At the risk of having formosa call me western-centric again, I’m going to bitch a bit about Taiwan.
Now, I understand that putting the used toilet paper/tissue in to the little trash can by the toilet is the norm here. It is a cultural/construction issue, that I can deal with. Though, I still find it rather disgusting and refuse to do in my own home.
But, I still don’t understand the “open-door” policy that you find in many public toilets here. Walk by most public toilets and the main door to the room is wide open. You can see who is going into the stalls and/or who is standing at the urinals taking a piss. In the US (I know, I know, this is NOT the US), there is usually an intricate system for hiding the inside of the bathroom from prying eyes – little “foyer” areas, dividers, etc… This is even with the fact that in most places bathroom doors are kept closed at all times. They are designed for the off chance that as you are walking by and someone is coming out, you don’t have to view the people inside.
The other part of the “open-door” policy that still gets me, but I’ve gotten used to is the presence of the cleaning ladies in the bathroom when I’m trying to take a piss or have a crap. What is with that? Again, in the US (and, again, I know this isn’t the US) they would wait till the room was empty and/or put a sign up saying they are cleaning the bathroom. But, not here.
This morning this really got to me at work. After getting to work I had some… ah… intestinal distress and spent a lot of time in the toilet stall. Luckily our office usually keeps the main door closed. But, as I’m sitting there doing my business and… well… making a bunch of disgusting sounds and lots of bad smells in the process the door gets pushed open and the cleaning woman comes in. I could tell by the increased sounds coming from the hall that she had propped the door open.
So, there I am trying to be as quiet as possible in doing my “business” and hoping the smell isn’t wafting out into the hall. However, the worst part was that when she had finished collecting the trash, etc… she left and DIDN’T close the door. She just left it standing wide open, even though it had originally been closed.
In the States it’s a saftey issue for a cleaning woman to prop open the door to the men’s room, so as not to be cought alone in an inclosed place with a man, especially in a place where he might have his penis out. (And it’s not really the for the woman’s safty but for the man’s and for the company’s, so they can’t be sued by the woman!) But then, this isn’t the States, so mayby it’s not about saftey at all. Nothing else here usually is. I guess maybe she left the door open because she thought it needed to air out in there.
I too, find the public washroom situation here a little odd… I can live with it but I admit that I do try to avoid using the washrooms in public places when possible.
The thing that really gets to me though, is the “shared” concept - no, not the one where one toilet does for all but rather, the one (such as in the Hualien Foreign Affairs Police Station) where in order to get to the “womens” toilets one must first go through the “mens” urinal area.
It’s more than a little uncomfortable! An eyeful my eyes do not need!
You guys haven’t been out in the countryside much, have you? We recently went strawberry picking in Miaoli county. The Men’s bathroom there was a row of urinals on the outside of the building, no wall, no barrier, just wide open to the strawberry fields. The only effort to privacy was that it was at least on the opposite side of the building from the street. I’ve seen this a lot in rural Taiwan, and also Thailand. Personally I’d rather find a nice bush or tree to pee behind than this.
You know, this isn’t so unusual. Here in Europe we have the cleaning ladies cleaning the bathrooms as well. And unisex is not uncommon.
I’m sure everyone’s glad that these noises and smells are made in the WC and not in the office… Also you throw away “soiled” toilet paper into a bin instead of the can in order to avoid clogging it up. I’m not sure some of the old septic systems can handle paper. I’ve seen some over-flooded bathrooms and trust me I wouldn’t want to be the lady that cleans it up!
For some real old-time living you should go to rural China. Be sure to bring your own toilet paper and face mask.
Actually, I have been out in the country here. The most open concept I saw was only a half wall behind the urinals, with the other side of the wall being the walkway past the building. So, as you are standing pissing you are looking out at a panaramic view of the countryside (this was at a national park). However, people are also looking at you as they walk past. :shock: I’ve never seen urinals on the outside of the building. I don’t like this kind of situation, but I’ve gotten used to it and just deal with it now.
I don’t think the cleaning lady was “airing” out anything. As it is typical behavior for her to leave the door open after she’s cleaned it. She’ll open it initially, probably, so she’s not “trapped” inside while cleaning it, and then leave it open when she leaves. However, you would think that, since it was closed when she got there, she would think about closing it again when she’s done. But, noooooooooo!
Also, if I didn’t make myself clear to begin with. I know why you place the dirty/soiled toilet paper in the trash can instead of the toilet. I understand that the plumbing is not able to handle it. Still doesn’t mean I like it. It is bad enough walking into a stall when someone hasn’t flushed the toilet and/or it hasn’t gone down properly. Let alone having to walk in and see someone’s “wipings” sitting in a trash can next to the toilet.
And, I would think it would add to the smell of the place, especially in outdoor toilets (like at the park) when it is hot. :?:
What concerns me most is that even during the SARS scare you hardly find soap for washing your hands at public toilets (department stores etc. excluded). But then lot’s of people don’t wash their hands anyway after using the toilet …
Not just soap… but hot water! Can you tell me a public restroom that has hot water available in this city? I can’t think of even one that I’ve ever been to.
You guys think it’s bad.
Many women around here toss bloody rags and paper face up in the bins, they stand on the seats and pee all over them.
Makes you wonder how such dainty elegant ‘ladies’ could have such horrendous and disrespectful toilet habits.
[quote=“Alien”]You guys think it’s bad.
Many women around here toss bloody rags and paper face up in the bins, they stand on the seats and pee all over them.
Makes you wonder how such dainty elegant ‘ladies’ could have such horrendous and disrespectful toilet habits.[/quote]
Yeah… that sounds disgusting.
Have you ever seen the walls and floors around a urinal? It is not THAT hard to aim it correctly. I can even do it when the urinal is too low for me, which happens a lot here. Why can’t other guys do it? I don’t remember it being this bad in the US. But, maybe I wasn’t looking for things to be wetern-centric about.
[quote=“QuietMountain”]Have you ever seen the walls and floors around a urinal? It is not THAT hard to aim it correctly. I can even do it when the urinal is too low for me, which happens a lot here. Why can’t other guys do it? I don’t remember it being this bad in the US. But, maybe I wasn’t looking for things to be wetern-centric about. [/quote]Maybe for the same reason rifles are more accurate than pistols ?
[quote=“Alien”]You guys think it’s bad.
Many women around here toss bloody rags and paper face up in the bins, they stand on the seats and pee all over them.
Makes you wonder how such dainty elegant ‘ladies’ could have such horrendous and disrespectful toilet habits.[/quote]
At my Internet cafe in Tienmu the Men’s and Women’s toilet stalls are right next to each other. I like it! Nice and earthy is Chewy’s way.
Alien: True, but then again I have never heard of any elegant ladies using “Big Red” in the bathroom either.
What really annoys me, is when there is a really long line for the women’s toilet and then women start coming into the toilet and standing outside the stalls instead of waiting in line like everybody else. It makes me so mad!! and if you try and make eye contact with them they will look at the ground, they know they’ve done wrong.
maybe that is why squatting toilets are better to use publicly, so it is cleaner this way… (not really, it is still pretty nasty when you have people can’t aimed)
Huh? So what did they use when they were children, the sink? Wore diapers until their teenage years? You make it sound like most people here are idiots, and you know better than that.
the door gets pushed open and the cleaning woman comes in. I could tell by the increased sounds coming from the hall that she had propped the door open.
