Sunday, January 13, 2013

Bathrooms without hooks

Fucking men.

That's what I think every time I go into a public restroom and can't find any trace of a hook for a coat or handbag, as in "Fucking men who design these bathrooms with no regard for a woman's needs."


And what I need right now, aside from relieving my bladder, is a hook to hang my stuff on. I'm not like George Costanza—I don't strip down to do my business—but sometimes I am wearing a long coat that would be better served hanging away from my backside.

You know what I'm talking about.

Then there's my purse and laptop bag. I would rather not set my luscious Kooba bag or quirky Orla Kiely on the Petri dish of a floor that clearly hasn't seen a mop since the OxiClean guy died.

Here's where I start blaming men, who traditionally don't have extra baggage (literally, at least) or clothing that needs to be hung up. Dudes don't think about the convenience factor of a hook. These are the same guys who have designed stadium bathrooms with an equal number of stalls for men and women. Um, when are you going to learn that chicks need more stalls so we can get back to the game or totally rad reunion concert just as quickly as the XYs of the world?

So architects and building planners of every gender, when you do figure out a better ratio of bathroom stalls for women to men, throw a hook in each one, please? I've got a few hang-ups.


(photo: insidemyshoebox.com)

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Us men have built-in hooks, we just pop a woody and loop our messenger bag strap over that. Makes aiming a little tricky, but hey we're men, a little piss on the floor is par for the course.

Seriously, I have the same complaint. What's even more frustrating is going into a stall and seeing a the holes where a hook used to be.

Anonymous said...

Not only that, because they don't "sit" they make toilets to freakin low!

Kimbopolo said...

So true! I've never thought about blaming men for the absence of bathroom hooks. I will now though!

KW said...

With you on this one...all bathrooms should have hooks. Ugh! I hate putting my precious on the floor.

Celeste said...

I have long admired the late actress Greer Garson for many reasons, foremost among them the vision and practicality of this:

Garson donated millions for the construction of theaters at both Santa Fe University of Art and Design and Southern Methodist University, BUT only on these three conditions ...

1. They had to have circular stages,
2. Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" had to be the first production, and
3. The theaters had to feature large ladies' rooms -- more facilities for women than for men.

Brilliant!

Don't know if those restrooms also have plenty of hooks, but I'll just bet they do!

MaggleBish said...

I just blame men for everything. It's easier that way.

bathroom products said...

Why you took picture from aerial angle? You should take a picture from peer to peer view. This toilet seat is looking weird.

CrabbyAren'tWe? said...

Men's bathrooms have hooks in the stalls... They are there to hang up our suit jackets or overcoats. You must be spending too much time n Wal-mart johns...

CrabbyAren'tWe? said...

I'm sure you do... And your 16 cats will forever thank you and keep you warm at night.

Unknown said...

I want to punch u in the face for this pointless unfunny blog!

Holly said...

I completely agree! How about stalls that are so shallow you cannot close the door without stepping back so that your legs are touching the toilet?? Or so narrow that your thigh hits the toilet paper dispenser when you sit down. And the TP is mounted so low you have to bend way over to look for the paper. Or restrooms with no lighting over the stalls, you can't tell if the seat is wet or dry. How about those paper towel dispensers mounted so high you have water running into your shirtsleeves reaching for them. Sink faucets that are so undersized your hands touch the sink basin when you try to rinse the soap off...oh don't get me started!

Unknown said...

I feel you. This is like every bathroom stall at Forestview High. You are my favorite for posting this.

Anonymous said...

you go to ghetto joints, thats what you get...

Anonymous said...

Your all are abunch of sexist men haters. Ever considered that the design of your bathroom stall may be the fault of your cheap establishment or perhaps ponder the fact a women could have potentially been responsible for those decisions? It's a restroom stall not first class on a flight. And most bathrooms are fitted with hooks on the back of the door. Perhaps you should spend less time blaming people and more time considering if you need all that crap you drag along with you. If you weren't so absorbed by your possessions and spending on designer products you might be able to see past your own noses and realize there is more to the world.

Anonymous said...

Bathrooms in offices that have a pushbutton lock in the doorknob. Then I get to use a toilet that sits out in the open, not knowing if that lock is secure. Of course the toilet sit in the line of sight of that door, and often an entire room. (That's why they invented stalls.) Hate that.

BeeGee said...

Hooks I can work with. Quit putting the stupid toilet paper dispensers at knee level. Without getting indelicate, one must occasionally spread one's knees and reach. WHAP! Right into the dispenser. Which, being 10 inches from the ground requires you to lean over and reach up into the dispenser to get your requisite 2 sheets of TP.

Anonymous said...

Yes, they are designed by idiots.

Anonymous said...

And let me add, a hook high on the back of the door is great for coats. Not so great for purses that you don't want to risk getting stolen. How about putting one of those spring loaded pull down shelves? You are less likely to forget your purse, it is safe and clean, and you can put your ubiquitous water bottle on it. Oh and bonus--you can rummage your purse for a tampon.

Just found your blog. Love the title! Can't wait to look around.

Tip for Holly: ready the paper towel dispenser before you wash your hands. No more wet forearms and sleeves.

Anonymous said...

modest proposal:

since we can't control, the world, we might focus on controlling what we *can* control.

so: how about an unfolded kitchen garbage bag in one of your chi-chi bags? put your stuff in it, put it on the floor, do your biz, take your stuff out, leave the bag hanging on the doorknob for the next unfortunately unprepared sitter.

or, a small carabiner can be used to hook your bags together and then just hang them *over* the door - insignificant extra weight in your bag and you have solved a problem that shouldn't have the power to bother you so much.

on the other hand, shallow toilets are the bane of my existence, since my stuff hangs into the water. i thought a bout putting that stuff into a plastic bag, but the toilet likely would object when i flushed the bag away...

Retro Computing Grotto said...

Sounds like you need a 'Dragons Den' moment - you need to invent a collapsible hook you can keep in your handbag that you can put on the door/wall to hand your bag up with.

Essa Adams said...

All points of men aside - BeeGee and Holly - YES YES YES. Why oh why do the dispensers have to be at hip height, blocking room for doing what needs done and too low to get the TP out besides? And why are most of the seats too low. A few for kids and more petite women, sure, but then the rest an average height like the handicap toilets perhaps. And why are the stalls designed for the doors to swing in with such a narrow allowance that one has to be a size two to get in there without rubbing all up on the gross toilet itself? Been saying it for years. The ones designing need to think.

i_shall_rise said...

The sight of me trying to hold my luggage sized purse in under my armpit while trying to pull my pants down and handle business are probably a site to see. But I tend to use the big girl condominium stall (I have a right to call it that) and I set my stuff on the baby changing table (since it doesn't look like I will need to use that for any other reason in my bleek future) So all in all, I feel ya!

Unknown said...

You should check out www.bagnetcompany.com! They make magnetic purse hangers that stick to the stall walls or other metal fixtures to keep your purse and coat off the floor! They're super cute too, and hang from your purse as an accessory!

Anonymous said...

also, http://www.missinghook.com/!