Because many World Cup games are played late in the evening or early in the morning, I'm listening to many games on the radio rather than watching the games on the television. Once I get orientated knowing which side is playing in which direction, my imagination is away with the radio. I'm sure I often imagine better football games than those shown on television!
One BBC radio presenter, Rick Edwards, is permanently stationed in Los Angeles throughout the duration of the World Cup. He's got a good gig! Because there's only so much he can talk about the World Cup, he often talks about non-football things as an aside.
One aside was the lack of privacy in American toilets, or perhaps its just Los Angeles or Californian toilets. The presenter, a very tall man, reported that when he's sitting down on a toilet in a cubicle to do his business he feels very exposed. (I think Americans call them stalls.) He explained that the gap on the floor was much larger than those found in Britain, that the partitions aren't as high as in Britain so he can see other men's heads when sitting down, and most perturbing, the side partitions have gaps in them allowing a part-viewing of his neighbours. On privacy grounds, he wasn't impressed with American toilet cubicles.
The geek I am, I did a little bit of research about this cultural difference between American and European toilet cubicles. And it seems Rick Edwards is right. According to Jialifu, a Chinese manufacturer of toilet partitions, stated on its website: "You can recognize an European style toilet partitions from American style in an easy prospect. Toilet partitions in European offers more privacy than American style. As an America style partition often found to have too large gaps, there are gaps between doors and pilasters, and gaps between stall panels and floor. For that, you could see feet and even legs in the cubicle next to you."
The radio presenter's aside was a reminder that it's often when we go abroad that we find out more about the country we live in. The British clearly like more privacy when doing their business than Americans. Whenever I travel to other European countries, it's common that you have to pay to use an establishment's toilet facilities. This is the rarely the case in Britain. And in some parts of France you may have to squat rather than sit to do your business.
It seems the world's best place for a private, free and comfortable number two is Britain. British tourist authorities need to adopt the 'Visit Britain for a toilet stop' slogan to attract foreign tourists to the country!
American-style and European-style toilet partitions:
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22 comments
I have nothing to say about the World Cup since I have zero interest in it.
However, I am happy to comment profusely on Toilets USA ...
Not all bathroom stalls in the US are the same. I have been in some that have no gaps whatsoever.
The bottom gap allows one to see feet and thereby know if the stall is empty without pushing on a door that may not be latched properly.
The bottom gap also allows the passing of toilet paper if one is in a stall that ran out.
The gap between the door and the stanchion allows the latch to be lifted in a medical emergency ... or in case some kid played a joke by locking the door and crawling out the bottom gap.
We are taught not to peek.
We mostly poop at home.
I hope that gives you a better perspective.
I must admit the few times I've visited America (New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC), I didn't notice anything untoward with American toilet partitions.
@spunkycumfun I am glad to know that I can use a public toilet for free while I'm in Scotland. Thanks for that info.
@superbjversion2 The only time I've had to pay to use a toilet here was at London Waterloo train station.
And 10 per cent is the tipping norm here for taxi drivers, waiters/waitresses, hairdressers, etc, and bar staff don't expect a tip (unless table service which isn't common). Hotel porters and travel guides would like a small tip.
Look up the "Larry Craig Scandal" and I think you'll get a better idea of the secret unspoken reason for the stalls being as they are.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Craig_scandal)
It's very thoughtful that American public toilets are designed with cottaging in mind!
@spunkycumfun Cottaging? What is cottaging?
@mwants269 Cottaging is the act when men seek anonymous sex in public toilets. My apologies, it's a British term.
@spunkycumfun Thanks.
What can I say? Sex is always on American Minds?
@spunkycumfun Haha Tony B got busted for that in the early 80's
@stonnerking Oh great, is Tony B the former prime minister?
@mwants269 yep! Appeared in Bow St Magistrates Court, under his middle names funnily enough.
@stonnerking @spunkycumfun, sex in the mens room has not been on my fantasy list, and I don't see that changing.
@mwants269 I'm with you but I have had sex in many a public toilet with a woman!
@spunkycumfun aye, me too lol
That's funny because I was going to comment that the MSP airport has migrated toward full length walls in its stalls and that may be because of the Larry Craig scandal!
@spunkycumfun my experience is Ladies Rooms tend to be nicer than Men’s Rooms. I didn’t say I couldn’t be talked into doing it, just not a fantasy of mine
@mwants269 Women's toilets are much better than men's toilets even though we have to queue less to use a toilet!
@stonnerking Didn't George Michael get in trouble for a "lewd act" in or around a bathroom?
@HornyBBW7233 yes I believe so.
I always watch for differences when I travel. This is one I have not noticed. I have been to England several times and never noticed, or at least did not pay attention. I imagine it would be more noticeable coming over here. I tell my students to go abroad to experience other cultures. I tell them even England is different.
Going abroad is a great way of understanding one's own country's culture better. It's when I went abroad that I realised how much Brits like to queue in line. Queue-jumpers, even foreign tourists, get short shrift here.
I do not like the American bathroom partitions here in the US. It sucks. There are too many gaps and some bathrooms are even worse than others.
Please come to Britain when you need to go to the toilet!
@spunkycumfun Would like to, but that would be an awful long distance to hold it to go to the bathroom. Lol.
@HornyBBW7233 I can see the practical problems with my invitation!
I find my problem watching the games is that it's like a giant tease. Reminds me of sex I heard from a room next to the active couple. Oh. OH. OH, blank, then repeat, oh, Oh, OH, but never a final release.
My other problem is that I often don't know what team is what color.
Commentators should say what team is wearing what colour strip. Also the scores showing in the corner of the screen usually have teams colour-coded. For example, a team wearing a white strip will have a white background, etc.
The other night I flipped over to my typical choice to TV entertainment and it wasn't on. The World Cup was instead. Since I had something else to do in 30 minutes anyway, I decided to give it a chance. OMG was it BORING!! Best I can recall it was Croatia vs. Panama. 0-0 (of course!!) and Croatia was doing a great job keeping the ball in Panama's end of the field. Problem was - they seemed totally content to do JUST that. No real effort to score, just passing the ball around. No wonder the announcers go ape shit when someone does SCOOOORRRREEEE.
As to you main point of American vs. British toilets - guess the makers assume the Brits need more privacy as they'll be wanking off to God knows what while in there.
You picked a bad game. There have been quite a few exciting games. One of the problems is the heat and humidity which slows the game down a lot.
I...did not know that. Good gawd....the high gaps between partitions are a definite no-no
Americans clearly like peeking or being peeked!
Thanks for sharing about the toilet partitions my friend, as I thought they were all the same in every country. It's good to know that yours is better than here in America where you can enjoy a bit more privacy.
I am not into the soccer games, but I sure am looking forward to Football Season. I hope your Thursday is filled with many fun and sexy thrills..
I too thought toilet partitions were universal but apparently not.
I prefer European style, for so many reasons!
Europeans have got it right on this issue!
Museums and restaurants might be a bit better, but yes, US coliseum may not be toilet friendly. I like your slogan for Britain LOL!
Reading on the toilet should be a human right!
@spunkycumfun Long live the toilet news!!!
I want my privacy lol
I like my privacy on the toilet too!
The announcer may be exaggerating on the height of the stall. I have come across a few here where the partition goes down to the floor with smaller gaps. These are rare. The most high tech one I was a public toilet in Vienna ( I think). It was a pay toilet with a locking door that cleans the whole unit by spraying a solution. One fellow traveler decided to save money and went in after his son left. When the door locked he was sprayed with the solution.
The oddest was also in Vienna. It was a large room. One walks in and there was a woman sitting at a desk, collecting the payment and then directing one left or right. If I remember correctly, men went to the left and women to the right.
Toilet business seems to be thriving in continental Europe!
I don't believe I've ever seen toilet stall partitions so low that you could see your neighbor's head sitting down! Maybe the standards are different for men and women.
I'm only reporting what the radio presenter said. But it does seem there are different cultures regarding toilet partition walls.
Related to this, it seems American toilets are more likely to partition men's urinals. That's not the case here. We can all have a peek at each other's peeing willy while at a urinal!