live in London but thought that might be an 'unusual' story for you
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