Embarrassing problem regarding the toilets

[jednick]

I've used trains extensively the past few months, for pleasure and this king of thing has happened to me at least three times......


I need the toilet on a train and it's vacant says the lit-up sign on the door.

I press the button to enter, the door opens, and there's either a woman sat there on the toilet or a bloke (with everything on view) standing up going to the toilet.

What's either happened is the passenger has neglected to lock the door, or (more likely) they thought they had locked it but were mistaken.

This causes embarrassment for both me and them.

Last week, an angry bloke shouted "Excuse me!!!" as I entered the door and he was there going to the toilet. Well, it's not my fault; I didn't know the toilet was occupied when I opened the door, the sign said vacant.

This happens too many times to me. Any similar experiences, and how would I best handle this problem, particularly irate passengers having a go at me when I know I'm not in the wrong?

 

[TheEdge]

Just stand in the door and stare...

 

[Jamesb1974]

Deleted

 

[richw]

I've witnessed on a 150 such an instance in the last few days. Is it so complicated to lock the door?

 

[Jamesb1974]

Deleted

 

[Tetchytyke]

Is it so complicated to lock the door?

In the disabled toilets on VTEC trains, yes!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I've witnessed on a 150 such an instance in the last few days. Is it so complicated to lock the door?

Yes. The UI on automatic doored train toilets is absolutely terrible.

 

[DarloRich]

happens all the time - people often fail to lock the door. It is embarrassing for all concerned

 

[gsnedders]

It's frequently not clear whether the door is actually locked, in my experience. Is the light on being I need to lock it or is it on to indicate the door is locked?

 

[Bungle73]

Had this happen to me on a Southeastern train a few weeks ago. Pressed the button to open the accessible toilet door, only for it to open and me be confronted with a woman sitting on the toilet with her trousers around her ankles.

Yes. The UI on automatic doored train toilets is absolutely terrible.

It's frequently not clear whether the door is actually locked, in my experience. Is the light on being I need to lock it or is it on to indicate the door is locked?

It's not that complicated surely?? You press one button to close the door, and then another to lock it. There are even instructions!!

No wonder the referendum was such a mess if people can't even grasp this basic concept!

 

[DaleCooper]

The British way is to pretend you haven't seen them and carry on as though they aren't there.

 

[Ianno87]

Happened to me a couple of times.

As the door awkwardly slides shut again, just firmly (but politely) inform them of the existence of the LOCK button, where this is seperate from the CLOSE button (people usually press the latter without realising the need to then press the former, or pressing it too soon without the door being fully closed first)

 

[Harbornite]

If it happens again, enter the cubicle and join the metre high club, fnarr fnarr.

 

[jednick]

Yes, but how do I actually deal with the other person thinking it's my fault and having a go at me?

Look at it from my viewpoint:

I. I need the toilet so I walk down the carriage and find one.

2. I see that the sign on the door says vacant. Additionally, I haven't seen anybody enter the toilet just prior to this.

3. I press the button to enter what from my viewpoint is an empty toilet.

4. Due to the other person either being too lazy or too stupid to lock the door correctly, they are in there and in the middle of relieving themselves (or the train's designers haven't designed the locking system properly, or haven't provided clear enough instructions how to lock the door - once again all not my fault!).

5. The other passenger is angry with me and it's not my fault!

 

[DarloRich]

The British way is to pretend you haven't seen them and carry on as though they aren't there.

OH I am terribly sorry! ( whilst reversing and trying not to look )

 

[Master29]

On the occasions I have happened to enter onto a hapless bog user I usually get a door hurriedly shut in my face and then exlaim to them to try locking the bloody door.

 

[AlterEgo]

If it happens again, enter the cubicle and join the metre high club, fnarr fnarr.

It's happened to me twice and both times it was someone with whom I wouldn't want to share a cubicle, let alone anything more...

 

[jednick]

On the occasions I have happened to enter onto a hapless bog user I usually get a door hurriedly shut in my face and then exlaim to them to try locking the bloody door.

Fantastic reply! What response do you get?

 

[Ianno87]

Yes, but how do I actually deal with the other person thinking it's my fault and having a go at me?

Look at it from my viewpoint:

I. I need the toilet so I walk down the carriage and find one.

2. I see that the sign on the door says vacant. Additionally, I haven't seen anybody enter the toilet just prior to this.

3. I press the button to enter what from my viewpoint is an empty toilet.

4. Due to the other person either being too lazy or too stupid to lock the door correctly, they are in there and in the middle of relieving themselves (or the train's designers haven't designed the locking system properly, or haven't provided clear enough instructions how to lock the door - once again all not my fault!).

5. The other passenger is angry with me and it's not my fault!

Don't over-analyse or feel in any way guilty - it's *their* fault.

To avoid "confrontation" when the person eventually leaves the toilet, either (for those without a smartphone) half-heartedly gaze out of the adjacent window or (for everyone else) scroll through Twitter or Facebook while you wait outside to avoid enforced eye contact.

 

[Stampy]

Just quoting one of my posts from a thread a few months ago....

Reminds me of a trip once from Rugby - Liverpool...

Sat in the seats near the toilet when the train pulled into Runcorn - and 3 women aged about 20, armed with bags of shopping got on and immediately "hid" in the toilet just up the carriage from me.

There was lots of giggling coming from the toilet.... Until.....

Suddenly, the door slid open - dumping one of them flat on her back in the middle of the floor, the only problem being she was (shall we say), in a "state of undress*", whilst the other 2 cackled away in the cubicle, one sat on the toilet...... hock:hock:

There was a scream, as the one on the floor managed to haul herself back into the cubicle and repeatedly hammer the "CLOSE" button......


*Let's just say she wasn't a "natural" blonde!!! :roll:

 

[jednick]

If an argument erupted, and I called the conductor / guard, what would they do?

 

[talltim]

The British way is to pretend you haven't seen them and carry on as though they aren't there.

And sit on their lap?

 

[DaleCooper]

And sit on their lap?

Of course, because it would be rude to ask them to move.

 

[jon0844]

Some toilets don't now have close buttons on the outside so how does the poor person sitting down close the doors if you can't? Just wait for then to close automatically?

It is silly that some stock with button controls don't show when the door is locked. There should also be some sort of audible confirmation or warning. 365s have this, or did as I'm not sure what the new accessible toilets do.

Some consistency would help and all should have the switch that looks like a lock.

 

[colchesterken]

This has happened to me ,rolling stock has different locking systems
The ones where you press one button to close the door and another to lock it cause confusion
Used one the other day with a big old fashioned locking handle very reassuring!
why cant they design the lock so that if the door is closed by pushing the inside close button it cannot be opened from the outside until it has been opened from the inside
It seems to me that is what many people think happens, If you have overdosed on coffee or beer you do not what to have to read all the operating instructions before relief takes place

 

[Master29]

Fantastic reply! What response do you get?

Nothing usually as the embarrassment in clearly on them.

 

[Bald Rick]

Raise your eyebrow half a centimetre, say "impressive!", and walk away.

 

[theageofthetra]

I have some sympathy with someone messing up with the over complicated locking systems on some newer stock but I've come across some who are too thick to even lock a conventional one with a manual lock!

 

[philthetube]

I know someone with a phobia, he is petrified of getting locked in, after it happening at Newington and ending up blocking the local for an hour, he always takes someone with him to the toilet and has real problems if travelling alone.

 

[driver_m]

Our trains on VT do warn you audibly if you haven't locked the door. So instead of the goldfish, hopes and dreams stuff, you'll be told you haven't locked the door.

Used to be a fairly regular occurrence to walk in on someone which is not good when they're doing something they shouldn't be. (Saying no more!)