I often meet my walking buddies at a local coffee shop to carpool to our walking destination. We make a final pit stop before heading out. Usually one or more of us buys a coffee. Along our walks, we often use coffee shop, fast food and gas station restrooms when the need arises, but I only buy something if I am really feeling the need for a snack or a drink. Recently one of my walking buddies got chased out of a coffee shop because he didn't buy something. It has always been an unfriendly coffee shop for walkers and joggers, with a "Customers Only" sign on the restroom. I normally make my pit stops at the hotel across the street instead. The hotel is very walker-friendly and I've never encountered a frown when stopping along my walk to use their restroom.
What do you do? If there is a "Customers Only" sign and I really need a restroom stop, I make a small purchase. If there isn't, I only buy something if I need it. But I look favorably on that establishment and patronize them when I need their product or services. It's good business to welcome the public, and a few friendly words in exchange with the proprietor can also let them know you will be a customer in the future.
Mind Your Trail Manners
Where to Go When You Have to "Go?"
Comments
If dogs can use trees, why can’t human beings. Specially our elders. Is it that dogs have better rights?
Sometimes I wonder.
Using natural facilities in the woods isn’t a problem. Using the trees in somebody’s yard in the suburbs, or the street trees in town, is not socially acceptable in my area. In some places, you can be arrested. Europe is definitely different. When I walked the Blankenberge, Belgium walk with 15,000 people, they had only a few portable toilets every 3 miles. All of the men just stepped to the side of the trail, out there in the flat countryside. There was never a line at the porta-johns.
Good post. In my area many of the stores have signs stating “no public restrooms” and won’t even let customers use the restrooms. A few times I have been in urgent need of a restroom (while shopping)and was told sorry but no. It can be very frustrating because what is a woman to do when nature is calling? One particular time which I won’t ever forget I bm-ed (solid) in my pants in front of the check out area after the clerk said no because I just couldn’t hold it any longer… most embarrassing.
My daughter did the same, in the branch of a bank where I was a customer. She was trying so hard to go off diapers and just cried. Ahh, the innocence of children. Bank then apologized to me. BTW, at the San Francisco Bay To Breakers the atmosphere is quite different: I’ve often seen (from a distance!) women “going” behind trees usually with a large crowd of friends “guarding” them.
As a business owner, I understand both sides of this spectrum where the general public may not. There are many days when I will have the SAME customer walk through my door to use my restroom for 1 thing & I never see them for anything else. I do NOT have any problem for someone needing to use my restroom, if need be. But in cases, where, my restroom is used because it’s the cleanest around & I don’t even get a THANK YOU. That burns me up & has pushed me to put up a “Restrooms for Customers ONLY” sign. The abusers ruin for EVERYONE!
As a business owner, I DO NOT want anybody other than customers of ours to use our restroom. We do NOT have the duty or obligation to clean the restroom for everybody. This is a place for business not worldfare.
I own and operate a gas store that on a corner of a major hwy and interstate.35% of customers stop and just use restrooms. a rest area is about i mile alway. my bathrooms are clean and stocked about 35%of customers daily stop by and buy nothing..they are the ones that complain about restrooms..the oil company do not supply our tp or soap or water. so it cost us money,,we make money off cokes and chips..