Grasshopper

What do you do when you use your coin, open the door and there are those two foot prints with a hole in the middle? <BR><BR>Do any of you actually follow through?

c

Hi G, The first time we were in Paris and I went to a small bistros toilet, there were those two footprints! I stood there and thought about it, I mean, it was cold, I was wearing jackets,sweaters, this and that! it was too much and I changed my mind! :0) C

Dina

On two occasions I changed my mind also. On one I came through. Banzai!!

Laurel

I was so severly traumatized by such an encounter at the English tea room downhill from Sacre Coeur that I couldn't talk about it for quite some time. However the need was urgent. I never did get the pantyhose back on. A few blocks further and I could have avoided the ordeal. But a memorable experience!

Grasshopper

Exactly Laurel! What do you do about pantyhose? Or even pants for that matter? And what if you have bad knees?

SharonG

That happened to me many times in Greece about 20 years ago. Hey, when you've got to go, you've got to go. However, I did make it a point, whenever I found an actual toilet (and I wasn't picky, didn't have to have a seat) I went twice. Once when I arrived and once when I left. My brother who was traveling with me thought that was hysterical. Of course, he didn't have quite the same problem.

elvira

Maybe I was warped by my parents who used to take loooong Sunday drives into the country with us, but I'm a "any port in a storm" kinda gal. I've peed on the side of the road, in portapotties, in the men's room at rest stops when the women's bathroom is out of order, even in the women's bathroom AT NEW YORK PORT AUTHORITY. A hole in the ground with two footprints is luxury.

Lesli

I'm with Sharon and Elvira. Besides, I rarely sit on a public toilet anyway.<BR><BR>Actually, it's my theory that the "footprint" toilets in France, Italy, etc. are a contributing factor to the fact that most women in these countries have such great legs! That, and all the walking/stairs....

David

OK, I'm not female. But I was in France with my 14 year old neice last year.<BR><BR>I was very disappointed, we never ran across that style of toilet. I finally had to show her one in the mens room of a bistro in the small town of Fere-en-Tardenois. She looked at it like it was from another planet and said she would never use such a thing. If only I'd had time to set her up with 3 cokes and no where to go but there...

Ingrid

Didn't run into that in Paris, but did in Eastern Europe, where sometimes they don't have stall doors and the women line up right in front of you as you go! Talk about disconcerting!

Dana

The first time I ever came across one of those type of toilettes was in Florence. I have short legs so I was quite concerned, but boy did I have to go. So, to avoid the aim error, I took off my shorts and panties. The last time I saw one was at a small cafe in Reims. No troule that time, and I didn't have to undress. If possible, I avoid them at all costs!!!

John G

How big is this hole?? And why can't you just squat over it??

r

In Indonesia it's worse. There's a hole, an old used rag, a tub of water, a ladle, that's it. If you're desperate you figure it out!

c

My husband told me about being in Delhi,India, asking for the toilet,the man led him down a hall, out a door,down the block, around the wall, and pointed at a wall that had a lot of puddles. I think I am going to skip going to India until I can master the French toilet~

Grasshopper

Ewwww.... an old used rag?

kavey

Since many places which have what we consider to be the usual toilets with seats can be dirty and unpleasant I often don't touch the toilet itself with my body.<BR><BR>So you kind of almost sit down and rely on strong thigh muscles to hold you in position as you do the deed!<BR><BR>It's just the same with the footprint and hole toilets, you pull down your watsits (I mean you don't pee through the pantyhose when you visit a regular toilet do you???) and assume a similar position, slightly lower to the ground.<BR><BR>I can't see how putting the pantyhose back on (just pulling them back up) would be any different to pulling them back up after using a regular toilet.<BR><BR>And I find these toilets can often be more hygienic...<BR><BR>No contact, no germ transference.<BR><BR>After a few weeks around Eastern Europe quite some years back staying in tiny and cheap local campsites, not tourist hotels, I had stronger "toilet hover" muscles in my legs than at any other time in my life!<BR><BR>Kavey

c

Kavey-you will make women all over the world consider the conditioning of their thighs!<BR>My problem with this squat method is not so much getting the watsits right but the probability of losing ones balance and falling over,pants around my ankles, flailing,hitting the flusher,the mind refuses to go any farther~c

kavey

C<BR><BR>I am one of the LEAST physically coordinated women in the world.<BR><BR>My PE teachers would actually sigh when they set eyes on me. (PE = physical education, the sports part of school curriculum).<BR><BR>I have never once slipped on one of these type toilets, and have used them extensively, in India, other parts of Asia, in Eastern Europe, in the Ukraine, and all around the world.<BR><BR>Honestly, it's just that they aren't familiar...<BR><BR>But they are hygienic, usually even the flush (on those which have one) is a foot pedal, so no touching with anything other than shoes...<BR><BR>Kavey<BR><BR>PS Those days are long gone, now my muscles are half stregth and my thighs double size. But I can still squat, we were making good use of the bushes and termit mounds in Africa to hide behind during game drives...

Grasshopper

Kavey, My hat's off to you. I guess we are spoiled in the US... we have paper seat covers available all the time. There was one bathroom I used in a brasserie in Paris that had a button and the seat rotated around and got "cleaned".

MaryC

C, you really did bring out the horror in that situation. LOL!!<BR><BR>JohnG, you would squat but as men have the ability to "stream" better than we do then I suppose the fear is the splatter factor. I mean, who wants to pull one's pantyhose down to one's ankles and try to balance precariously over the thing? They're (pantyhose) hard enough as it is getting them on the first time trying to avoid the twisting and cutting off one's circulation in the legs without having to do it a SECOND (or third) time. I can see why someone would be so frustrated as to just take the damn things off and just throw them away.<BR><BR>But I have to say that Kavey always gives very sound advice. : ) Still...<BR><BR>Of course, this could be an overriding argument for the necessity of a centralized hotel, no?<BR><BR>Here's a question: wouldn't dresses be easier than pants?<BR><BR>But to answer Grasshopper's original question, I haven't come across this problem yet (and don't look forward to it, neither).<BR><BR>~MaryC : )