Travel for those with slight mobility problems

Disney understand toilets. When I was 20st I managed to take two toddlers into the toilet there whilst wearing rain capes and back packs. They put an always full loo roll dispenser on the door side
and plenty of space in between, but then they are prepared and clearly have the motto 'a happy customer spends money'. I'm now in a wheelchair and a) finding a loo and b) using it, is a challenge!

Laughed to myself when I read about low toilets. I've been complaining to myself about how difficult it is to get up off them. Every where you go public toilets have gotten so close to the floor. I've started using disabled toilets, at least I can hold on to the bar to haul myself up. And if someone complains when they see an apparently healthy person come out out tell them that not all disabilities are visible.

There are some accessible toilets at railway stations now which are beyond the pay barrier rather than being alongside and free. Some councils are charging for use of the accessible toilet to reduce misuse - it's so easy to get a RADAR key being the excuse.

As for the design of public toilets there are British Standards but it would seem that designers go for the minimum or ignore them!

There are standards for the accessible toilet but I've yet to visit one that actually complies - even in a hospital!

I am still relatively mobile, but I have noticed more and more ladies' cubicles are so small that it is virtually impossible to close the door without nearly falling into the toilet itself! When trying to extract myself it is again almost impossible to exit without leaning over the loo in order to open the door and thus being sprayed by the flushing warer! Yuk!

Today I tried to visit the disabled loo in my nearby town of Newark by using my trusty Radar key. However the key didn't want to work and when I attracted the attention of the attendant she told me that toilets for the Disabled are no longer free there and I would have to pay the 20p entrance fee if I wanted to use the toilet! I just couldn't believe it (think Victor Meldrew). Needless to say I waited until I reached the Homebase Free toilets on the other side of town! I thought the Radar scheme was to provide FREE toilets for all disabled folk all over the UK and have never come across another town or organisation which charges to use an adapted toilet. Does anyone else have experience of this problem?

BTW, I stayed in a disabled room in Aberdeen last week and the toilet seat was so high my feet didn't touch the ground. At 5' 7" I have not had that problem for the last 50 years!! Lol x

Wall hung toilet bowls can be hung at whatever height is convenient to the user, and all the other problems mentioned, plus the one no-one has mentioned but is fairly common, that in the handicap WC the toilet roll is so placed that you cannot reach it while sitting on the throne, but have either to remember to tear off the amount you think you are going to need before performing, or get up to fetch the toilet tissue!

It might not help, but do try to send your observations on this matter to the people concerned, the owners of companies, the manager of hotels etc, the town council.

Until you reach our age or become disabled earlier, you just do not realise how b. inconvenient all this is. By telling the young managers what the problem is, we might actually be able to solve it.

Dear Westieyaya I took my mother's toilet forlding frame as a walking aid. so it went extra to my baggage. No one challenged me. The only time I had difficulty was on a Saga Trip where we arrived at the hotel, it was unloaded off the bus, and the driver's mate tried to open it so that my mother could walk!! I just said that she preferred her stick and would they take it with the luggage to the bed room which they did.

This is not the one I took but is an example:

www.completecareshop.co.uk/toileting-aids/toilet-frames/easy-folding-toilet-frame

Oh dear, I always stand and wipe. Have I been doing it wrong for 70 + years. Amazing what you learn on gransnet. I do usually use the bidet which is something missing from many UK homes, but I was thinking the other day about how much longer will I be able to get up from the bidet.

I find I cannot 'perform' as usual on a too low toilet seat. And first thing in the morning, like others I have a job to haul myself up.

I often wonder who designs public toilets. I use a walking stick when I'm out. Low toilets are bane of my life, I find it difficult to get up (knees don't work too well). Where possible I use disabled loo or if I'm lucky there will be an "ambulant disabled toilet" with grab rail & a door that opens outwardsbliss.

I have a raised toilet seat at home which is brilliant.

Our recent holiday in a lovely house in Somerset caused some toilet issues !!

In an effort to fit in an ensuite, they had tried to fit a quart into a pint pot. The toilet was between a wall and a solid glass shower cubicle. If you sat down your shoulders literally touched both the wall and the shower cubicle.

You could only lift the seat from the front because there was no room to slide your fingers in at the side and absolutely no way to wipe..... you had to stand up to do it!!!

The only person who could fit and wipe was our slight 7 year old grandson!!!

Recently back from a holiday in China where almost all public toilets are "squat" design in the floor. Most do not have a grab rail or anything to hold onto to stop you falling in or to help you get up. My poor knees really struggled! The squat position of course, is very good for your insides, just not easy if you are not used to it and if you have dodgy knees

This in not just the case with holiday companies. Motorway services are a lot like this. Toilet too low down, sanitary bin catching the edge of toilet seat. Toilet dispensers often hard to find the start of the paper. Don,t think they consider all age groups when designing these now.

One loo I used was so small that I had to shuffle up the side of the toilet to open and close the door! Must have looked ok on paper, but they obviously forgot that people have to stand in that space to use the door.

I also suffered a nasty shock one day whilst using a disabled loo. Reached behind me for the loo roll and triggered the hand drier which was mounted adjacent to the toilet! Blast of hot air circulating round the nether regions is not what I expected!! It was impossible to reach the loo roll without triggering the drier-which idiot thought this was an appropriate design?

Sorry to be insensitive but am grinning here at the image of Blinko sitting on the loo clutching a broken loo roll dispenser.

I'm pretty mobile and still find all the things mentioned inconvenient (no pun intended) and annoying. I've even had the loo roll dispenser collapse on me when using the loo. So you're sitting holding up the blessed contraption to stop it falling apart! Grr...

Exactly Elegran

It dosen't apply Gallen but that's good to know.

As did P&O after much searching

You don't even need to be disabled to find some ordinary cubicles too very difficult to get into and close/open the door. The man Whoever fixes the enormous loo-roll dispenser to the wall must stand with his back against the open door and drill the holes in the wall opposite him, hang the thing there and leave, without considering that to use the loo it is necessary to enter and close the door.

It should be on the same side as the door hinge, leaving a clear space to get round the door and close it without having to stand in a three-inch triangle between the loo, the dispenser, and the door edge, lean over to avoid the dispenser, and hold in your stomach.

While they are at it, they could put the sanitary bin under the dispenser to save floor space, and use one that it lower than the toilet seat and doesn't press against the side of your thigh/hip when you sit down.

The disabled loo at one court I sit in has a self closing door. I can get in, but not out as trying to press the handle down and push open the door on crutches is impossible

Princess and Cunard will provide seat raisers if requested

I was out for lunch last week and used the disabled loo. The loo was 2" off the floor so I had a hell of a time trying to get up.

When I had my bathroom refurbished a few years ago, fitting a taller loo seat was my first priority. I also fitted one in the downstairs loo and what a difference it has made and neither looks out of place.

And why are the cubicles so ruddy small if your not 100% mobile they're tricky to get in and shut the door.

I agree. It's a common problem. It's as if a lot of places are catering for infant school children. Bad knees have meant I've come very close to being stranded on several occasions!