South of Sunnyside

I had hoped to never need to write this post. Alas, after tweeting the following, I realized that there is a need to agree on proper protocol for using a public restroom:

@jamescollier understands that sometimes one *forgets* to lock the door to a public bathroom. But it should at least be closed! Seriously.
3:44 p.m. – Monday, February 16, 2009

We all need to use a public restroom now and then, and I’m certain we’ve all done so in a hurry. I, for example, once used the women’s restroom…at an organization where I was interviewing for a job…and the HR manager walked in…moving on now.

For guys, the rules are pretty simple: if it’s a single-stall room, walk in, close the door, lock the door, and do your thing. If you fail to lock the door, it’s forgivable—once. But failing to close the door is simply unacceptable. Also unacceptable: leaving your Preparation H behind (see picture).

Things get a bit more complicated in multi-stall bathrooms, but it’s best to:

• Look forward and up at all times
• Avoid talking. At all.
• Respect the buffer zone (one urinal in between is sufficient)

Is this too much to ask? Evidently it is, as today I also learned that some grown men still find the need to pull their pants all the way down to stand in front of a toilet.

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