accessing disabled toilets

danish

How many times when we find a disabled toilet do you have getting in and out. I find it very frustrating when you are lucky to find a toilet that is serving a purpose to accommodate disabled people and you can not either get in or out. It may sound stupid to some people, but as I need a mobility scooter to get around can not open the door. Even if you can reach the access handle it is impossible to open as my scooter blocks the opening and you have to get someone to come and open the door and hold it while you enter. Equally it can be the same getting out and then you find yourself stuck inside and have to painfully manoeuvre myself in a position to gain access to the door lock and then when open struggle to get into my scooter before it shuts again. Who ever designs the accesses are obviously not disabled or taken into account how they can be accessed

CockneyRebel

Hi danish and welcome

Thank you so much for your post. To be honest, I had never thought about the problem you have with using a scooter. I am sure that we have members that will know what you are gong through.
It does sound like a design fault which should be flagged up to the people responsible for providing these facilities

CR

steve51

Hi @danish

Welcome aboard our website/online community.

Yes to everything that you have mentioned.

Me & my electric scooters have been in many scrapes belive me.

Yes these need flagging up but too "who & where"

Sam_Alumni

Hi @danish I agree! There are so many badly designed accessible toilets!

Have you seen the Changing Places toilets? They are meant to be truly accessible for all, what do you think? 

Nystagmite

I've come across some accessible toilets which are tiny! They're fine if you only need someone with you (or your assistance dog) or need the toilet quickly, rather than being a scooter or wheelchair user. Very strange indeed.

Nannalill

I use a rollator and don't have access to disabled toilets and it can be very acward to get into the toilets when I am on my own. Normally I have my daughter with me and she looks after my rollator while I go to the loo. I don't know how to access disabled  toilets.

Nannalill

Somebody should tell the government's that they should make the council make the toilets acsesible to all disabled people wether their disability is visible or not.

Topkitten

I think you are correct Nannalill. Most things designed for the disabled are thought out (or not) by healthy people who have little or no real experience of disability. However, it is not just design that is at fault. Many times I have to wait while someone completely healthy is using the disabled facilities simply because they are too lazy to use the normal ones. I also find that young children are encouraged by parents to use the disability facilities often leaving them in a disgusting state which the parents do nothing about. There are times I will simply walk away rather than use them. Fortunately I can still walk short distances.

Society as a whole seems to have little regard to the problems we face and some maybe even resent the fact that special places are needed by anyone except themselves. Staff too need to be educated in their understanding of why such places are needed.

TK

Nystagmite

Topkitten said:

I think you are correct Nannalill. Most things designed for the disabled are thought out (or not) by healthy people who have little or no real experience of disability. However, it is not just design that is at fault. Many times I have to wait while someone completely healthy is using the disabled facilities simply because they are too lazy to use the normal ones. I also find that young children are encouraged by parents to use the disability facilities often leaving them in a disgusting state which the parents do nothing about. There are times I will simply walk away rather than use them. Fortunately I can still walk short distances.

Society as a whole seems to have little regard to the problems we face and some maybe even resent the fact that special places are needed by anyone except themselves. Staff too need to be educated in their understanding of why such places are needed.

TK

How do you know they're completely healthy? I look healthy. But you can't see the bladder or bowel problems. I also have hyperacusis which means that the hand driers hurt.

CockneyRebel

Sadly there also seems to be a lack of knowledge in many places of the "Just can't wait "  scheme, which then makes an embarasing problem even worse and the need even greater

CR

Sam_Alumni

Topkitten said:

 Many times I have to wait while someone completely healthy is using the disabled facilities simply because they are too lazy to use the normal ones.

HI @Topkitten I look completely healthy but I have a permanent ostomy bag, most of the time I can use any loo but occasionally if I need to change my bag, I need to use the accessible toilets so I have more space and access to washing facilities.  

I cant tell you how many times I have been judged, shouted at, tutted at, eyes rolled at me by disabled and non-disabled people when Im seen using an accessible toilet because I dont 'look disabled'.

It can make like really tough and puts me off going out in public.

You cant judge a book by it's cover

moonlight

I have to push my husband in wheelchair into the toilet! At home we have a ‘Stand Aid’
so it’s very difficult without those in public disabled toilets! My husband can only use right hand to grab a bar if there! it really make my blood boil when the bar is in the wrong place! People seem to assume he can leave wheelchair and walk but cannot
 at all so it’s a physical struggle helping him! We do wish we as example could show
the ‘designers’ of disabled toilets who do not see everyone’s issues for using the Loos!
even in Hospital the toilets are useless!  in design! When asking for help (Which should be easy in such a place eh?) nurse that was helping we still couldn’t manage! She had the cheek to comment how difficult: We need ‘Stand aid’  ‘Oh this is a clinic’
(This is a hospital)! We dont have those facilities I couldn’t believe the stupidity in
hospital of all places!? in annoyance we said you have those on wards! Then
someone with. Some one with sense then brought a stand aid and a commode! 

Within a few moments! When going to Hospital for  a routine check or procedure
should hospital staff know ALL that patients issues? When we complained to PALS
the head one of the department phoned us, explaining the situation regarding my
wheelchair bound hubby, (On that particular day we were there from 9am
to 8.30pm! So a very long day: But her response was that G.P. On making the appointment did not mention mobility issues? Well on the other hand shouldn’t hospital ask ? That’s why we presumed all your medical notes should be looked at and an6 particular issue with a patient is highlighted!?? P.S. Sorry for long ......comment!?



then went 

pollyanna1052

I spotted a new sign on the disabled loo in M&S.....`not all disabilities are visible`...very true.

I also struggled to open and close the doors when I used a scooter. It can be difficult with a wheelchair too. Doors should open fully with an automated system.

These days I always have a carer with me, so no problems.

But some disabled loos are so small or twist at an awkward angle and make it difficult or unsafe to use.

newborn

And that, perfectly,  exemplifies what is wrong with  expecting each individual disabled  person  to  be  responsible  for  pursuing  each individual instance of Disability  Discrimination,  through  the courts.   

In theory,  every example  given on this thread is a legal offence.  Sir Trevor  Phillips  (who at the time was chàiŕ of the Equalities Commission,) said Disablism is pervasive,  universally  practiced,  and, in its effects on peoples  lives, is in many ways  worse than Racism.   
He got thàt right, didn't  he?