A public bathroom is not the most fun place to visit. You’ve probably wondered why the doors in public restrooms don’t hit the floor and why they keep you from doing your private business privately? The reason is that it is not done to make you look bad.
1. It’s easier to clean.
Because of the high demand for public restrooms, they must be cleaned multiple times a day. The distance at the bottom makes cleaning the restroom stalls much easier and quicker for the custodians.
2. In case of an accident, you can get help easily.
If a person fainted or had a health condition that rendered them unconscious in a completely enclosed stall, it would take a long time for anyone to remember. Instead, an individual passing out in a stall with a gap at the bottom will be easier to spot. A first responder may also slip through the gap and open the door from the inside without breaking it down.
3. It helps curb inappropriate behaviour.
The lack of privacy in public restrooms often prohibits people from doing inappropriate things in the stall. The features of the doors allow for increased monitoring and the prevention of improper conduct.
4. The construction is cheaper.
Building partitions that reach from the floor to the ceiling necessitates a more precise design and the use of a variety of materials, which raises the overall cost. It is often more cost effective for a business owner to purchase and repair gaps in doors.
5. There’s better odour ventilation.
Unpleasant odours are more difficult to eliminate in a completely enclosed toilet. With openings above and below the toilets, air circulates much better and unpleasant odours dissipate much faster.
6. It’s easy to see if it’s available.
If the stall is fully sealed, we still run the risk of getting an uncomfortable moment when attempting to open an occupied stall or having to keep it from the other side, whichever is worse. A individual can see whether the toilet is empty or not by looking through the gap beneath the door.
7. It’s a possible escape route.
Consider the lock jamming: if the stall is completely enclosed and the environment is too loud, you may be waiting for hours for anyone to hear. If there is a gap under a bathroom stall, however, you can easily escape by crawling under it.
8. It keeps the line moving.
When the doors aren’t completely locked, the lack of privacy makes people feel compelled to conduct their private affairs more quickly, which increases traffic.
9. You can share toilet paper easier.
We’ve all had the terrifying moment when we discover we’ve run out of toilet paper while using the restroom. If it happens in a public bathroom, you can at least ask the person in the stall next to you to give you some toilet paper, but no one can help you if you run out of paper in a completely enclosed stall.
What has your experience been like with public restrooms? Tell us in the comments section.
Illustrated by Natalia Tylosova
