toilet trials

Afternoon gang. As promised I am posting about my adventures in disabled loos whilst on hol.

My sis and hubby took me from our campsite in Delamere forest to Chester. by train. Luckily there is a sweet little station just next to the campsite we were on. The railway staff were so good at helping, by placing ramps for me to wheel up and down on and off trains.

So there we are, having a good mooch round the shops.fab place…some wobbly footpaths, but my kerb climber (commonly known by us as Kathy Kerby) kept me safe. After a spot of lunch in BHS we set off to explore the indoor market. Then, I needed a wee. Why didn`t I go in BHS?..dunno!

We spotted the loo sign and follwed it…then it disappeared…we saw a free standing building and headed towards it. Sis got there before me to find the OUT OF USE sign. Bummer! Back to the market. Someone said the loo was underground…ooeeerr! So we went down a ramp, round a corner and into a very dimly lit, unsociable looking place and then,…the smell…no signs needed to direct us further…I mounted a narrow raised area, crashed into a wall, turned the corner and poooooooooo what a stink.

Sis went in first…she looked at me with foreboding (thats a posh word for a Monday afternoon)........I went a few inches further and exclaimed NO!`. Now in publc loos, sis has to scramble on the floor to unhitch Kathy (remember her from earlier on?)…There was no way, I was letting her crawl on that disgusting, stinking floor!

What next…back up the ramp…out of the market…and we found McDs. In we went.so clean..shining stainless steel...........a sweet perfume.............Kathy came off, I did the necessary.. time to get off.............1,2,3 up............down again.............1,2,3 up.........I tried a few more times to no avail.........reinforcements were sent for in the shape of my bro-in-law. Now picture the scene..theres me with leggings and pants round me knees…sis on the floor, grappling with Kathy…the plan was to put an arm (mine) around my saviour`s necks. She is 4ft 11in…he is 6ft 1in…there was a huge in take of breath all round and then…uuuuuuuuuuuuuupppppppppppp! Twist me round in a muddle of feet, legs and shoes coming off…then plonk…back into the safety of my wheelie! Phew!

Guess what?, this happened a second time in the railway station. We deduced that the grab rails were at the wrong angle, too far from the loo, plus each loo was positioned next to a wall. So helpers couldn`t get at each side of me.

There have been many occassions when disabled loos aren`t really right for me…am I awkward or do others have trouble in these loos? The wash basins are too close to the loo and the handryer/loopaper thingies keep getting in the way or set off by themselves.

I wonder if we should complie a list of good and not so good disabled loos for when we travel around the place?

Halifax and Huddersfield have their share of good and bad and some really whiffey no go loos.

luv Pollx…

Gosh you did have a trial and error?

I have not used a disabled Loo yet.But there are none in my locla town centre unless they are miles out of the way I asume.

Most of the shops have dropped curbs so I am pritty lucky BUT there are a few shops with large steps that I cannot get up with my curb crawler.

What you have described is disgusting.Was the filth in just disabled toilets or other general toilets that those that call themselves normal use?

Now McDonalds in Swansea has a disabled toilet,however I have not used it while in my wheels.However they do keep it locked so if I need to go there maybe an accident waiting for a staff member to unlock it.Due to the problems with heroin addicts using public loo,s to shoot up.I once used there toilet and a big guy had urinated all over the floor and did NOT lift the seat and urinated all over the seat,I do not know what he is eating or drinking but the smell was terrible.

Although there toilet for the disabled appears ok I will however check it out on how I use it with my wheels.

Maybe others can also tell us were the good and the bad toilets are.

Just a thought Tesco usaly have a disabled toilet however they are also usaly upstairs I will check it out.

Charlie,x

Hi Charlie, thanks for your reply. Busy beevers me and you today eh? Sainsbury`s and M&S in Halifax are good.

luv Pollx

Poll - you could write a book with your stories and entertaining way of writing

Cheers luv. When i first retired from work (2000) I did start writing stories. I was amazed at what came out of my head. My fingers would fly across the keys and sometimes things happened in my stories that I hadn`t planned.

I let some family and friends read some of them and they said they forgot it was me writing and not a published author! Praise indeed!

luv Pollx

if it’s any use i always nip into the local wetherspoons for a loo break if i’m nearby.

marks and spencers and mcdonalds are also handy.

having said all that i had a mishap when i was out today, strayed too far from M&S and mcd’s!!!

carole x

(soggy bottom)

Poll we are as busy as we can be on our good days.Your also finding out things you never knew and trying new things that you thought you could never do.

See you can have fun in our wheels and feel that little less frightened the more we try these things.

I bet you had a great time Poll other than they few bits that have gone wrong,nothing is perfect but most of it is good.

I wear incontinent pads so I am lucky if I do not find a loo to use,ROFL…

Charlie.x

Thanks for that Poll. That was seriously entertaining! What a nasty experience though. You have lovely, dedicated helpers. I look forward to your posts, please keep writing. Teresa xx

Hi Poll

They used to have some like that in Gloucester City, you had to try and hold your breath

while you were in there, if you know what I mean, dreadful filthy things. Thank goodness

they have now been knocked down.

Pam

Do it! Get a collection together and send them off, maybe as a collation if they’re short stories. Or you could write a diary about having MS (or whatever the docs say you have this week!!) including stories like the above. It’s truly fab having a book published, I’ve done it so you can do it too…AND you can tick one of the boxes in the ‘100 things to do before you die’ book, lol. Go for it xx

Polly you make me smile, feeling a bit fed up today so reading your post cheered me up, thanks Poll your a star. Love Karen xxx

Hi

What IS it about toilet facilities ? :wink: One local to me has a huge clear glass window less than a metre directly in front of (you guessed it) the actual toilet, not the sink, or the loo roll holder but the toilet. The fact that it has a distorted, toilet friendly window aside it is still quite a close and revealing view so its pretty darned offputting.

Tu x

It might be a good idea to write to the owners of the toilet(s) where you had problems. If the owners are not disabled, they probably don’t realise the issues that you are having.

[quote=“carole58”]

if it’s any use i always nip into the local wetherspoons for a loo break if i’m nearby.

marks and spencers and mcdonalds are also handy.

having said all that i had a mishap when i was out today, strayed too far from M&S and mcd’s!!!

carole x

(soggy bottom)

[/quote] Hi Carole. weaherspoons in Brighouse is good. The one in Dewsbury stinks!

luv Pollx

I also wear incontinent pads…big ones! Plus being in a wheelie, if I do wet myself, no-one can see it…but of course, I`d rather not!

luv Pollx

ps I agree, we do have fun in our wheelies!

But they MUST be able to smell the really pongy ones!

luv POllx

ps. in one disabled loo, the grab rail came out of the wall, as I tried to get up.

I did tell the cafe owner and he said he couldn`t afford to reinforce the wall and promptly removed the disabled sign outside the loo. Very helpful, eh?

luv Pollx

What? If Im reading you correctly.............you mean everyone can see you on the loo? Cant believe it!!!

You must tell the owners about that.

luv Pollx

Well if Ive cheered you up, then Im good for summat, eh?

luv Pollx

I`ve sent you a little pm.

luv Pollx

Theres one in Halifax centre.all clean and shiny looking............but oooo, does it pong! Why arent they cleaned properly?

luv Pollx