21st Century Garderobes

[Seattle Zack]

What a wonderful time in Seattle.

After ten years of political wrangling by the city council and three different mayors, the city finally opened six public downtown toilets earlier this month.

These are no ordinary toilets, however. They are marvels of engineering, redefining public restroom facilities for the new millennium.

From the outside, they look like gleaming stainless steel escape pods from a spaceship. The doors open and close like those on an elevator. You step in. They softly seal shut behind you. "Welcome to Seattle's public toilet," says the kind of voice you might hear as you board a space ride at Disneyland. The recording is done in English and Spanish, and in Chinese in the International District toilet.

The self-cleaning cylindrical bathrooms include a toilet, wastepaper basket, and sink with a dispenser that dribbles out soap. They are wheelchair-accessible. They are roomy, well-lit and completely private -- for 15 minutes. Then the doors pop open.

The media wasted no time in racing to interview the new toilets. Downtown business associations unrolled ceremonial rolls of toilet paper.

The toilets are leased by the city at a cost of $600 grand a year. Quite a bargain, despite the fact that the city libraries are now closed two weeks out of the year to save a million bucks ... or that more firefighters and police are desperately needed ....

At last, flush with excitement, the city council wasted no time in voting to give themselves a raise.



http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/dayart/20040302/450firstflush_recording.jpg


P.S. This is not an April Fools joke. Read all about it here.

 

[minsue]

It's the photo that really brings the lunacy home, ain't it?

 

[Guest]

Zack, we've got them too, from France.

Perdita

SF pissoirs

 

[CharleyH]

thought this said "20th century GODESSES." I can see I am talking to ex-sub - roomie with one too many in me! No - NOT sexual . . . grr

 

[lucky-E-leven]

thought this said "20th century GODESSES." I can see I am talking to ex-sub - roomie with one too many in me! No - NOT sexual . . . grr

It's a lot easier to read your posts when one gives up attempting to locate the method behind the madness.

~lucky

 

[CharleyH]

It's a lot easier to read your posts when one gives up attempting to locate the method behind the madness.

~lucky

lol - there is always method, apperantly from my post that would be last century method - god I need to update myself, and shame on you sweet, old ass - that you didn't catch that

 

[lucky-E-leven]

lol - there is always method, apperantly from my post that would be last century method - god I need to update myself, and shame on you sweet, old ass - that you didn't catch that

I never said there wasn't a method, merely that I'm rarely ever patient enough to locate it. Or I'm a complete idiot. Depending on the day, my impatience and idiocy are battling for the lead...


~lucky

 

[CharleyH]

you must be an 'idiot savant' then - lol a sexy one , cuz you still didn't pick up on my faux pas . . . anyone on lit care to figure it out? Free sex talk . . . . one half hour only - lol

(teasing lucky . . . you are one of the smart ones )

 

[Lauren Hynde]

I figured it out. But it's past 5:30 AM already

 

[minsue]

I'm thinking we're all just feeling generous this evening, or morning for Lauren, and are willing to let it slide. Not to mention, it's no fun to point out a faux pas when the person already knows they've done it!

 

[Boxlicker101]

How long do you think it will take those public potties to get totally trashed? What kind of shape are the public johns like in SF, Dita?.

 

[minsue]

How long do you think it will take those public potties to get totally trashed? I believe they have some in SF also.

Scroll down some, Box.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Scroll down some, Box.

What happens when I scroll down? Yours is the last post on the thread right now.

 

[Guest]

Box, I don't use them, haven't heard any stories about them lately. They look pretty good from the outside. BTW, they are built surrounded by kiosks that hold advertisements; seems to help pay for the lease. P.

 

[CharleyH]

I figured it out. But it's past 5:30 AM already

Only cuz your a beautiful, where the hell is that nerd icon when I NEED it

Edit: oh and cute little gosling . . . where are those ruby slippers that will whisk you away from reason?

 

[minsue]

What happens when I scroll down? Yours is the last post on the thread right now.

LOL I meant from the top of the thread to see 'Dita's post, but now I see that you have.

 

[Seattle Zack]

Our council voted against the advertisements, which would have helped to defray the cost ... can't have those rich tourists off the cruise ships seeing ads for Planned Parenthood or something equally reprehensible.

The toilets are supposed to be "self-cleaning," Box, a cycle that they go through every time it's used ... not sure how that actually works, but they're from Germany, so they're probably as reliable as BMWs .....

No, I've never used them either. It did occur to me that fifteen minutes seems like more than enough time for a quick junk fix or a bj from a prostitute, which is probably what they're used for more than eliminatory functions.

 

[shereads]

In my city, many of our public toilets double as stairways in parking garages. That way, we get twice as much for our tax dollars.

 

[Guest]

In my city, many of our public toilets double as stairways in parking garages.

Sher, I know of what you speak, but SF gives free tokens to the homeless (the public toilets cost 25 cents), and the public stairwells have improved considerably in 'atmosphere'.

Perdita

 

[oggbashan]

"Best Value"

Our local council performed a "best value" review of public conveniences. The "best value" review is required by Tony Blair's Government.

They hadn't spent any money on renovations except essential repairs for 10 years. They hadn't got any money for renovations because they spent it all on repairs needed after vandalism.

They found out as part of the review that they are not obliged to provide public conveniences. After going through the strictly defined process they consulted the public who said they wanted more and better toilets and were prepared to PAY to use them.

So they decided to close one third of the toilets and spend the money saved on upgrading one toilet block a year. They closed toilets for a variety of reasons including "inappropriate behaviour" = gay cruising. So the "inappropriate behaviour" transferred to another toilet block. So the council closed that toilet block. The "inappropriate behaviour" transferred...

Their program for renovating toilets extends for the next 30 years. Before then the first 10 toilets will need renovation.

They also reduced the opening hours of the toilets that were left. In winter they all close at 6pm. They have a problem with binge drinkers on Friday and Saturday nights partly caused by a large student population and an Army barracks. But there are no toilets open when the pubs close. So people (m&f) pee in the street, in shop doorways, in alleys, in front gardens. So the council installs more CCTV cameras to catch those peeing in the street. The cost of the cameras is greater than the savings made by closing the toilets but they DO have a responsibility for reducing "anti-social behaviour".

The local residents are annoyed. The council says "We followed the required "best value" procedures and had to do it." They are right. They were required to accept the conclusions of the review and the only conclusion could be to close some toilets completely and to close those left early in the evening.

It is happening all across England with council after council. Years ago councils used to take pride in providing public conveniences. They were opened with pomp and ceremony.

Last week our local council opened a new toilet in a new Community Centre. The Mayor was present in his regalia to cut the ribbon. Guess what? The toilet closes at 6pm and the Community Centre is open to 11pm. The new Community Centre has useful re-entrants shielded from the CCTV cameras. Even before the main centre is open the local drunks have found the re-entrants useful for pissing.

Og

PS. The town that has the new Community Centre has a problem with pigeon fouling. The new centre has useful roosts for pigeons and the viewing gallery is used at your peril. Local youths with BB guns have been approached to solve the problem.

 

[rgraham666]

Og, that's really fucking funny.

The story of our times! Wonderfully complex and complete bureaucracy, and no sense at all.

 

[SnoopDog]

Did anyone of you hear about this new toilet in London (if I remember correctly, could be somewhere else though)? It's in the middle of a public place and it has this one-way-mirror-glass. So noone could look inside but once you're in, you can see all what's going around you. So basically you do your thing in front of other people, that can't see it. But it still must be a strange thing to do.
I saw this on tv and they interviewed a couple of people. Some of them couldn't use it, though they knew that the other people couldn't see them.
I think it's an amazingly funny idea.
Snoopy, my 2 cents

 

[NoJo]

Sher, I know of what you speak, but SF gives free tokens to the homeless (the public toilets cost 25 cents), and the public stairwells have improved considerably in 'atmosphere'.

Perdita

Aaah, dear SvenskaFlicka...