It looks as if they are praying to the toilet.
Posted on 01/11/2008 9:46:03 AM PST by GovernmentShrinker
When New York City’s open-armed embrace of tourists finally extends beyond the boundaries of Earth to creatures from outer space, these visitors will find themselves right at home in Madison Square Park’s sleek, shiny new public toilet.
Indeed, the toilet calls to mind not a port-o-let, but rather the sort of room one imagines adjoined the personal quarters of Capt. James T. Kirk on the Starship Enterprise.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
For those unfamiliar with the saga, this outlandish public toilet is the result of the combination of anti-discrimination laws that don't let businesses pick and choose what sort of non-customers may use their restrooms, and don't let police use common sense in forcibly removing people from public facilities that they are using for unintended purposes (think 2 guys in a public restroom stall), and disability rights laws that prohibit the city from providing any facilities that aren't wheelchair-accessible. NYC's citizens and business/tourism lobby have been actively pushing for public toilets for a couple of decades, but the need to comply with all sorts of idiotic laws kept killing off one proposal after another. Finally they've crafted one that meets all the requirements. I'm not sure which will bring about its demise first, angry environmentalists or perpetual malfunctions due to its ludicrous level of complex automation.
Will junkies still be able to shoot up in it?
Will the homos still use it for their toe-tappery?
Why isn't that illegal? Didn't some congresscritter just get busted for sliding his foot into the adjacent stall?
14 gallons per use....!? flutter flutter ....”oh my!”
Silly
If they set it to recycle the wash water, and dispose of the waste water, then make it a pay toilet, bet it would defray some of the cost. Seems silly for a tourist to expect city-provided facilities as a freebie. Walk into a restaurant, buy a cup of coffee and a sandwich, use the can, leave.
ruefully...
Do they have a “wide stance” model?
"What follows is possibly the longest and most awkward 20 to 30 seconds of a person’s day. The door slips open like an elevator, but then it stays open, to accommodate those who need extra time getting in. Meanwhile, men and women in suits walk past. It is very difficult to look inconspicuous in a bathroom on a sidewalk in New York with the door open. There is just nothing to do but stand there. And the delay will not please those who are in distress."
Yep. And I don’t see what will stop 2 guys from doing their thing either, or female prostitutes from using it as a base of operations. 15 minutes is plenty of time for that, and the 25 cent charge will hardly be a deterrent (nor will it come close to covering the cost of purchasing and maintaining this crazy contraption).
Theoretically, the whole room will be disinfected before the next person can use it. I can’t wait to hear how long it takes for the drain to get clogged with discarded syringes, condoms, and sanitary pads. There a limit to what even a 14 gallon automatic room cleaning can push down a drain.
I suspect it will have a brief life, mainly as a tourist attraction to be gawked at in amazement. I’m sure there are already tourists lined up to have their friends take their pictures in front of the open door. Probably most of the automated cleanings will occur after the automated cycle has been set off with a quarter for photo purposes, not after anyone has actually used the toilet. I expect to see it featured in YouTube performances any day now.
It looks as if they are praying to the toilet.
There are two architectural flourishes, both on the roof: a small pyramid of glass, like a little model of the Louvre, and an anachronistic metal stovepipe, reminiscent of a cozy shanty or an old outhouse with a crescent moon carved into the door.
When the green light marked “vacant” is lit, 25 cents — coins only, no bills — starts the visit. What follows is possibly the longest and most awkward 20 to 30 seconds of a person’s day. The door slips open like an elevator, but then it stays open, to accommodate those who need extra time getting in. Meanwhile, men and women in suits walk past. It is very difficult to look inconspicuous in a bathroom on a sidewalk in New York with the door open. There is just nothing to do but stand there. And the delay will not please those who are in distress.
Black dispenses toilet paper. One will quickly familiarize oneself with that button, because the designers have deigned a little 16-inch strip the standard helping of paper. A word to the wise: There is a maximum of just three helpings. Another tip: Do not tarry. A grim yellow light turns on when there are just three minutes remaining, and after that, the door will open.
Idiots.
Typical communist policy. If all can't share, no one can have.
(Are you chewing gum? Did you bring enough for everybody?)
Okay, who left the lid up? Or off?
If that's not enough, you can just grab a handful of disposable seat covers.
Trouble is, police have to set up a big expensive surveillance operation to get away with that. They did it for that airport, because it’s a high traffic facility that it primarily used by civilized people. And then getting a conviction incurs all sorts of legal/court expenses. And if they don’t get a conviction, the “victim” will sue, claiming his civil rights were violated, and that costs the taxpayers a bundle more in legal/court expenses.
It has become impossible for a police officer to simply order (or haul, if necessary) an obvious abuser out of any sort of public facility without arresting, ticketing, or even identifying the person, and that’s the only cost-effective approach.
You might want to read this.
I imagine a lot of people, especially men, simply won’t bother waiting for the door to close. I can only hope the toilet is positioned so that when used as a urinal, the user’s back is towards the open door. It’s unfathomable why they didn’t add another button to allow users to close the door as soon as they’re inside.
You can use the restroom in Macys for free. Just plan ahead and make sure you’re near a department store or mini-mall while you’re walking about. And don’t beeline for the john as soon as you walk in!
I don’t know. That may be automated too, with just one poking out of the dispenser for each use cycle.
How long before someone hacks the 15 minute timer? A home for the homeless.
After the than 10 years the MTA MetroCard has still not been hacked.
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