Do you use the restroom of establishments you are not patronizing when it is not an emergency??

I ask If I buy something first can I use the restrooms.

When you gotta go, you gotta go. I don’t really put a lot of thought into whether its “truly” an emergency or not. If I have to go, I go.

I go in and go straight to the rest room. If they object, then its after my mission has been accomplished. If anyone says anything to me, I apologize and leave.

As the saying goes “its a whole lot easier to apologize than to ask permission.” It’s not like they can arrest me or something.

However, using a public restroom is an extremely rare occurrence for me. I much prefer to wait till I get home.

I wa spregnant, and missed my bus. An hour wait would be too long . I HAD to go. 7 eleven was the closest plac. I asked, where it was. They said I could not use it. I went in back and found the right door. On my way she told me she was calling the cops.I came out, left, and the cops drove up as I was headed back to the bus stop. I guess they didn’t feel it was worth chasing me over three liters of water and four squares of tissue. CAN YOU BELIEVE SHE CALLED THE COPS? It was years before I bought anything at 7 eleven again. Do you think they felt the pinch? LOL

Not if it isn’t urgent. I don’t like public bathrooms, or private bathrooms in public places. I’ll wait if I can, but if it IS an emergency, I will use it. When you gotta go you gotta go bro, don’t y know.

@Jonesn4burgers Only 4 squares? You have mad skillz.

I wouldn’t say I necessarily avoid public restrooms but if I’m driving somewhere and feel I can make it until I get home I will.

I remember one time where I was feeling extremely sick, like “I’m going to throw up at any minute” sick. I pulled over and went into a 711. I explained to them that I was extremely ill and asked if I could please use their restroom. They told me it was employee only, so I once again explained how horribly sick I was and that I didn’t think I could make it anywhere else and they essentially told me too bad. So I decided, fuck this shit, and threw up on the deli counter :)

I definetly could have made it outside to a trashcan, but at that point, why bother? :P

Good for you, Über. That was going to be my advice to you.

Hopefully that taught them a lesson.

Fortunately I’ve never had to deal with a 7/11. If I go anywhere, its usually a McDs since the bathrooms are off to the side and the counter help usually has their hands full keeping up with customers food orders. Normally they’re open to anyone and you don’t need to ask for a key to use it.

7/11 clerks control access and its likely the only tiny little bit of power they have in this world and they take full advantage of it by being as dickish as possible :)

I bet the vision of that guy cleaning your throwup off the counter gives you a good chuckle every time you think about it. Congratulations on teaching him a lesson he won’t soon forget.

Score one for the good guys !!!

@Buttonstc more joy than it probably should :P

I try to arrange things so that I will not have to go to the loo when I am out but as so many public conveniences have been closed this can be difficult. If I need to go I go. I don’t want to be uncomfortable and I don’t want it to become an ‘emergency’.

I try to become familiar with restrooms in areas I frequent or even pass by, just in case.

For example, the McDonalds I drive by, on my way to work, has extremely clean bathrooms that are always open and accessible by a side door. Easy.

The mall we shop at has an out of the way family bathroom that is used little and generally very clean.

I have a bunch more I file away in my head. Always good to be prepared.

I try and avoid public bathrooms if at all possible but yes, I’ve gone in plenty of places just to use the restroom and have not felt guilty about it at all.

I usually use a McDonalds in those circumstances. The bathrooms are generally kept clean and there are usually enough people that the staff aren’t going to notice someone coming in and using them without buying anything.

I don’t use public restrooms at all unless it’s an emergency.

Once one reaches three-score and ten, their more frequent need to use a bathroom trumps the desire of fast-food restaurants to limit access to their bathrooms to only patrons paying that day.

Answering nature’s call Is always my number one (and number two) priority.

Like they say, when you gotta go you gotta go.
I don’t have much shame about asking if the need arises.
I stopped at a Dunkin Donuts in the Bronx and the kind staffer said ‘sure’ despite all the signage (“customers only”). That’s humanity.

If I have to, I will use a toilet in a restaurant I am not patronizing, but I will make a point to return there when I take a meal. I worked in the field for 36 years, and sometimes nature calls when you are ill prepared.

The last time I used the restroom of a business that I didn’t patronize wasn’t an emergency then. I felt that I could hold it for awhile, but I had a 50-mile drive ahead of me, and I didn’t want to let it become an emergency while I was driving home.

I thanked them and put a dollar in their tip jar after I was done.

It doesn’t come up often, but yes I will. Especially if it is a fast food place, department store, gas station, or a chain restaurant. I patronize those places enough that I may not be giving them money at that moment, but I have paid into the company at some point.

@dabbler I once had that problem in Manhattan, the restaurant had all the signs up also that the bathroom was for customers, but when I asked they said sure also and pointed me to the bathroom.

My chosen recreational social activities place me in situations where the facilities are… Less than ideal.

If you’ve used a port-o-john on the sixth weekend of the Renaissance Festival, you are pretty much immune to any other public restroom ever.

So, I don’t wait for my situation to turn into an emergency. I use an available restroom when I find it.

When would using the bathroom not be an emergency?

Oh, I would estimate it at about 30 mins. BEFORE you pee your pants because you just can’t hold it in any longer :)

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

I’d far rather endure the wrath of a minimum wage slave than end up with a possible kidney infection. This is definitely a possibility if you ignore nature’s call too often.