Toilet usage can be confusing

@JudyEv (323745)
Rockingham, Australia
February 14, 2021 4:47am CST
Have you seen signs like this in your country? I know I’ve mentioned the sign in responses but I don’t think I’ve written about it which surprises me. I just hope I’m not repeating myself. Asian ‘squat’ toilets were unknown in Australia for many years but there are now a few here and there, mainly in airports I would think. I know I found Asian toilets very ‘different’ when we first went overseas. I’m sure Asian people find Western toilets just as ‘different’. This sign was in a toilet in a small service station. I guess they’d had trouble in the past with toilet seats getting broken perhaps. Does your country have a predominance of one type of toilet?
33 people like this
33 responses
@DaddyEvil (137251)
• United States
14 Feb 21
Photo isn't mine.
I've seen that sign in jokes but see this one in actual bathrooms here. I hope it's meant as a joke, too. Picture courtesy of the free ClipArt Library.
4 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137251)
• United States
14 Feb 21
@JudyEv I know it's disgusting, but was meant to be funny.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Feb 21
@DaddyEvil Fair enough. I should have put a after the . It's all good.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Feb 21
Oh, my goodness. It's hardly even a joke!
2 people like this
@xFiacre (12541)
• Ireland
14 Feb 21
@JudyEv We have standard sit-upon style facilities, trees in the countryside behind which to perform and darkened doorways for late night expeditions in cities after closing time. The trick with squat toilets of course is to empty ones pockets first or ones wallet and phone might fall out end up somewhere undignified.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Feb 21
Haha. True - not nice to have to go fishing for your phone and/or wallet. We were surprised to find squat toilets in France too especially in some of the country areas.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Feb 21
@xFiacre Charming! I guess maybe we didn't go to too many toilets in Parisian cafes. I don't remember any of that. In one camping ground the men's urinals didn't have doors. That was about as bad as it got.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Feb 21
@xFiacre I saw one in broad daylight just turn his back and pee up against a wall.
1 person likes this
@prinzcy (32326)
• Malaysia
14 Feb 21
Most of the times, I would search for the squat toilet. But if I am traveling and am certain that such toilet is rare, I would bring the toilet bowl liner with me. No matter how clean it is, I couldn't seat on it. I don't even use the Western toilet at home.
2 people like this
@prinzcy (32326)
• Malaysia
15 Feb 21
@JudyEv Mom said the same thing. She's the only one who use the Western toilet at home.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Feb 21
Oh really? I hadn't thought about that aspect. I can understand that you wouldn't like that. Now I'm older, I have trouble getting up from a squatting position.
2 people like this
@macayada (1497)
• Cavite City, Philippines
15 Feb 21
@prinzcy. I wipe the seat with toilet paper before sitting.
2 people like this
@rakski (112993)
• Philippines
14 Feb 21
the old, old folks I think used to have that kind of toilet minus the flush. I saw some in some provinces. But I grew up in a normal toilet set up which is the one with check.
2 people like this
@rakski (112993)
• Philippines
14 Feb 21
@JudyEv traveling opens up to a lot of other things we did not know.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Feb 21
I wasn't something I ever thought about until I started to travel.
2 people like this
@macayada (1497)
• Cavite City, Philippines
15 Feb 21
@rakski minus the flush and also seat cover
2 people like this
@DocAndersen (54413)
• United States
14 Feb 21
that sign made me laugh. So many great captions! sit don't hover this is a NO GAP zone geez i could go on forever
3 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Feb 21
You could go into the sign business.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Feb 21
@DocAndersen It is a sign. I can vouch for the fact that it is a sign. I took the photo myself.
3 people like this
@DocAndersen (54413)
• United States
14 Feb 21
@JudyEv i should! perhaps this is a sign...
3 people like this
@Nevena83 (65287)
• Serbia
14 Feb 21
I have not seen such signs, but it is strange that someone would climb on the toilet.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Feb 21
I guess if they've always used squat toilets and never seen a western one, they're not sure how to use it.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Feb 21
@Nevena83 When we camped once, we cut a hole out of a milk crate and used that for a seat. We dug a hole under it.
1 person likes this
@Nevena83 (65287)
• Serbia
15 Feb 21
@JudyEv Yes, you're probably right. I used to use a field toilet that consisted of a hole and it was necessary to squat.
1 person likes this
@kareng (53440)
• United States
14 Feb 21
Haven't seen anything like that here.
2 people like this
@kareng (53440)
• United States
15 Feb 21
@JudyEv True!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Feb 21
I was surprised to see the sign but I guess if you're not used to western toilets, perhaps you do need guidance.
1 person likes this
@May2k8 (17979)
• Indonesia
14 Feb 21
I never saw the sign, when I wanted it I immediately put my butt on.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Feb 21
Some who are used to squat toilets, don't like to sit where someone else has sat.
2 people like this
@macayada (1497)
• Cavite City, Philippines
15 Feb 21
@JudyEv Yes true most especially outside.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (455003)
• Switzerland
14 Feb 21
I have never seen squat toilets here in Switzerland, in France, particularly in old Parisian Restaurants, they were pretty common.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (455003)
• Switzerland
14 Feb 21
@JudyEv We came across more in Paris than in other parts of France.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Feb 21
We came across some in France too, especially in the country towns.
2 people like this
@akalinus (40352)
• United States
14 Feb 21
I have not seen any squatty potties here. I only used one a couple of times. We have the ones where you sit.
2 people like this
@akalinus (40352)
• United States
15 Feb 21
@JudyEv I would not know how to use that thing in the photo.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Feb 21
I think most western countries do.
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28650)
• Philippines
15 Feb 21
I think a squating toilet would be safer but not squating on the toilet seat. Perhaps the one on the photo attached by JJ.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Feb 21
Most of the ones I saw had sort of footplates either side so it was easy to tell which way you had to face.
1 person likes this
@sunrisefan (28650)
• Philippines
15 Feb 21
@JudyEv Yes, having the foot plates would be much better and helpful too.
1 person likes this
15 Feb 21
We never have these signs in India.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Feb 21
So do you mostly have western toilets there?
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Feb 21
@sathviksouvik It is the same here. Almost always there are women's and gents' toilets.
17 Feb 21
@JudyEv yes we have and there is mention about the genders
1 person likes this
@porwest (78744)
• United States
14 Feb 21
Just regular toilets here, but I have never seen a sign like this. Lol. I would probably laugh hard enough if I did to pee myself.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Feb 21
You don't think about people not knowing how to use them but I guess it's understandable if you've never seen one.
2 people like this
@porwest (78744)
• United States
15 Feb 21
@JudyEv Very true.
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203478)
• Nashville, Tennessee
14 Feb 21
We have so many unnecessary signs in our country it is ridiculous.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Feb 21
A photo of a street scene is full of all sorts of signs. It does start to get ridiculous.
2 people like this
@CarolDM (203478)
• Nashville, Tennessee
14 Feb 21
@JudyEv Indeed.
2 people like this
@jobelbojel (34731)
• Philippines
15 Feb 21
When I was a kid, our toilet does not have the typical modern bowl. It is a type that was mounted flat on the floor. We squat to use it. Now, we have the modern sit-upon.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Feb 21
Reading the comments, it does seem the sit-upon western toilet is more popular now.
@Elizaby (6901)
• Pensacola, Florida
15 Feb 21
I haven't seen those signs or the style of toilet below here (which looks like a urinal that was lowered and stretched a little in some countries where the women don't sit but squat to use the bathroom)
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Feb 21
If people are used to a particular style of toilet then I guess they wouldn't need any signs.
@Shiva49 (26164)
• Singapore
15 Feb 21
When I was young, there was only squat toilet but nowadays western type is in vogue and much preferred. People dirty toilet seats when they squat on the western toilets. I still find a few squat toilets in Singapore air terminals and shopping malls.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Feb 21
I've seen the squat ones mostly in airports too.
1 person likes this
@Dena91 (15772)
• United States
15 Feb 21
I have not heard of a squat toilet before, guess I have lived a sheltered life I haven't ever seen any sign like this here in the Eastern part of the US.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Feb 21
If there are no squat toilets in your area then I guess you don't need these signs.
1 person likes this
• Northampton, England
14 Feb 21
public Unisex toilets are upsetting to me..As a middle aged I do niot want to be sharing a toilet with women and young girls as is not fair on them
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Feb 21
I agree. We have some unisex toilets here but not too many.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (84944)
• Bangalore, India
14 Feb 21
Now it's western toilets everywhere. Though we do have those asian ones but very few these days. Today's generation is more for convenience. And squatting is not that convenient while doing your business Moreover these days people take their books and gadgets there
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Feb 21
Nowadays I find it very hard to get up from a squatting position.
2 people like this
@arunima25 (84944)
• Bangalore, India
14 Feb 21
@JudyEv Quite understandable. And many face health issues that don't support squatting. Western ones are comfortable and that's why have become global one.
2 people like this