Embarrassing problem regarding the toilets

[PHILIPE]

Just going off train toilets, more than once I have been in more than one Wetherspoons Disabled toilet and raised the handle to lock the door. The door has later opened and somebody wanting to enter. It appears that if somebody tries to gain access by using a Radar Key, the door will unlock. There is a red indication to indicate if the toilet is engaged but it is so small it's easy not to see it.

 

[Mag_seven]

My complaint about toilets is the lack of them on modern trains such a Pendos. The Mark II and Mark III vehicles that they replaced had toilets at either end of each coach. It is clear that given the queues that start to form as you approach London for example that toilet provision on a Pendo is totally inadequate.

 

[Domh245]

My complaint about toilets is the lack of them on modern trains such a Pendos. The Mark II and Mark III vehicles that they replaced had toilets at either end of each coach. It is clear that given the queues that start to form as you approach London for example that toilet provision on a Pendo is totally inadequate.

The difference however is that the toilet on a Mk3 only required water for the sink and a clear view of the track to dump the waste. Modern trains quite rightfully need tanks to store the waste in, which means that toilet capacity is determined by the amount of space available underneath the train.

 

[infobleep]

Just going off train toilets, more than once I have been in more than one Wetherspoons Disabled toilet and raised the handle to lock the door. The door has later opened and somebody wanting to enter. It appears that if somebody tries to gain access by using a Radar Key, the door will unlock. There is a red indication to indicate if the toilet is engaged but it is so small it's easy not to see it.

That's right. Some Wetherspoons loos have a secondary lock to stop this happening but that's unusual amongst RADAR key operated loos.

Still I'd take a RADAR operated loo that someone could accidentally open any day over no such provision.

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[Envy123]

Is it so complicated to lock the door?

Some locks can be a bit patchy, especially the one in a Russian cafe and it took me 10 minutes to get out of there!

I make it easier for any passengers who do need the toilet, by deliberately singing loudly to make anyone outside aware that the toilet is occupied. Spared them any embarrassment...

...at expense of mine with my delightful(!) singing voice.

 

[DMU180]

This has indeed happened to me in the past and I have just said "Can you not lock a door?" I tend to not feel embarrassed by this simply because it was not my fault or problem although I do usually return to my seat or try an alternative toilet.

My most embarrassing escapade was onboard a Crosscountry service arriving in Stafford when I was stood in the vestibule ready to alight and there was a lady with a baby stood there. The baby was looking at me and smiling so I said hello as you do, he then proceeded to pull his mothers top and bra down revealing her breast. That was very awkward, I was glad when the doors were released!

 

[endecotp]

Three related anecdotes:

I'm sure that somewhere I have used a train loo with a large curved door like those on most UK accessible train loos that was manually slid, not motorised - maybe in Germany. So it is possible to make an accessible door with a manual (and so comprehensible) mechanism.

I've only once opened a door to find someone inside. Luckily the surprised woman had finished and was doing her makeup in the mirror. She told me she's been in PRISON for ten years and was taking a while to catch up with modern technology.

Yesterday I was in Costa Coffee in Inverness, where a Spanish woman had paid for her drinks with a hundred poind note (!!!) and been given change as if it were a 50. Once that had been resolved, she went to the (disabled) loo - and pulled the emergency alarm cord, instead of thr flush, setting off a loud siren. Not her lucky day.

 

[jon0844]

I make it easier for any passengers who do need the toilet, by deliberately singing loudly to make anyone outside aware that the toilet is occupied. Spared them any embarrassment...

...at expense of mine with my delightful(!) singing voice.

I did that once. Not only did nobody try to come in, but they tried to lock the door from the outside to stop me coming back out!

My most embarrassing escapade was onboard a Crosscountry service arriving in Stafford when I was stood in the vestibule ready to alight and there was a lady with a baby stood there. The baby was looking at me and smiling so I said hello as you do, he then proceeded to pull his mothers top and bra down revealing her breast. That was very awkward, I was glad when the doors were released!

Did you say hello again?

 

[Envy123]

I did that once. Not only did nobody try to come in, but they tried to lock the door from the outside to stop me coming back out!

Guess I was lucky

 

[Bungle73]

Three related anecdotes:

I'm sure that somewhere I have used a train loo with a large curved door like those on most UK accessible train loos that was manually slid, not motorised - maybe in Germany. So it is possible to make an accessible door with a manual (and so comprehensible) mechanism.

And a person in a wheelchair, or with other mobility problems, opens and shuts that how?

 

[Marklund]

Then you wouldn't have had this advert.

 

[Mark62]

Well you don't have to worry about it on cross country voyagers. A few times recently I've had the misfortune to find myself on one and the trains have been so overcrowded that people had to stand in the lavatory vestibule.
So no lavatories available for long journeys. You don't have worry about other passengers wanting to go, as they couldn't get down the aisles as the train was so full
We can afford billions on HS2 but there's no money for extra rolling stock. Arriva won't ever buy any more. It may cut their profits.

 

[AlterEgo]

Well you don't have to worry about it on cross country voyagers. A few times recently I've had the misfortune to find myself on one and the trains have been so overcrowded that people had to stand in the lavatory vestibule.
So no lavatories available for long journeys. You don't have worry about other passengers wanting to go, as they couldn't get down the aisles as the train was so full
We can afford billions on HS2 but there's no money for extra rolling stock. Arriva won't ever buy any more. It may cut their profits.

TOCs don't buy trains, they lease them. (Except in very unusual circumstances)

Stock allocation is pretty tightly controlled by franchise specs.

 

[Parallel]

I was on a HoW train (150/2) a few days ago and the toilet was locked out of use due to a fault. Seeing as the full journey is 4 hours long and most stations en route have no facilities - not ideal. Passengers were told to use the public toilets at Llandrindod - and the conductor offered to pay the 20p charge, bless her!

 

[endecotp]

And a person in a wheelchair, or with other mobility problems, opens and shuts that how?

I don't recall, but I believe it must have been possible as it was an accessible toilet - presumably meeting that country's requirements.

 

[island]

Of course, the alternative way to encourage change is to take a photo of their indecency and tweet it with a complaint to the TOC.

I rather suspect that would be committing an offence. Section 6 of the Railway Byelaws, for a start.

 

[QueensCurve]

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?

In the very early days of the3 "Sprinters" I travelled from Barrow to Seascale and used one of the first disability friendly toilets.

It was my understanding that the door was locked, but it slid open and I realised I had an audience.

 

[156443]

I always knock first 'just in case' before pressing the button to open the door if I need to use it on the train which is rare as I try to avoid using them only if absolutely need to due to the state they are in most of the time.


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[infobleep]

I was Wimbledon recently and the accessibility loo had the catch up and it was showing red.

So I policy knocked on the door and makes if anyone was in there.

When an older bloke came out he had a go at me for doing so.

I doubt he realised some people don't always release the door catch when they leave so it stays red when it's empty. I've waited in the past when I didn't need to for this precise reason.

The alternative was to have opened the door on him or wait, not actually knowing if it's I use or not.

Whilst I was in there a woman knocked on the door. I polietly said I wouldn't be long. When I shortly came out there was a queue of two others waiting. They obviously wouldn't need to knock as they will have seen the woman and child enter.

There was is of course a solution to this, make all accessibility loos actually lock. Then you'd really know if someone was in there or not, assuming the coloured disc hadn't slipped to show red instead of white etc. or course.

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[Tom B]

On the subject of bogs, any traveller on East Coast services has probably heard the "attention traincrew; disabled passenger alarm operated" announcement hundreds of times!

I was about to have my ticket checked once when it went off; the guard sighed loudly and said "Excuse me, I'm just going to explain to some embarrassed person where the flush is". On another occasion, during severe disruption, a train was at a standstill outside a station for about an hour, all passengers standing, the announcement sounding every few minutes. The guard did an announcement to the effect that he couldn't get along the train because it was too busy, and if somebody was actually in danger, could they pull the communication cord.

I've only ever had one dodgy experience with train bogs, which was some point in 2015...

A friend and I were on a CrossCountry Vomiter, a 220, I think, but anyway, we were having to stand as the train was busy enough to leave no seats within the adjacent two carriages. My friend and I split up, my mate went to find a seat, me to go to the bathroom. At the time I opened the door, I saw something I really didn't want to see...A couple having sex! I think my only reaction was "Wrong door!"

I still remember the incident as the "Aisle High Club", in reference to the well known aviation club...

I once heard about a couple who were caught in flagrante in a toilet in a public building, the member of staff finding them was not sure what to do.
As such, in the next staff briefing, advice was issued - "If anybody comes across people having sex in the toilets, please let security know". Only having said it, did the person realise what they'd said...

 

[Harbornite]

I once heard about a couple who were caught in flagrante in a toilet in a public building, the member of staff finding them was not sure what to do.
As such, in the next staff briefing, advice was issued - "If anybody comes across people having sex in the toilets, please let security know". Only having said it, did the person realise what they'd said...

Sounds like a sticky situation.

 

[deltic1989]

Had a couple of red faced moments involving train toilets. In both situations the occupants of the said lavatory were using the facility in a manner other than intended.

The first a few years ago on an FGW HST, where upon attempting to answer the call of nature, I pressed the button causing the door to slide smoothly back and reveal a Gentleman answering an entirely different call of nature........By flogging his Bishop. As soon as said Gentleman realised what was going on he jumped up and lunged for the door buttons swearing as he went, and putting everything on display in the most awful fashion.

The second I found a Lady giving a er......Trouser friendly kiss, to her Gentleman friend. Neither of whom seemed too bothered that they suddenly had an audience.

 

[PeterC]

"If anybody comes across people having sex in the toilets, please let security know". Only having said it, did the person realise what they'd said...

Now that reminds me of the episode of Torchwood where the security man was watching a couple using the toilets for a non sanitary purpose on the CCTV.

I must dig those DVDs out and watch them again.

 

[Train wasp]

I haven't seen this asked yet. What happens if someone is using the toilet and there's a power cut to the 3rd rail or to the overhead wires. Can you get out by pressing the open/unlock button or do you have to wait for the power to come back on.

Thanks

 

[Juniper Driver]

I haven't seen this asked yet. What happens if someone is using the toilet and there's a power cut to the 3rd rail or to the overhead wires. Can you get out by pressing the open/unlock button or do you have to wait for the power to come back on.

Thanks

On our trains the guard can generally get you out.

 

[TheEdge]

I haven't seen this asked yet. What happens if someone is using the toilet and there's a power cut to the 3rd rail or to the overhead wires. Can you get out by pressing the open/unlock button or do you have to wait for the power to come back on.

Thanks

Toilet doors can be opened from the outside when locked by crew. For old toilets thats often just a t-key job on the door. On newer electric ones in normal service there are various ways to open them. Without power they generally can just be freely pulled open.

 

[507021]

I usually knock on the door just to make sure, but I generally won't use toilets on trains unless I really need to. The reason why is because one time I was on a London Midland Class 350 and I used the toilet, the door opened (it was definitely locked because I locked it when the door closed) whilst I was still using it, although fortunately I didn't have an audience so I just reached over to close and lock it again.

I'd only been in there a few minutes, so I had no idea why that happened!

 

[Spartacus]

I've found the wheelchair access loos on 170s can be swines, as pressing the lock twice usually UNLOCKS them! Not much of a problem if the button lights up as intended, but if it doesn't you're left in limbo not knowing.

People going into 185 wheelchair loos that aren't used to them are just funny. Despite all the controls being right there in front of them, because people expect them to be next to the door, the immediately turn around so missing the obvious. I've seen people spinning around like tops in them, and others preparing to drop trousers with the door open they were that desperate!

 

[JaJaWa]

The new style of toilets in AGA 156 (and I assume by extension everything with that loo module) have a nice lock. Door close and open is by nice big buttons, same as external door buttons and the lock is a large sliding bar that sits either in a shaded "open" or "locked" area. Also see much less accidental passcoms in those than the older style.

When I did Glasgow-Ayr the train had a rotating button with an indicator similar to what you would have on those old mechanical locks. That was quite reassuring as it was quite obvious from the position of the button that it had been locked.

These are the worst ones I've found (at least on the 387s). If you slide the switch to Locked before the door has fully closed then it looks like the door has locked but it doesn't actually lock (presumably a feature to stop people locking the empty toilet). I've walked in on people that have fallen victim to this.

 

[GadgetMan]

I haven't seen this asked yet. What happens if someone is using the toilet and there's a power cut to the 3rd rail or to the overhead wires. Can you get out by pressing the open/unlock button or do you have to wait for the power to come back on.

Thanks

The train still has electrical power from it's own batteries so doors/lights should operate as normal for atleast 40ish minutes.