Blow dryers in public restrooms

[SteveDallas]

We seem to have discussed every aspect of excretory functions, so I thought I'd bring up a restroom pet peeve that has been brought home to me in my travels this week:

I HATE when restrooms don't have paper towels, but just use blow dryers. Here's some reasons why.

• If I'm futzing with my contacts, I want the drain plugged so I can't send my contact down the drain by accident. If the drain is open, I ned something to put over it--and a paper towel works nicely.
• If you want to wash face, arms, etc. you will never get them properly dry. This goes double for any child who may be accompanying you.
• More than one person can take advantage of a paper towel dispenser. If you have 8 or 10 people in line and 2 hand dryers, you're going to be waiting a while.
• A blow dryer is useless for wiping off my glasses. (To be fair, TP works for this OK.)

Please, add your own..... or, sing the praises of these stupid things.

[lumberjim]

i hate em. I've always hated 'em, and i hate the infrared activated ones worse. you don't even get to punch them. it's a fucking jip!
......but, they never run out of air like they do paper towels.....

they should have both if the place they're in is worth a spit.

[Elspode]

May I humbly suggest ripping one of the infernal devices off of the wall and seeing if it will serve as a makeshift drain plug?

[limey]

Originally Posted by lumberjim

......but, they never run out of air like they do paper towels.....

A bit like you then, eh, Jim?

[wolf]

The infernal machines (I call them "wipe hands on pants" devices, because that's always the step left off the directions) are infection control nightmares.

You think you're safe because you're able to activate the pushbutton with your elbow? Nah ... you're getting a face full of hot air loaded with all kinds of nasty microbes that LOVE to thrive in the humid innards of one of those things.

Also, the paper towel usage is important to the whole "handwashing as a means of preventing infection" process.

Don't EVER use the wall-mounted blowdryers.

Anybody seen the motion sensor paper towel dispensers? Those things are COOL. I thought autoflush potties and autowash spigots were cool. Nah, those are merely neat.

(one thing most people forget is that as soon as you've finished washing your hands, etc., you almost immediately recontaminate yourself ... by grabbing the doorhandle on the way out. I'm the obsessive compulsive one who opens the door with the used paper towel, and then has to search around for a wastebasket outside the restroom.)

[Dagney]

Originally Posted by wolf

I'm the obsessive compulsive one who opens the door with the used paper towel, and then has to search around for a wastebasket outside the restroom.)

At least you WASH your hands....I can't tell you how many people I work with that don't...and then go visit our salad bar.

[wolf]

Originally Posted by Dagney

At least you WASH your hands....I can't tell you how many people I work with that don't...and then go visit our salad bar.

I work in a hospital. It's second nature. Actually, it was second nature before then. The notion that there are people who don't wash after is extraordinarily icky. I've read the studies, though, about the extremely small percentage of people that do wash.

[Troubleshooter]

Originally Posted by wolf

(one thing most people forget is that as soon as you've finished washing your hands, etc., you almost immediately recontaminate yourself ... by grabbing the doorhandle on the way out. I'm the obsessive compulsive one who opens the door with the used paper towel, and then has to search around for a wastebasket outside the restroom.)

The only equpment in the bathroom that I touch is mine. Once I open the door I unzip, deploy, piss, retract, zip, kick the handle (still flexible at my state of decrepitude!), kick the door open on the way out.

Urine is sterile, but if for some reason I manage to piss all over myself I have a child so a handy pack of wipes is always about.

So how long before everyone starts carrying baby wipes around in little belt pouches or purses?

[monster]

Originally Posted by Troubleshooter

So how long before everyone starts carrying baby wipes around in little belt pouches or purses?

16 years.


D1, what exactly were you searching for to stumble across this one to resurrect?

"excretory functions"
"restrooms"
"blow jobs"
"zip up"
"pet perve"
"futzing"
?

[Cyber Wolf]

Originally Posted by wolf

I thought autoflush potties and autowash spigots were cool. Nah, those are merely neat.

Four times in five, the autoflush potties completely defeat their purpose. For me at least. Here's how it goes:
1.Enter the stall
2.Start to remove pants
3.Toilet flushes
4a.Take care of business
4b.Toilet flushes during taking care of business
5.Finish and stand up
6.Toilet doesn't flush
7.Wait a couple of seconds
8.Toilet still doesn't flush
9.Wave hand in front of sensor
10.Toilet still doesn't flush
11.Give up and kick the little button with foot
12.Toilet reluctantly flushes

It's pretty uncommon that I come across one that only flushes as you're either standing up finished or leaving the stall. And I only just encountered those auto-PT-dispensers this weekend. They're friggin' awesome! :thumpsup:

[ladysycamore]

Originally Posted by wolf

The infernal machines (I call them "wipe hands on pants" devices, because that's always the step left off the directions) are infection control nightmares.

You think you're safe because you're able to activate the pushbutton with your elbow? Nah ... you're getting a face full of hot air loaded with all kinds of nasty microbes that LOVE to thrive in the humid innards of one of those things.

Also, the paper towel usage is important to the whole "handwashing as a means of preventing infection" process.

Don't EVER use the wall-mounted blowdryers.

Ugh ugh ugh, not something to say to a semi-germaphobe like myself lol.

Anybody seen the motion sensor paper towel dispensers? Those things are COOL. I thought autoflush potties and autowash spigots were cool. Nah, those are merely neat.

Oh yeah, those *are* cool. Nothing to touch...perfect.

(one thing most people forget is that as soon as you've finished washing your hands, etc., you almost immediately recontaminate yourself ... by grabbing the doorhandle on the way out. I'm the obsessive compulsive one who opens the door with the used paper towel, and then has to search around for a wastebasket outside the restroom.)

Hell yeah, I do the same thing! *cringes*

The one "good" thing about having kidney failure: not having to use the public toilets as much (if at all) anymore (because of the lack of urine output).

[russotto]

We've got non-washers at my office. It's a good idea to always get the snacks and goodies between the time they've been removed from the sealed container and the time the non-washer has taken some.

Or not; building up an immunity to fecal coliform is probably pro-survival.

Anyway, I've seen hand driers where a graffiti artist has lovingly drawn in an icon of hands being wiped on pants.

[lookout123]

always carry that disenfectant stuff with me. public bathrooms are the worst. have you ever been to one where you felt safer NOT washing? the sink is filty, the button on the paper towel holder is putrid. sometimes the best thing is to just kick the door open and go find a drinking fountain or something... sorry if you use public drinking fountains - i'd rather die of dehydration.

[evansk7]

I just love the way hand-driers blow the water off your hands onto your crotch, so it looks like you've pissed yourself.

Fantastic bit of design, that.

[BrianR]

I just wash and dry off. I try not to think about the door handles.

And since I played outside as a child, got very few antibiotics, have had all my shots (and then some) and tend to have a white cell count twice that of a normal person, I seem to be resistant to most germs and such.

All in all, I just do my thing and care not a bit about others habits.

Brian