Don't look! Eyes front!
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382329)
Rockingham, Australia
July 1, 2017 1:25am CST
We’d forgotten about some of the cultural differences between Australia and other countries. One French custom which is very different to Australia is their approach to toilets, particularly in caravan parks. From memory, Germany and Austria had similar set-ups.
The shower and toilet block are often unisex so men and women use the same facility block as each other. This is okay but the part we find a bit harder to turn a blind eye to (so to speak) is the fact that the male urinals don’t have doors so it is likely that you might pass behind someone using the urinal. At that point you try very hard not to drop anything. 
Some male urinals are placed together under a roof but again with no doors. Please note I’m not being critical. It’s just another practice that we have noticed is different from Australia.
Some male urinals are placed together under a roof but again with no doors. Please note I’m not being critical. It’s just another practice that we have noticed is different from Australia.24 people like this
26 responses
@CinnamonGrl (7086)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
1 Jul 17
Wow, I have never run into that. I would be put off by that
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (502657)
• Italy
1 Jul 17
@Platespinner I have not visited Smoky Mountains National Park, I am sure I encountered the problem twice, but I cannot remember where. It is very possible I took photos, but they were not digital, very hard to go through thousand of them.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502657)
• Italy
1 Jul 17
@Platespinner It's not common in France too, I have lived there 30 years and I have never seen one.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45490)
• United States
1 Jul 17
@LadyDuck The only place I've ever seen such a set-up was at a military base many many years ago. I don't think open toilets are common here at all.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (502657)
• Italy
1 Jul 17
@AbbyGreenhill I am sure that I have found "open toilets" in a park in Georgia and in California. I did not dare to go, but I had to pee, I asked my husband to stand in front and scream if someone was approaching.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (382329)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Jul 17
@jstory07 @Kandae11 @allen0187 I've edited the post now. It's only the male urinals that might be open to view.
1 person likes this
Ladies to the left, Gents to the right, no idea what the middle one's for... ;)
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Jul 17
I have seen several places in the US where the setup is like that, but it is not a common thing here. Although, I do have one of my public swimming pools I manage that was built in 1968 that has open toilets in urinals inside the locker rooms. But I guess they figure that it is still "semi-private" since the locker rooms are not unisex. Maybe back then they figured that it was okay for women to see other women using the bathroom, and men seeing other men use the bathroom.
Interestingly, within the next two years we plan to start renovations of the locker rooms at that pool, and the number one thing we plan to do is enclose all the toilets and urinals so people can have privacy when they are using the bathroom.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Jul 17
@JudyEv We're starting to see a lot more unisex bathrooms being built theses days. I think eventually that will be the norm.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Jul 17
@JudyEv Or people like me who don't like getting caught sneaking into the girls bathroom! hahaha
{just kidding of course!}
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382329)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Jul 17
It is only the male urinals that are 'open'. I've edited the post now.
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
2 Jul 17
lol... it would be difficult to keep eyes front...lol
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
2 Jul 17
Most men's restrooms in the States have a line of urinals along the wall, and then some stalls to do other business. Of course the bathroom has a door, so it's only other men in the restroom.
I certainly wouldn't want to see anyone doing their business.. male or female! Some things are meant to be private.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382329)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Jul 17
That is how Australia is too but these are open to anyone walking past.
@Orson_Kart (8301)
• United Kingdom
3 Jul 17
Here in the UK, shop doorways are commonly used by young men to relieve themselves, particularly on Friday and Saturday nights.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382329)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jul 17
I think that might be the case in many towns in many countries. 
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
4 Jul 17
as long as they've zipped and buttoned up before they turn around!
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (24028)
• United Kingdom
8 Jul 17
It is a terrible habit especially in France. No decorum!
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43640)
• Denver, Colorado
2 Jul 17
Some bars here have troughs instead of urinals. No privacy whatsoever.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382329)
• Rockingham, Australia
3 Jul 17
In Germany showering arrangements were very 'open' too. Mostly separate men and women but often the cubicles didn't have doors or there was just a line of showers along a wall. When I used one of those, I had to put a bag over my head! 
1 person likes this
