www.incontinentsupport.org

I went to New Orleans recently. That was not a real incontinence friendly city. There were bathrooms where I could change sure, but I had to buy something to use them. I spent most of my time there wet because I could not change. I remember reading this thread before I went and I took note of something Sandy said earlier. I was at this McDonalds. The restaraunt was fairly nice but you had to have a token from the cashier to get in the bathroom. I had to change a soiled brief. There was nobody in there but me but the stall did not lock. So I cautiously changed as fast as I could into a new diaper. When it came time to throw it away...guess what was missing....a trash can. There was not a single trash can in the entire mens room. Not one! So I reluctantly left them a gift behind the camode. I have never done this before and I change in public bathrooms all the time. It usually doesn't bother me. But no garbage can? Come on now. Hopefully they will take the hint and put a trash can in the mens room. But I doubt it!

I think this thread appears in other places as well....

Yes, it is a suprise to find no trash can. We are seeing this as a result of cutting labor and cleaning costs. Also, sanitation issues have caused the demise of the old linen towel for drying hands that revolved out of the machine....anyone remember those relics?

Paper towels and trash cans were the norm for many years but involve touching.....hence the hot air dryers and now, touchless paper towel dispensers seem to rule....but most times I get aggrevated with them as they dispense one little bit of paper towel and you can wave all you want and it seems they won't dispense a second piece. But I digress.

The air hand dryers eliminate the need for the trash can and the cost of someone to handle the trash can and the disposal fee that goes along with it.

I've also heard the move away from trash cans is caused by what people bring IN and get rid of.....making the establishment dispose of waste at their cost which they did not generate....it's brought in by the public. And yes, our disposable diapers are certainly in that category I suppose, and yet I have to feel the number of disposable diapers being put in that waste stream is pretty tiny compared to other "stuff" and our diapers are not the problem but we have to suffer when trash cans are taken out of service due to mis use and cost.

Not having a trash can in a restroom is a reflection of poor management. I do carry plastic bags for disposal of diapers with me and can just put the used one back in my changing bag for disposal at home, but I really don't think I should have to.

The proprietor of an establishment should provide for the needs of the customers while they are in the establishment. Which is why most decent stores have public restrooms in the first place. If you aren't going to cater to my basic needs while I'm in the establishment (disposal of garbage included) then I'm not going to give you any of my money.

There may not be an official "Customer's Bill of Rights" but I believe we all have certain expectations. If a place isn't meeting your expectations let the manager know. If a reasonable request isn't addressed then vote with your wallet by not shopping there. With so many varying stores offering merchandise if shop A doesn't treat me the way I want to be treated I'll go to shop B and get the exact same thing at the exact same price. Service is all many of these stores have left to compete on.

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~~PuddleGuy

I was walking Bourbon street and Canal Street in New Orleans. The McDonalds was in that district. I would have thrown the diaper in my bag for later disposal but it was soiled. I could not take it with me. I did not want a smelly diaper in my bag as I walked around with family. There were no other fastfood restaraunts for us to eat lunch and we were starving. Most places in that area we could not take small children. There were only a few places for me to use the bathroom. I had to buy something in order to use the restroom in most businesses. I thought it was awful customer service overall. The public has to use the bathroom, where can they go? And when that McDonalds didn't have a trash can...I just left the soiled diaper in the bathroom for them to dispose of. I was not going to carry it around with me. I thought that all these businesses only wanted to offer facilities to paying customers. So I generally walked around with a beer! I called it a walking beer. LOL. So it wasn't all bad.

Leaving a soiled diaper anywhere for someone else to deal with shows no class, respect for others and no self respect. Find somewhere else to dispose of your own garbage. Keep a few zip lock bags in your bag and you can seal the used diapers up and dispose of it later.

If you don't like the store policy spend your money elsewhere. I may not be able to control my bladder well but I do know how to be considerate of others.

Given enough time everyone shows their true colors.

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When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade.

Doug,
I do not carry ziplock bags with me because I have never encountered that situation in the past. I change in public restrooms all the time. That has never happened to me and I have never done that before. You may talk bad and think I'm a bad person but I'm not. I was just in a bad situation and I didn't know what else to do. I think a soiled diaper would still have some sort of smell through a plastic bag. I was traveling to a strange place. What else was I to do? I am not a bad person. You talk about me like I am the scum of the Earth. Don't talk bad about me! You don't even know me or what I am like.

I beg to differ. An establishment not providing a place for people to dispose of their refuse shows no class, respect for others or self respect. Perhaps if enough people just left their trash sitting in the bathroom management would get the point.

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~~PuddleGuy

Thanks Puddleguy for backing me up. I didn't feel like I did anything wrong. I was just in a bad situation.

I too have seen this in some restrooms as paper towels are replaced with blowers. I agree it's a bad situation, but I would think there were garbages in the lobby. You could always leave the diaper behind the toilet while you purchase a burger or something to get a paper bag and go back and put it in that bag to dispose of it in the lobby. I really doubt anybody would be able to detect the odor while you carry it to the garbage.

How would you like to be the employee that had to clean up the soiled diaper? He likely didn't make the no garbage policy.

Not saying you are a bad person or something, just saying there are usually options

-Darin

If enough people dumped their trash in your front yard, would you get the point and supply a dumpster at your own expense?

The business owner only has the responsibility to make sure garbage generated by their business is dealt with properly.

Someone that decides to bring garbage in that the business did not generate is not the problem or responsibility of that business. Having a trash can for customer use is a courtesy and nothing more. Dumping your own personal trash into a businesses trash cans is actually called "Theft of services" and is punishable in most states under the local laws. Most businesses let their customers use their trash cans out of the goodness of their hearts.

Saying that they are required to dispose of your trash is the same as someone dumping their garbage in your front yard and expecting you to clean it up.

It doesn't matter how you try to twist it. NOBODY OWES US ANYTHING just because you may have a medical problem!!! The only right you have is to breath and live. Everything else is your own responsibility to pursue and attain. Just being born doesn't entitle you to anything except for life and the ability to try to survive. Anything else is a pipe dream and taking advantage of others. Don't agree? Go to a desert island and expect a shelter to be provided for you. Expect the the to fish jump out of the water and come to you so you don't starve. Let me know how it works out for you.

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When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade.