Comments on: Seattle toilets: Going, going, gone

By: links for 2008-09-09 | The Computer Vet Weblog

links for 2008-09-09 | The Computer Vet Weblog — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 07:53:33 +0000

[...] SeattleScape » Seattle toilets: Going, going, gone [...]

By: Shawna Gamache

Shawna Gamache — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:41:59 +0000

The regional head at Hering-Bau told me that the toilets have also been successfully used in Canada on a pay-toilet basis. Toronto just got a half dozen of them.

In the U.S., the ad model has helped the toilets get a revenue stream without cost to the public.

I think other U.S. cities, like Seattle, have hopes that providing free toilets will help them have cleaner streets (and provide a much needed service to the resident homeless population). These toilets really were meant to target the homeless population, but I don’t think the city realized how much it would cost to keep them running.

In some U.S. cities with the auto toilets, they’ve made enough money off the ads to also pay for restroom attendants and/or police monitoring, cutting down on the illicit activities.

By: Adam P

Adam P — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:04:37 +0000

PS follow to the link see some pictures I took while in Amsterdam.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bgtothen/2839897889/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bgtothen/2839897409/

By: Adam P

Adam P — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:03:10 +0000

I think that the city tried to solve the problem of public urination in the wrong manner. It looks as if they looked to Europe for a solution but they chose the wrong one. People in the US are unwilling to pay for restrooms which is why they failed, however in a good part of Europe you pay to use all public and some private WC’s.

I think that a more appropriate solution would be public urinals like the ones found in Amsterdam. I prefer the old design much more but I think these would go a long way in reducing the number of men urinating in the street. Yes it does not serve women but how many women feel comfortable using a public urinal?