Handicapped always. I need the space to spread out and enjoy myself. If the seat is still warm from the last user I will go to another stall though.

I pick the one I judge to be the least-often used (probably farthest away from the door), with current cleanliness or state of flushedness in consideration.

I go in the first stall no matter where I am at. I saw a tv episode about hygiene and they had an entire segment on bathroom hygiene. The woman, who was a doctor, said that the first stall is used the least often and has been researched to find has less germs.

But I also do a stall-check. If the stall is not “clean” looking or if I see someone visibly ill coming out of it I won’t use it.

Of course being pregnant at this time I sometimes find the need to use the handicapped because I get stuck in the others if the door swings inward instead of outward and it gets to be very uncomfortable and frustrating trying to get out.

If I use the stall, I pick the one furthest away (but never the handicapped).

@jackm That creeps me out too.

I’d pick the one that looks cleanest, or the one that doesn’t have a turd in it. Haven’t taken a shit in a public bathroom for a long time.

always second stall, unless it’s full of poo

I pretty much do whatever I want. I rarely go in one that someone just walked out of, but other than that, I have no “plan”. It’s random. I’ll take note of it next time and see if I see a pattern, but I really don’t think so.

I mean, if I find something undesirable in one, then I’ll switch to another, but other than that, not a whole lot of thought goes into it. I actually never really went to the bathroom at school during my 4 years of high school (the bathrooms were always really gross and I never had to go) but now in college I have no choice. The bathrooms are crowded sometimes, though, so I have to look for the one that isn’t occupied.

Not anymore but I used to always like the stall with the baby changing station in it. I liked the ledge on top of the thing for busting out rails of coke.

@buster
i can’t tell whether or not you’re joking and that makes your answer even better.

If there’s a bathroom I frequent often, I tend to pick the same stall. You learn each bathroom’s quirks.

—It’s simple: I assume that you mean a bathroom with several stalls, like at a large service station or in a mall…; If I have to go urgently (see my questions on the topics of painfull hemmoroids, anal bleeding or diarrhea) I pop into the first available stall. Whether someone is sitting on the throne, or not.

Now, should I have the luxury of time and choice, all stalls being equal: I would not take the first one (usually the most widely – used – thus the dirtiest); not the last – it’s simply far away – why bother; and lastly, but not less important – I should find one that has both a handle and a lock – if such a stall exists.

Thank you for this thought-provoking exercise. Though scatological humour isn’t my forte (that’s for-tay – to rhyme with foreplay – I just don’t know where the “ay” sounding thingy is on my computer keyboard) – I do so enjoy a little bathroom (pseudo-quasi-social-science) question now and then.

You have enlightened me. GQ!

Postscript: I never use the physically-challenged person’s designated stall. Never!

(@Clair – Great Question – really! Fior newbies: Get used to it – I do the sarcastic blastic sometimes. Curious? PM me or visit the sissy boy question for more details.)

I refuse to use the handicapped stall even if its the last one available. Too many times have we had my disabled family members really needing to use the restroom, but the only stall big enough for their wheelchair has been occupied by someone perfectly capable of using another one..

But other than that.. it’s what’s available/clean and locks.

@Sarcasm I’d give you more lurve if I could, ThanK you for not using the stall reserved for the disabled! As for me, the cleanest one, if there isn’t a place for my handbag, I’ll put a couple of those paper seat covers on the ground to protect it! (I throw them in the garbage, then wash my hands)

I head toward the furthest one from the door and inspect the state of others as I work my way back.

If the last one doesn’t work for me, I start moving back toward the front one by one. There can’t be any weird smells, there has to be a lock, it can’t still be flushing, there can’t be anything on the seat, the lid for the tampon/pad box can’t be open and preferably, the toilet paper has to be even with no rips. Basically, I have to lie and tell myself that no one’s been in there before me, and the evidence has to support it. This is not a practical fixation to have . . .

@MissAnthrope
@Sarcasm
@NewZen
@figbash

Fun Fact: The first stall is actually researched to be the cleanest. I do believe the last stall was the most widely used but am not entirely sure of that piece.

@rangerr

To be fair, sometimes public bathrooms can be crowded and the only one available may be the handicap stall. I have definitely been faced with that problem before. Especially as a person who never uses urinals…

@RedPowerLady

What about in bathrooms where there are two doors on opposite sides? Which one is the first one? There’re two first ones!

@DominicX Okay well you got me on that one. I have no idea!!

@DominicX Probably the right one.

@DominicX Even then, I’ll wait. Unless it’s a ridiculous emergency. Which HAS happened to me before, but I made a point to get in and get out. I felt guilty though.

I usually find whichever is open. I tend to not be picky because I play hide & seek. It’s a bad habit but I like to run into the stall before anyone sees me. SO much fun.

@RedPowerLady I’ve read that. I also read the NY Times everyday, i.e.; Don’t believe everything you read. Fun fact: The New York Times’s new slogan; EVERYTHING THAT’S PRINT TO FIT.

@rangerr

Well, cool. I personally try to spend as little time as possible in a public bathroom, so you won’t see me waiting around…

@DominicX Yeah, I’d rather pee in the woods.

@NewZen Hey you don’t have to believe it. It was just a fun fact you know. It’s your risk not mine. BTW I heard it from a doctor a television doctor but i’ll leave that bit out, hehe

I go to the cleanest one with the handle for my bag and a place for whatever else I’m holding. I don’t use the handicap stall unless absolutely necessary.

Either second one in or the handicapped one. I’m disabled and sometimes need the bars/room/raised seat. Just remember not all handicapped people use a wheelchair or walking aid. I had to whip out my medical ID once to keep a woman from screaming at me.

I never knew using the handicapped one when you’re not handicapped was such a big deal…this is an eye-opener…truly…I always treated it just like the other ones.

Handicapped. Even if I have to wait for it when people who don’t need it have taken it first.

The Handicapped isn’t solely meant for handicapped people, unlike parking spaces, it is meant to be used by both unhandicapped and handicapped alike. It shouldn’t be a problem to wait to use the handicapped stall if a person is already using it. It’s like asking 90% of the people to use one stall while the other 10% get the special handicapped stall. The percentage is probably higher or lower depending on how many stalls are in the bathroom and the amount of handicapped people in the area. Not once when I’ve used the handicapped stall have I been interrupted by a disabled person.

How do you find most clean one? Do you go in each and check?

@prasad Yeah, if they’re all dirty I might shit in the urinal to tell them they need to get the place cleaned and have some respect for it. There are even urinal rules.

@prasad – Quick spot check. Paper on floor, mysterious liquid on seat, poo stains in toilet, etc.

@prasad By peeking your head in the stall and checking the toilet.

I am so thrilled this question was asked GQ to you.

All these years I thought I was the only neurotic bathroom person in the world, now it appears I am a member of a group. And not just females, even more enlightening.

I usually look for the clean one whether it be first or last or in the middle. But on the advice of @RedPowerLady I will henceforth choose the first one on the right.

No paper seat covers most places here, hovering over really does wonders for your quads.

@Samurai—”The Handicapped isn’t solely meant for handicapped people, unlike parking spaces, it is meant to be used by both unhandicapped and handicapped alike.”

How do you figure that?

@MacBean It isn’t against the law to use a handicapped bathroom stall.

What DomincX said.

@MacBean

Quote from online:

“Although the blue-signed handicapped parking spaces are legally restricted, there are no laws about who is allowed to use a restroom or stall designated for the handicapped, says Thomas Schmokel, a consultant who helps businesses comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If there are disabled people around, it’s impolite to use the handicapped restroom or stall ahead of them, but if not, you can use whichever one you want. “If you like more room or need a place to hang your newspaper, it’s fine,” Schmokel says.”

They are still meant for handicapped people. Just because you won’t be brought up on legal charges for using them doesn’t mean you should.

@MacBean

No, they’re meant for both, but they have a priority of being for disabled people first if disabled people are present.

@MacBean
If there is no other spot open, then you should use the handicapped one. A handicapped person doesn’t have the right to use that toilet over you if its the only one.

The other thing is that if you are using one and a handicapped person needs it, they won’t have to wait long (as opposed to a parking space)

@MacBean If there are two stalls, and one of them in handicapped, do you suggest that all the averaged people use that one stall and the few other handicapped people use the clean handicapped one? Most single stall bathrooms are already handicapped, so if you add another one does that make the handicapped one a bad choice and wait until the normal stall is vacant?

”The other thing is that if you are using one and a handicapped person needs it, they won’t have to wait long” That… is not always the case. XD

Anyway, I guess this is just a touchy subject for me because of my particular disabilities. I give up.

Choose the first occupied stall—a warm lap is much more comfy than cold porcelain.

Which bathroom stall do you typically go to

The first one I come to. If it is offensive, then I look for another one.

and why?

As for why I go to the toilet, if you don’t know that then I hope that your shoes are waterproof. That puddle you are standing is going to get deeper.

(Just joking…;) )

I try to always use the first one, because of the cleanliness issue…but I always catch myself not wanting to use it. I don’t know know, probably because people want privacy and the first stall seems so not private.

If I have my son, I usually use the largest stall. Yes, it’s handicap accessible but I’m pretty sure a handicap person would understand a mother with a toddler/stroller needing some extra space to fit.

@casheroo ”…but I’m pretty sure a handicap person would understand a mother with a toddler/stroller needing some extra space to fit.” Totally.

i usually go to the last one next to handicapped, or handicapped. my logic for going to last next to handicapped is that i think a lot of people are lazy or in a hurry, and will go to the closest one.

handicapped i go to when i have bags, or my daughter, and we need to all fit without being squished.

one time i was in a movie theater and there was someone in the handicapped, and a lady came in who was in a wheelchair, and started yelling at the lady in the handicapped. i would have told her that just because it’s a handicapped stall does not mean that if the whole bathroom is full that stall cannot be used by someone who is not handicapped.

I go straight for the handi stall. So much more spacious.

@deni So much more spacious.

I have to ask after several people have mentioned it – how much space does a person need for toilet functions? There must be some sort of secret that I am not aware of.

@DarkScribe I don’t understand it either.
Granted, I haven’t pooped in a public bathroom in years, but I can’t remember thinking “Oh boy I need 3 more feet of open space to my left in order to really let loose. Ah, and don’t forget the hand rail!”

I can remember thinking, “I wish they had some nicer TP” though.

Fluther history

The reasoning is simply that if you can have more space, then why not. No one is ever in the handicapped stall, so why smash myself into a tiny 2×2 space when I can waltz into a 10×10 area. That way my backpack isn’t six inches from human waste and…ew, look, it’s just nicer!

sometimes the handicapped stall has its own sink, it also has a rail from which to hang pocketbook or whatever. why turn around and take a chance your bags or pants will brush the dirty toilet when you can have some more space?

To be totally honest, I don’t care what stall because I “hover” :D I just do my thing and get the heck out. – LB

@DarkScribe Come on, man – you know the handicapped stall is spacious and fun. You can shit, shower and shave in there – read the morning paper and relax with a cup of coffee. You asked: how much space does one need… PLENTY!

If you find all dirty and stinking? What’ll you do?
I advice keeping some newspapers with you, both for sitting and you know…!

@breedmitch Awww man, I feel dumb now. Thanks for posting. I’ll be more careful next time.

No harm. No foul. Just thought you’d br interested.