Pay toilet

A freestanding, coin-operated pay toilet stall in Paris.

A pay toilet is a public toilet that requires money payment of any individual to use. It may be street furniture or be inside a building, e.g. a mall, department store, railway station, restaurant, etc. The reason for charging money for using toilets usually is for the maintenance of the equipment.

History

Pay toilets are common in Europe. Paris, in particular, makes heavy use of them; the streets of the city are forested with self-cleaning coin operated booths (landmarks like Basilique du Sacré-Cœur generally have several). Riders on the Metro may encounter coin-op toilets in the underground stations; and even non-mechanized toilets occasionally have attendants who accept tips. Some service stations offer a coupon equal in value to the amount paid for use of a toilet, redeemable for other goods at that station or others in the same chain.

The first pay toilet in the United States was installed in 1910 in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Decline

In the United States, pay toilets were common until the mid-1970s, and most frequently seen at transportation terminals (airports, train and bus stations) and sporting venues. They came under attack not only from feminists but also the plumbing industry. California legislator March Fong Eu (later secretary of state of California) smashed a toilet bowl on the steps of the state capitol as part of her campaign against pay toilets. She argued they discriminated against women because men could use urinals for free whereas women always had to pay a dime for a toilet stall in places where payment was mandatory. The American Restroom Association was a proponent of an amendment to the National Model Building Code to allow pay toilets only in addition to free toilets. A campaign by the Committee to End Pay Toilets In America (CEPTIA) resulted in laws prohibiting pay toilets in cities and states. In 1973, Chicago became the first American city to enact a ban, at a time when, according to the Wall Street Journal, there were at least 50,000 units in America, mostly made by the Nik-O-Lok Company. CEPTIA was successful over the next few years in obtaining bans in New York, New Jersey, Minnesota, California, Florida and Ohio. Lobbying was successful in other states as well, and by decade's end, pay toilets were greatly reduced in America. However, they are still in use and produced by the Nik-O-Lok company as many of these laws have since been repealed.

However, in Canada, pay toilets have been gradually been eliminated as some men arrested for having sex in a pay toilet were acquitted as the defence successfully argued that having paid for the toilet booth, the two men were basically in a form of hotel accommodation, thus cancelling the public lewdness charge.^{[citation needed]}

Some businesses use the payment system to limit access to toilets, and this can be accomplished by use of a key system for patrons only and outright denial of access to the wider public. A token operated lock has the same access limiting ability without the nuisance/expense of lost keys from patrons not returning them after use. A quarter or token/quarter operated lock is also available and is used to defray costs of water, paper, maintenance, etc. Pay toilet locks are now installed on the restroom entry doors (rather than the individual stalls) and therefore provide equal access for both men's and women's restrooms.

Around the world

In Argentina, pay toilets are uncommon. Usually toilets placed in public places are free to use but the janitor is seated outside with a dish by his side expecting a tip from the customer. They often have a sign saying "Su propina es nuestro sueldo" (your tip is our salary). It is accustomed to give them a coin or a $2 bill, especially if you are going to use the toilets and require paper.

In Mexico, the majority of pay toilets have turnstiles and an attendant at the entrance. The attendant gives out toilet paper and sometimes a paper towel.

In Singapore, pay toilets are still common in "Hawker Centers", the use of the toilet usually costs 10¢.

In some areas of Taiwan, mostly in subways, one must pay for the toilet paper, but the toilet itself is free.

In the United Kingdom, it is technically permitted to charge for use of toilets, but not for the use of urinals. Pay toilets on the streets may provide urinals free of charge to prevent public urination.

See also

• Outhouse
• Portable toilet
• Sanisette
• Toilet
• Urinal
• Water closet
• Urinetown
• Committee to End Pay Toilets in America

Further reading

• Suetonius - The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, VIII, Vespasian XXIII

External links

• Bathroom Blues