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Comment by grahar64 | Hacker News Reader

In London places won't let you use their bathrooms unless you buy something. The UK was by far the worst place I have visited for lack of public toilets. They also don't have many/any public fountains, which is insane around kids playgrounds that have no public facilities within walking distance.

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Will they really not let you use the bathroom?

The same idea exists in the US, and often bathrooms have a PIN code to enter or a special key only the shop owner has.

I’ve never been turned down when asking politely. Most people are rather sympathetic when someone needs to use the bathroom for legitimate purposes.

I’VE never been turned down. But I’ve seen others get turned down who don’t look like me ;)

In the US it's because the homeless population in most cities is rising, and they have few places to use the toilet.

Business owners perceive the presence of homeless people as bad for business so they don't want to encourage homeless people to stick around. And they think homeless people will trash their bathrooms or use drugs inside which is dangerous for other customers and brings police presence.

So business owners lock up their bathrooms. Result: Even fewer places for homeless people to use the toilet.

> Business owners perceive the presence of homeless people as bad for business so they don't want to encourage homeless people to stick around. And they think homeless people will trash their bathrooms or use drugs inside which is dangerous for other customers and brings police presence.

These things aren’t just perceptions or thoughts. It’s a real problem that anyone who runs a business in a location with a homeless problem can attest to.

You’re totally right. And it’s important to distinguish between the many forms of homelessness. There’s visible homeless, they are what most people think of. There are also invisible homeless, they don’t “look” homeless. Often you don’t know they are homeless except for carrying around some belongings and brushing their teeth in public places.

Businesses care about the first type because of the associated problems and are completely fine with the later.

I once had to use a bathroom so stopped in a shop, they said customers only, so I bought the cheapest thing they had, a coke. Then, while I was in the bathroom another employee, who didn't see me purchase the drink started banging on the door yelling customers only. I looked like a tourist, this was in London near Hyde park, so maybe a bad area.

I guess that's true in touristy places but in general there's nothing stopping anybody from using the WC, just walk in. Would be nice to buy something but asking politely will do too, I've never been turned down.

In Turkey they really like putting formal structure to that kind of stuff and venues at the high street sometimes have a lock with a password which is printed on the receipt with your purchase. One particular McDonald's was a pioneer in this, as their location was at the most crowded and central place where people used to meet before the proliferation of cellphones.

It depends greatly on the type of establishment. If it’s a small family business, absolutely you have to buy something.

If it’s a chain then you probably don’t have to buy anything.

If it’s a large establishment such as a supermarket then you don’t have to buy anything, nobody is keeping track.

And obviously toilets in public places like train stations are free for all nowadays.

It's not like they have keycards on the toilets (least not the vast, vast majority). You can just walk in the use them. Wetherspoons reliably have clean bathrooms and there are a lot of them.

They're not required to let you, but I just ask politely if I can use their loo and have never been refused. There has indeed been a steady decline in the number of public toilets, though.

Pubs are different, especially the bigger chains. They're generally too busy to police it. Big posh hotels can be good too - ask the lobby for the bar, then ask the bar staff for the toilet if it's not obvious.

A 8-table local run cafe? I wouldn't dare ask

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