Size Does Matter

Maybe not in all things, but certainly when it comes to public bathroom stalls.

Typically I use the stalls designed for the handicapped – assuming there is no one else in greater need than me.  They are usually the only ones that allow a person to move in any kind of normal way and without feeling cramped.

This morning I had breakfast with a friend at the Cracked Egg.  A nice place to eat – reliable food and friendly staff.   But beware the women’s bathroom! (Can’t speak for the men’s.  Haven’t had occasion to visit it.)

The stall is sooooo narrow and short that to get in and shut the door you have to straddle the toilet.

Sit down and you’re off center because you are competing for space with the toilet paper dispenser.

Talk about awkward and uncomfortable.

Business done, you then have to straddle the toilet again to open the door and get out.

Who designs these things?  Certainly not somebody who uses them.

And it’s not just the Cracked Egg – it is so many of the businesses that have public facilities.  The amenity is nice, especially if I’m going to be in the place of business a long time, as with a restaurant.

How many more inches do they need to make a bathroom stall big enough to be easy to use?  Course, I’m assuming that any business is interested in providing an experience to customers that will keep them happy and coming back.

A moment of truth for a business. (See ‘Moments of Truth”, by Jan Carlzon)

Maybe I’m wrong……