Full bladders, closed bathrooms. Strategies for peeing while out during coronavirus

Los Angeles Times ^ | July 25, 2020 | Jeanette Marantos

[billorites]

Remember the good old days (a few months ago), when you could leave your home for the day with a tall tumbler of coffee and a car well-stocked with water, confident in the knowledge that when your bladder came calling, you could find quick and easy relief at the nearest coffee shop, gas station or fast-food restaurant?

Because after a couple of hours, you were likely ready for another Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew anyway, right? At least that’s how it worked in my world, where regular caffeine was such a workday requirement that by the time I got home, the interior of my car was full of empty cups.

In truth, I probably owe my caffeine addiction to my bladder: I had to buy a new coffee every few hours so I could justify using a coffee shop’s public bathroom when I was working outside the office.

But the easy days of ubiquitous public restrooms are but memory, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdowns that have shuttered the seating areas — and toilets — of many coffee shops and restaurants.

Is there any dance more urgent than racing into a gas station in pursuit of a restroom only to discover it’s closed to the public and trying to think, “What do I do now?” over the screams of your near-bursting bladder?

The staff at the Central 76 station in Riverside, just off the 91 Freeway, have seen that look more than once. “Lots of people come here from other stations saying, ‘I have to go!’” said assistant manager Cesar Mungaray. “And if we notice people heading to the wall [outside], we go to the door and shout, ‘Hey, we have restrooms open inside,’ because when they have to go, they’ll go outside.”

So maybe it isn’t my imagination

[Sir Beowolf]

JUST DON”T USE BEER CONTAINER, OPEN CONTAINER LAW WILL get YOU into trouble

[Alberta's Child]

Good advice — but I never have empty alcohol containers in the cab of my truck. It’s only containers that I’ve used for drinking while I’m on the road!

[TBall]

I basically pee whenever I want. When I’m at home I actually use a toilet. Guys have it easy.

[Exit148]

That’s what I’ve thought of doing. Privacy with those doors open.

[Songcraft]

Portable Urinal For Women

Portable Urinal For Men

(Both available from Amazon.)

(When it's tinkle time in Texas...)