U.K. PARURESIS TRUST

UK paruresis trust

This Discussion Board is for men who find it difficult or impossible to urinate in a public or social situation. Women should use the women's Board.
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Bad design of Gatwick Urinals

Posted by John_Gl on 30/1/2007, 12:05 pm

I attended London beginners workshop in January. It has vastly improved my confidence in dealing with AP.
If all public toilets were well designed then AP would be easier to deal with. Sadly they are not and I would like to see a list of badly designed toilets published on this web site. Perhaps we could get publicity because of this list and shame the owners into improving them and get planners to improve future toilet design.
I intend to start my campaign with BAA who run Gatwick airport and am going to offer to pay for improvements to their gents facilities in the South Terminal Departure lounge. The facilities are very busy, often with cues for the cubicles. There are no dividers in the urinals and more people would use the urinals if there were dividers. I am offering to pay for 4 dividers to be installed, each divider will be 4 foot high and eighteen inchs deep. Their spy cameras will notice that 90% of men will go straight to the urinals with dividers and will avoid the ones that dont have dividers.
To start the list of "BAD" toilets I suggest the following two:-
(1) Wonford Hospital Exeter Entrance Hall gents toilets.
(2) Taunton Deane M5 Motorway services going North. Surprisingly the Taunton Deane services going south are much more AP friendly and better designed.
John_Gl

Re: Bad design

Posted by David R on 30/1/2007, 3:33 pm, in reply to "Bad design of Gatwick Urinals"

John Gl
Glad to hear your workshop helped and I know what you mean about the impact of simple differences between good and bad design - a couple of dividers can make for a much more comfortable visit.
However, on the 'half full glass' principle, that I am sure you covered in your workshop, perhaps its better to compliment a pub, hotel, company, airport on well designed toilets and reward them with your business.
For instance, the check-in side toilets at Luton and Stansted are pretty good -large, lots of options, different rows, etc.
Maybe we should think about getting lightweight stick on dividers with the UKPT logo printed on them, so we can then fly post those poorer establishments .
Seriously though, some people find that you can use distance (a few gaps) and mental focus on their own spot/zone as a form of (virtual) divider ... Plus its quite acceptable to turn to one side slightly to block the line of site (depending on layout).
Anyway, keep desensing / keep campaigning.
Regards David R

Re: Bad design

Posted by Tom on 15/5/2009, 1:36 pm, in reply to "Re: Bad design"

Whereas Victorian rail staions had large toilets, redesigned stations are appallingly cramped, often with only one cubicle. Examples are Gloucester (twice rebuilt, Worcester and Weymouth.

Re: Bad design

Posted by Mark L on 15/5/2009, 8:25 pm, in reply to "Re: Bad design"

Hi John,

(Its the Mark that was on your workshop by the way!) I respect the fact that you're offering to pay for the dividers, well done! I think it is a great idea to do that. With a simple explaination from an AP sufferer I can see no reason that this would not go ahead.

As for the list of badly designed toilets, im afraid the only input I have on this is the Rownhams services toilets (cant remember which side) as there is 1 row of urinals with no dividers.

Well done mate!

Mark

Re: Bad design

Posted by Tom on 19/5/2009, 10:28 am, in reply to "Re: Bad design"

Responsibilty for stations lies sometimes with Network rail and sometimes with individual train operating companies. How can we approach the industry in general with a plea for toilets suitable for paruresis sufferers. has anyone any ideas?

Re: Bad design

Posted by Ben on 27/5/2009, 11:39 pm, in reply to "Re: Bad design"

Just a note to show support for the views on mens toilet design....surely there must be some designers/architects out there who also have this awful condition.? Although cost is a huge issue some improvements could be made in terms of spacing etc. Is there any possibility of the Trust taking this issue up nationally?. I find the prospect of using public loos fills me with real dread and certainly prevents me living a full life. I would gladly support such a campaign but don't really have the confidence to initiate it.
Ben