I've thought about writing about this topic for awhile, but always feared publicizing my opinions and observations about a taboo topic. As women, we spend a lot of time in shared bathrooms - whether at work, at bars and nightclubs, our home bathrooms and even those we quickly venture into at events (sometimes this means port-a-johns). Over the course of the years, I have made observations in such shared space - some because of annoyances and others just out of curiousity.
General observations and ponderings:
- What determines which stall in a public bathroom a woman chooses? Though I have heard quasi-psychological interpretations I don't really know the answer. I have my own theories: women who go to the farthest possible stall from the entrance are either going to drop it like its hot or they are embarassed by the act of using a public bathroom. In terms of going for the deuce, I feel like these women have the unproven idea that less people will hear them if they are further from the door. This brings me to my second point.
- Different in-stall activities women partake in. Have you ever heard the constant rolling of toilet paper from the metal holder? When utilized, in a lot of cases, it is one of the first noises to come from a newly entered stall. It's like these particular women are preparing ahead of time. Considering the TP roll is typically 6 inches away from the seat, I don't quite understand it. Will these women be unable to obtain the necessary TP for the job if they reach for it during/after the act? Or, perhaps, these women don't like to multi-task - the idea of having to worry about grabbing TP while going to the bathroom is simply daunting. Maybe they are obsessive compulsive planners...I really don't know. But, I will say, this is one of the rarer activities.
More commonly, a lot of women seem to find ways to make rustling noises for the sake of covering up other noises. This may include the act (yes, act not necessity) of blowing their nose, repeatedly. Or, sometimes, just messing with the toilet paper holder or using their feminine products as a way to make a distracting noise. This is definitely more common - I think that women who have to go number 2 just don't like other women to hear. We are fine with peeing, in fact if we are in the presence of others who have to pee when we need to do number 2, we gladly welcome it is an opportunity to push. Similarly, we welcome hand-washers. Personally, hand-washing is the most effective means of drowning out the miscallenous sounds that may occur while doing number 2.
I would guess that close to 3/4 of women prefer a bit of background noise while going number 2 in a public bathroom - almost purely for the purpose of muffling their own noise.
Annoyances in Public Restrooms:
- Though most likely experienced at the public restroom at work, I hate when people wash their food dishes/bowls etc in bathroom sinks. Let's get real, these sinks most likely have a sifted drain - so if you had anything with any substance, there will be food floaters left behind. Those food floaters are disgusting - I am using the sink to clean my hands, not see an old peice of diced pepper. Additionally, there are enough smells in the bathroom, no need to add the stench of whatever you had for lunch. If there was somewhere to heat it up (i.e. a kitchen area), I am sure there is a sink in that area as well.
- Vanity in a busy restroom. Let's me honest if you are at the kind of bar that doesn't have a seperate powder area with a full length mirror, the crowd you are around probably isn't the kind you need to impress. I can't stand when you are at a busy bar, have to wait in a long line for the restroom and then you have to stand around and wait to wash your hands because there is some half-drunk girl thoroughly examining her face in front of one of the few sinks. Buy a compact.
There are other annoyances I have that I am sure are shared with the rest of the female population. Things like toilet seats covered in vomit or bloody feminine products on the floor, I won't elaborate on those. I do, however, wonder if there is a bathroom etiquette book out there and if so, maybe I can start some publicly funded program that places them on sink areas/tables in public restrooms nationwide. One can only wish.
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