Wheelchair Access Toilets at the AMEX

[tottenhamseagull]

I thought it was just me! Much more room in there to spread out, I refer to it as the business class toilet.

I have even taken the Ipad in their a couple of times to play Fifa 12 to give the full business class experience.

Also known as first class. The safest place to be on a friday morning, when other traps are likely to be heavily pebble dashed from the previous nights excesses.

Exactly, also none of this pussy footing around pretending theres no one in the trap next to you. Get in there, cacks down, sit down and let rip. Marvellous scenes.

 

[Mr Burns]

I think its perfectly reasonable for the club to only allow disabled supporters use of the disable toilet. You've only got to look in the gents, to see how many people are incapable of having a piss without pissing on the floor.

I would think a disabled person has enough issues getting on and off the bog, without having to contend with piss over the seat or floor. Not saying everyone does it, but guaranteed if they make it a free for all, it will happen!

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Misconception maybe, but it irritates the bejesus out of me when outside a disabled bog with mrs in her wheelchair desperate for the toilet then an able bodied person comes out cos they couldn't walk the extra few feet to the other toilets. Happens plenty of times when we are out and about. There's usually only 1 disabled toilet or 2 if you're really lucky and as has been posted its not uncommon for a disability to encourage a weak bladder.

That's what I was getting at: people who have to use wheelchairs face enough obstacles in life (literally in many cases) without something as basic as toilet access being, if not denied them exactly, at least delayed. I'm fortunate, like most of us, never to have been in that position, but I like to think I can see how frustrating it must be for those who have no choice in the matter.

It might be a small thing, but on top of all the other "small" things disabled people have to deal with that the rest of us wouldn't even notice, the cumulative effect of such incidents could easily become hugely wearing, I'd have thought.

 

[Captain Sensible]

2 toilets free, no one using them, father with daughter comes over to ask to use them, turned away, why? Some of those that think they should be for diabled ONLY please explain this.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

We have explained it. The father you talked about has a choice of which toilet to go in. Someone in a wheelchair (or with mobility issues, or visual impairment perhaps) doesn't.

It's no big deal for the father to use the general access toilet. It might be a massive deal for a disabled person to. You run the risk of coming across just a little bit selfish here.

 

[Seagull Steve]

Fair enough, but that's at work, where the number of people around is a lot smaller, and importantly, there isn't a 15 minute window which half the building has to use to got to the toilet. And, I don't know- do you have many/any disabled people in your office?

At the Amex, you have a vast number of people leaving their seats at half time, including no doubt plenty of disabled supporters. I just don't think it's unreasonable in those circumstances for the club to say the facilities are exclusively for the use of disabled fans, if only for that period. Be interesting to hear the views of any disabled supporters or friends/family on this subject.

See the post above yours Edna. Whilst we are on the subject, £93m spent on the stadium but no radar locks on the disabled toilet doors. This would save the wages of any steward paid to man the disabled toilet doors. Not a complaint, just a thought.

 

[Albumen]

If the male/female ratio met the male/female ratio toilet facilities there wouldn't be this problem. I got turned away from the disabled toilets, I was miffed but could sympathise. It's only manned at half time too. I've never seen a queue for the ladies in the WSL.

 

[Captain Sensible]

We have explained it. The father you talked about has a choice of which toilet to go in. Someone in a wheelchair (or with mobility issues, or visual impairment perhaps) doesn't.

It's no big deal for the father to use the general access toilet. It might be a massive deal for a disabled person to. You run the risk of coming across just a little bit selfish here.

Wheelchair access.
Access thats exactly what it means. Access only, it means it is accessable, not exclusively for a wheelchair user. Yes they get priority, as they would on train seats busses etc.
If they are unused, no one is allowed to use them? So by your logic, someone that is disabled should not use a regular toilet? Selfish of them to have so much choice?

Is this the same in everyday life? I work in aviation, new aircraft are fitted with at least 1 wheelchair access toilet, so do we instruct our crew to block a regular passenger from using them? How judgemental for an individual policing the use of the toilets to judge who they think is disabled and who isn't.

Look some of you are getting way too deep here and in turn so am I.
Its quite simple, is it right to reserve these toilets just in case there might be a wheelchair user? Because this is what we are talking about, wheelchair user, not someone that has lost a finger or something.

I have no problem with it if it is infact correct to reserve them, no one has yet convinced me otherwise.

As so many of you have a problem with the initial question, I won't put it on ask the club and just leave it as it is. Whatever, I use the regular loos anyway. I just felt what the steward was doing was wrong as I have been complying with disability issues everyday at work and reserving toilets are just not in it.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

If the male/female ratio met the male/female ratio toilet facilities there wouldn't be this problem. I got turned away from the disabled toilets, I was miffed but could sympathise. It's only manned at half time too. I've never seen a queue for the ladies in the WSL.

On the other hand, I bet you've never seen a queue for the mens' toilet anywhere other than at a football match? Welcome to our world, sir, where queuing is a way of life. Women always, ALWAYS end up queuing for ages to use the facilities, everywhere we go, and frankly the fact that football is the ONE place in life where the situation is reversed makes me TREMENDOUSLY happy

 

[pigbite]

2 toilets free, no one using them, father with daughter comes over to ask to use them, turned away, why? Some of those that think they should be for diabled ONLY please explain this.

Might seem a tad unreasonable - I have a 6 yr old boy and using the mens, given their state thanks to idiots who cannot lift a seat up or point their tallywacker properly, is not nice when you are 3ft tall so I can sympathise. The problem is that the world is full of ignorant, selfish, lazy idiots who will always abuse the system. Take a look at any supermarket car park and count the number of people using the disabled or parent and toddler spaces when they have no need to do so. What's worse is people with this mind set then get indignant when they are pulled up on it as if everyone else is unreasonable for not accepting their selfish, ignorant and anti-social attitude. It only takes a small number to start doing it and then others follow with their usual herd mentality because "if they are doing it then so can I" and if anything these people are worse because they don't have the balls to be selfish until someone else has been.

So, what happens.... The rest of us reasonable and balanced mugs have to put up with seemingly unreasonable tactics like this because as a society we condone ignorance through our own tolerance of it.

Time to quietly step off my soap box now....

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

For the last 2 games I have noticed a steward standing outside the wheelchair access toilets at the North end of the WSL concourse. He had his hands over both door handles and was stopping people going into them. This was despite que's for the toilets snaking along the wall of the concourse, he wouldn't allow anyone to use them. He said it was club policy. When it was pointed out to him that there wasn't anyone queing for the toilets in a wheelchair, or indeed anyone in the concourse in a wheelchair he stupidly said and I quote 'there is a guy in here with a walking stick, so i'm reserving them for him'. Quite idiotic.

No its not idiotic. If you opened the disabled toilet up to the whole WSL there'd be a hundred people pissing on the seat, a wise guy having a crafty smoke at halftime and all the rest of it. Its designated a Disabled Toilet for a reason. Have you thought about changing your username?

 

[upthealbion1970]

Wheelchair access.
Access thats exactly what it means. Access only, it means it is accessable, not exclusively for a wheelchair user. Yes they get priority, as they would on train seats busses etc.
If they are unused, no one is allowed to use them? So by your logic, someone that is disabled should not use a regular toilet? Selfish of them to have so much choice?

Is this the same in everyday life? I work in aviation, new aircraft are fitted with at least 1 wheelchair access toilet, so do we instruct our crew to block a regular passenger from using them? How judgemental for an individual policing the use of the toilets to judge who they think is disabled and who isn't.

Look some of you are getting way too deep here and in turn so am I.
Its quite simple, is it right to reserve these toilets just in case there might be a wheelchair user? Because this is what we are talking about, wheelchair user, not someone that has lost a finger or something.

I have no problem with it if it is infact correct to reserve them, no one has yet convinced me otherwise.

As so many of you have a problem with the initial question, I won't put it on ask the club and just leave it as it is. Whatever, I use the regular loos anyway. I just felt what the steward was doing was wrong as I have been complying with disability issues everyday at work and reserving toilets are just not in it.

Put it this way, how would YOU feel if your mrs had an accident because an able bodied person was using the disabled toilet?

 

[Lady Whistledown]

CS, it's not about having a rule, is it, it's more a convention, an unwritten courtesy towards those who HAVE to use that facility, as opposed to those who don't fancy waiting another five minutes for a piss.

I have no problem with that and I'm surprised anyone does.

 

[upthealbion1970]

That's what I was getting at: people who have to use wheelchairs face enough obstacles in life (literally in many cases) without something as basic as toilet access being, if not denied them exactly, at least delayed. I'm fortunate, like most of us, never to have been in that position, but I like to think I can see how frustrating it must be for those who have no choice in the matter.

It might be a small thing, but on top of all the other "small" things disabled people have to deal with that the rest of us wouldn't even notice, the cumulative effect of such incidents could easily become hugely wearing, I'd have thought.

Spot on Edna, absolutely spot on. If only some of the less thoughtful among us could empathise a little with what having a disability is like in every day life

 

[saslowi]

Unfortunately thoughless people will always abuse this type of situation. I can understand the young child arguement but the point of having a toilet or parking spot reserved is to have them available when needed. If you park in a blue badge bay you do not know if a few minutes later someone who really needs and relies on this facility will turn up. The same applies to the toilet.

 

[Captain Sensible]

CS, it's not about having a rule, is it, it's more a convention, an unwritten courtesy towards those who HAVE to use that facility, as opposed to those who don't fancy waiting another five minutes for a piss.

I have no problem with that and I'm surprised anyone does.

There was no one that had to use those 2 toilets. And just on an earlier point, you said the father had a choice of toilets to take his daughter to, you are wrong because the steward stopped him using the wheelchair toilets, so he didn't have a choice.

Also can I just point out, they are wheelchair accessable toilets and for the record, there was no one in a wheelchair, by the stewards own admission. Just a guy somewhere with a walking stick.

As you lot think its right to have loos unused and reserved and kids and able bodied are not allowed to use them, then fine. As I said, you're all correct and I'm wrong. Well done.

 

[pigbite]

As you lot think its right to have loos unused and reserved and kids and able bodied are not allowed to use them, then fine. As I said, you're all correct and I'm wrong. Well done.

Not sure if you think my response is in that category but I think few people would have a problem with the able bodied and kids free to use them if everyone that did use them treated them and their primary users with respect by, for example:

- cleaning up after themselves so a disabled user does not have to try and clean a filthy seat or negotiate a urine ridden floor
- not piling into them just because they are too lazy to stand and queue for the regular loos
- willingly deferring first place in the queue to those in genuine need
- moving to the regular loos without complaint if asked to do so by a steward

My guess is though that the club are probably simply having to respond to the fact that there are a number of people who couldn't give a toss about anyone else and use the facilites without any thought for those for who really need them. I bet most of those people who would show consideration go and queue anyway just out of, as previously pointed out, courtesy. It might seem that the steward was being a jobsworth (and some of them are that type) but the people who really need to be the object of your frustration are the selfish and ignorant who abuse facilities like this.

 

[saslowi]

Maybe a stupid thought but we have a "family stand" maybe this should have some family orientated toilets.

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

It wouldn't just be a case of one dad and his daughter sneaking in to use them would it? Everyone would cotton onto it and try and use them as well and as Edna said would lead to great embarrassment on behalf of the people that need should they have to ask to be bumped to the front of the queue). Leave them for the folk that need them (how many people that may be) and be done with it.

 

[Gully]

CS, it's not about having a rule, is it, it's more a convention, an unwritten courtesy towards those who HAVE to use that facility, as opposed to those who don't fancy waiting another five minutes for a piss.

I have no problem with that and I'm surprised anyone does.

Likewise, I am starting to despair at the level of ignorance and stupidity displayed by so many on NSC, there really are some complete and utter choppers on here...but, hey, I guess it is only a reflection of society as a whole.

If given the choice of having to queue for an extra five minutes to have a pee over spending life in a wheelchair, and probably having no control whatsoever over my bladder, then it is an easy option. Why shouldn't someone who does need use of a toilet with wide-access expect to use one that is clean and dry when they most need it, it ain't bloody rocket science is it!

Won't requote it, but pigbite is spot-on with that post.