The Scotland Herald website seems to be down. Here is another link to the article.
Do you agree with the British Toilet Association's assertion that free access to toilets is a basic human right? How should these toilets be paid for? How might the accessibility and price of toilets affect the tourist industry? Would free public toilets be a good idea in Slovakia?
ReplyDeleteHaving a larger number of free public toilets is a great idea, but I think there are quite a few setbacks. I agree that it can be very uncomfortable when one cannot find a public restroom, but often, there are bathrooms in fast food restaurants or in shopping malls. If the greatest worry is that tourists won’t have enough restrooms, I think that there isn’t too big of a problem. Where there are tourist attractions and tourists, there are restaurants and coffee shops which tend to have bathrooms. Of course, usually you have to pay at least a small price, but I think that that price is what makes you value it more and makes sure that the toilets are clean and hygienic. The image which is presented in the article shows a nail saloon which also serves as a public restroom. I think that this idea is a much better use of space and the people will have a greater respect to the toilets because they are still in a nail salon and not just some restroom where anybody can go. I don’t think public restrooms in city centers are that necessary. If, then I would try to locate more public restrooms in places which are not surrounded by shops and are more as you would say, in the middle of nowhere.
Public restrooms may work abroad, but I don’t think that they would work in Slovakia. I think that they are a great idea in general, but the follow through and carrying out of such an idea isn’t so easy and I don’t think Slovakia would be able to handle it. For one, I think the mentality of Slovaks would be the thing causing the greatest problem with public restrooms. Even if they were built, I think many people would assume that they are dirty and smell, and since the cities in Slovakia tend to be small, finding a close by cofeeshop or McDonalds isn’t usually so hard. As I already mentioned, if, then I would locate more public restrooms in places which aren’t surrounded by shops where their value would be appreciated more. Also, I think that when you put a price on something, even if it’s just a symbolic price, people will respect it more and would value it more in general.
I believe that we all have been in such a situation. Whether it is touring of different parts of the city of your holiday or just daytripping somewhere nice, at some point, you will need to go, and you will need to go fast. Especially in big cities with quite large historic districts, public toilets would really come in handy. And although restaurants and coffee shops tend to have bathrooms, from my own experience, there is either some fee to pay (By the way, not a small one. For example, see McDonald's.) or they are unwilling to let you go unless you are their customer. Therefore, I too propose that one of the solutions to this "very public inconvenience" (love the title) could actually be public toilets.
ReplyDeleteHowever, this also comes with certain questions raised. Firstly, do we need public toilets to actually become a human right enshrined in law? I am not arguing that they should not, but have we really come this far that the last free public toilet in Clackmannanshire (which got closed) was the financial game changer (or one of them), so now their "financial sustainability" is on its way? Secondly, just as Barbora claims, "when you put a price on something, even if it’s just a symbolic price, people will respect it more and would value it more in general". So maybe a symbolic price for this public service has some solid justification. It is not meant to balance Clackmannanshire's books, it is meant to employ this psychological phenomenon to keep the public toilets cleaner and more attractive to tourists.
Thanks for your comment Adrian!
DeleteI really like how you summed up the situation discussed, however, if I am to use myself as an example, I really despise when I am asked to pay for 'needing to go'. I understand how you see, as you called it, a symbolic price a good way to encourage people to respect public restrooms, but will the price remain symbolic? I must say that even though the price for going to a public restroom shouldn't extend any limits, I sadly believe that the price would not be set in these limits. When I look at the situation in the eyes of the restroom providers, I'm asking myself the question: "Why not push them into their real limit of paying when we have the choice?" I may be looking at the providers in a 'money-chaser' light, but I cannot really imagine much figures who would give up their own benefits to the benefits of others. It would be great if they would at least invest the money earned into the restrooms themselves, however from the examples of public restrooms that we have in our own city, I sadly do not trust the realisation of this investment.
You have made some good points, Adrian, I couldn't agree with you more. Though, I think Bratislava's public toilet infrastructure is not up to par with other European countries. While having a symbolic fee makes it more valuable to people using it, it does not make much sense to charge a fee in places like train/tram stations. My experience with public toilets in France and Sweden, where taxes are high, is that the ones at subway and even tram stations were free and those near touristy places still charged a fee.
DeleteNo service in the world is free, however, I think not having free access to toilets at the Bratislava's main train station is ridiculous.
Thank you Barbora for your contribution,
ReplyDeleteI have a few remarks on your opinion. You mentioned that public restrooms are not necessary in city centers, however I cannot agree with your statement. Firstly, because I know for a fact that if someone really needs to go to the toilet at some point while venturing through a city they really don't want to pay for something in a coffeeshop or any other shop. A person wants to go to a toilet, not buy some water or cake in a shop just to have access to the restroom. Obviously, if a person is deliberately in a coffeeshop and is there for the coffee, then it is a good idea to have a restroom because it pleases the customer. If you however take a look at a person that is enjoying the city and simply wants to go to the toilet, but doesn't have where then public restrooms are necessary, even if for a small price. The costs of running these toilets will not be none, however a small fee will reduce the financial burden for the city that definitely has some money for toilets which is a necessity for every human being.