I have never understood women who feel the need to hover over public toilet seats, rather than simply sit their butts down. Even if paper covers are available, some of these women will still squat, rather than sit. The result is pee all over the toilet seat, which of course they can't be bothered to wipe up.
I have small bladder capacity, so I frequently make use of public facilities, and this pee all over the seat troubles me. Why? What's so bad about sitting? Are these women worried that they are going to catch something from a public toilet seat? Pee is sterile, for the most part. While it certainly is an icky sensation to sit down on a damp seat, you're unlikely to contract some dread disease by doing so. And it's also unlikely that any other germs could survive long enough on a toilet seat to infect you. Besides, unless you have open, oozing sores on your thighs or bottom, your skin is enough of a protective barrier to prevent infection. So what's the deal? Does anyone know anyone who has actually gotten an infection from a toilet seat? And I mean an infection that was confirmed to come from a toilet seat, not just apocrpha or an urban legend. If this has actually happened, I would like to know about it. Until then, sit your butt down and stop spraying pee everywhere!
While I'm on the subject, what is the deal with women who refuse to flush the toilet with their hands? So many women seem to flush only with their foot. I can kind of understand this, because there are probably more germs on the toilet handle than there are on the seat, but come on! Aren't you going to wash your hands before you leave the restroom anyway? That should get rid of any germs you might pick up by touching the toilet handle. Honestly, people. Use a little common sense.
Actually, I prefer the manual flush toilets, even if people do tend to flush with their feet. Those automatic flush toilets never work for me. Either they flush while I'm still on the toilet, giving me that oh-so-pleasant bidet effect, or they refuse to flush at all, so I'm stuck in the stall, waving my hand in front of the electronic eye and jumping up and down to try and get the damn thing to flush. Sometimes there's a little manual override flush button to use, but sometimes, it's impossible to find. So either the toilet flushes two or three times while you're in there (a waste of water), or it won't flush at all (aesthetically unappealing, to say the least.)
And one more thing, while I'm on this bathroom rant. I hate it when there's a long line for the bathroom and one of the toilets hasn't been flushed. This means that most of the women in line will refuse to use that stall! Not me. I'll go in and try to flush the toilet. If it doesn't flush or is clogged, I won't use it. But if it flushes, everything is fine. It's ready to use. But most women won't even bother to try and flush a soiled toilet. They'll just avoid using it. And when there's a long line and only three stalls and one hasn't been flushed, that just means everyone has to wait longer.
So here are my rules for using public bathrooms:
1. Don't pee on the seat. If you really, really feel the need to hover (and why you would, I don't know), at least wipe up after yourself. Don't be inconsiderate.
2. Just flush with your hand. You're going to wash them anyway, aren't you?
3. Don't automatically avoid a soiled toilet. So the last person forgot to flush. That doesn't mean the toilet is contaminated for all future uses!
Seriously, people. Get a grip. I would venture to guess you're more likely to pick up an infection from shaking hands with someone than you are from using a public bathroom.
Thank you for indulging me in my rant. Oh, and another thing...if there's a long line, you can zip up your pants and tuck in your shirt
after you vacate the stall. This is particularly applicable at intermission during a play or other performance. We all have to go. Get in, get out, and get on with it. That's what I say.
