Pay to use the rest room?

[leebee]

Yup, 10 cents to pee. Sometimes there would be a "monitor" in the bathroom to make sure soap, TP, and paper towels were always restocked. I guess I understand it; supplies cost money, and so does the janitor who cleans the bathroom during the day.

It's funny- we always used to crawl under the stall door to use the toilet or go into my mom's stall or whatever. Nobody would think twice about it. Now? Ick, double-ick!

 

[bcla]

If it was in California after 1974, it was illegal. Pay toilets have been illegal here since then.

https://www.mylifetime.com/she-did-...toilet-to-protest-the-inequity-of-pay-toilets

These were installed in the 90s in San Francisco. Tokens were distribute to homeless advocacy organizations. They’re absolutely free now. They’re paid for with advertising kiosks, although that was the case when they still accepted coins.

 

[bcla]

I have been to different parts of Asia where TP wasn’t provided for free. They might have a coin operated dispenser to buy some, like how there are various hygiene products dispensed in some US restrooms.

I heard there was free TP in some parts of China, but used facial recognition to prevent people from just grabbing as much as they could to just take home.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-39324431​

Park officials have installed six machines at its public bathrooms in a half-month trial, with staff on standby to explain the technology to visitors. The park has retained its existing loo roll dispensers.​

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The new machines, placed at the average heights for men and women, dispense strips of toilet paper measuring about 60 to 70cm (24 to 27.5 inches) to each person.​

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They will not dispense more paper to the same person until after nine minutes have passed.​

 

[tony67]

I heard there was free TP in some parts of China, but used facial recognition to prevent people from just grabbing as much as they could to just take home.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-39324431Park officials have installed six machines at its public bathrooms in a half-month trial, with staff on standby to explain the technology to visitors. The park has retained its existing loo roll dispensers.The new machines, placed at the average heights for men and women, dispense strips of toilet paper measuring about 60 to 70cm (24 to 27.5 inches) to each person.They will not dispense more paper to the same person until after nine minutes have passed.

So many issues with this...and concerns ... I am reminded of that episode of the Orville...

Also the nine minute rule - reminds me of that episode of Fawlty Tours where they asked Mrs Richards how many pieces of paper does she need.

Also just having a camera there in the first place.

I wonder if Ryan Air knows about this...I can see that saying they might add it to their planes..just so they can get the news coverage

Just wow.

All that said - I do recall in College in the early 90s people taking rolls TP back to their homes from the pub.
Not normal rolls - but those really big ones in industrial type places - so I guess its happens

 

[hertamaniac]

I remember seeing them sparsely, but don't recall the retail/travel locations.

Maybe back then that was their version of purchasing a Fast Pass?

 

[aprilgail]

I remember my mom just having me crawl under the door and open it!

 

[mjkacmom]

The crazy thing in NYC around 1950 some restrooms were 10 cents and you could ride the subway to any stop for the same. At that time dimes were worth something. As a child I would never have paid for the restroom.

Too bad they did away with them. I remember going into the city in the 80’s to go clubbing, finding a restroom outside of a club was impossible. For a dozen years my daughters had an annual dance competition in Philadelphia, about 6 years ago they locked the lobby bathroom at our hotel, needed a hotel key to swipe, but if you checked in and your room wasn’t ready you’d have to ask the front desk to buzz you in (which they did for restaurant/bar patrons as well). I’d rather pay than have no options.

 

[Babs Johnson]

And it could lead to sitting, broken-hearted....

Here I sit, brokenhearted, paid to s—- but only farted.

 

[Debbie Jean]

Yep, I remember them and they were all over the country. We lived in Georgia, Texas, Ohio and NM in the 60s and 70s (there were more states scattered in there but that was before my memory). Mama and I would go in the stall together when I was little and as I got older one would just hold the door for the other so we didn't have to pay twice. Off the subject but on it, I also remember S&H green stamps.

S&H green stamps! There’s a walk down memory lane… I remember licking pages of those things! lol

 

[Robber Baron]

When I was 12 we took a trip with a layover at O'Hare airport.

My dad went to the mens room and when he came out i saw toilet paper hanging out of his back pocket.

When I asked him about it he said, "If they're going to charge me 10 cents to use the bathroom I'm taking 10 cents worth of paper."

 

[BrianL]

Here I sit, brokenhearted, paid to s—- but only farted.

I always heard it as, "Paid a dime...." That's what reminded me of it.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Do stores/restaurants requiring you to buy something to use the restroom count? I've seen that at a few gas stations while traveling within the US. Also the Burger King and Starbucks near me require you to order something as well.

 

[RUDisney]

I've paid to use the toilet in Scranton, PA, in the 70s and early 80s at The Globe Store.

I've also paid to use the toilet in Moscow, Russia, in 2001.

I can't remember any other places that charged me.

 

[maxaroni]

I remember the pay toilets, the attendants & the ultraviolet light thing. I also remember cloth towels that were in a machine/roller, which was supposed to “clean” the towels??? Ick. I also remember places using toilet paper “sheets” rather than a roll of TP. My mom would take these small pieces of TP to line the toilet seat before I could sit. Oh, those were the days. Lol

 

[tvguy]

These were installed in the 90s in San Francisco. Tokens were distribute to homeless advocacy organizations. They’re absolutely free now. They’re paid for with advertising kiosks, although that was the case when they still accepted coins.

Wonder how San Francisco got around the law?

 

[tvguy]

Yeah, but they can still restrict it to customers only, right? That's what the McDonalds I was at was doing - they gave you a token, but only if you ordered food. I actually don't know if you could use an actual coin in the mechanism.

Many of the fast food places have gone to keypad access to the bathrooms. The code is printed at the bottom of your receipt at the last McDonalds I went to..

 

[Simba's Mom]

I remember my mom just having me crawl under the door and open it!

I remember that also. Now I think-"Gross! How unsanitary!" If someone did that now, would they get arrested, or at least admonished, for child abuse?
But I'm relieved that so many others remember. I was starting to wonder if I imagined it.

 

[BrianL]

I remember that also. Now I think-"Gross! How unsanitary!" If someone did that now, would they get arrested, or at least admonished, for child abuse?
But I'm relieved that so many others remember. I was starting to wonder if I imagined it.

One time at the Magic Kingdom Tangled restrooms, the poor CM was having to crawl under and unlock a bunch of empty stalls because some dumb kids locked them and snuck out. I felt bad for that guy!

 

[bcla]

Wonder how San Francisco got around the law?

The supplier (JCDecaux) eventually made them free. They pay for the installation and maintenance in exchange for a 4.5 ratio of advertising kiosks.

I think the cities of Berkeley and Palo Alto got some installed too, and they managed to get them since JCDecaux has maintenance crew serving San Francisco. I don't think it would work if they had to do it on their own.

I can't find any actual reference to a law banning pay toilets, just articles claiming that pay toilets are illegal in California.

I can't inline link this, but here's someone holding up a quarter for one of them in Palo Alto in 2006. (Correction: it does inline link)

https://flic.kr/p/nC2qd

And a description of what they had in Palo Alto. Apparently they didn't go the advertising route and ended up paying them to provide the service. One was free at the Caltrain station and another was coin/token operated.

https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/file...s-cmrs/year-archive/2021/id-11843-[79976].pdf​

Background​

There are currently two Automatic Public Toilets (APT) in Palo Alto. One is located at Hamilton Avenue and Waverley Street and the other near the University Avenue Caltrain Station. The original contract was for a 20-year rental term that started in January 1999. The APTs were installed to provide restroom facilities and to address quality of life issues in the area.​

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These toilets are coin/token operated (Hamilton/Waverley APT) or free (Caltrain Station APT), are completely self-contained, and provide the user with a sanitary environment at each use, 24 hours per day. The daily average usage for the APT located at Waverley and Hamilton prior to COVID-19 was 16 and increased to 21 since April. The daily average usage for the APT located at the University Avenue Caltrain Station prior was 109 and, subsequent to COVID-19, has decreased to 78.​

 

[tvguy]

I can't find any actual reference to a law banning pay toilets, just articles claiming that pay toilets are illegal in California.

Oh, March Fong Eu is will known for authoring the law that bans pay toilets in California. No question about the law.