A river runs through it – what Chris Anderson told me about public toilets and other stories…
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I consider it a tiny misfortune that I have to use public toilets during my workday. One of the things I miss about working in the corporate world is being able to use clean facilities. By and large, in an office environment people treat the facilities like they would their own home. That’s not to say the cleaning staff in the shopping centre don’t do a good job, it’s just that it’s extremely hard for them to cope with the pressure of the countless hoardes every day.
Reading Chris Anderson’s book "Free" recently answered a question I have often asked. Why are public facilities often so messy? His answer seems pretty obvious : because the clean up costs are not borne by the user, basic rules go out the window. And I’ve seen the evidence of it every day.
It still leaves me puzzled though. Just because the user isn’t responsible for the clean up, surely basic "leave it as you would wish to find it" rules come into play. I wonder to myself what sort of cave dwelling monkey can make such a mess and walk away leaving the next person gag at the sight before them?
Same goes for the special type of dog owner who takes Fido for walkies and allows their pet defacate on pathways and grass verges and leaves it behind. Or how about the case of the 5 year old visiting Brittas Bay who suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns when she stepped on a buried disposable barbeque.
The Anderson answer only partly explains these behaviours though. What is the other part? Selfishess? Lack of thought? Family conditioning? Probably a combination of those and other things I can’t even begin to hazard a guess at. Ultimately though, it all boils down to having a bit of cop-on. Sadly, it’s a commodity that’s in very short supply as far as I can see.
Image owned by Molas [cc license]
1 Comments
August 21st, 2009 at 8:20 am
Oh dear, AJ, you have hit on my pet hate no 1: People being INCONSIDERATE.
What you describe is what I call “litter syndrome”: WHO do these tossers who drop anything in public places think is going to clean up after them? We are talking adults here – not toddlers who still have to learn that mum won’t always be there to pick up the debris (it’s called socialisation – clearly not working on some fellow humans). It’s, as you say, as if in public anything goes. And the very same people will moan about Borough Councils’ rates being high. When English people learn which country I originate from, and if they have been, they will say two things: First how clean everywhere is before getting onto the beer (get’s a bit boring after 26 years, particularly since I take the first for granted and the second, being female, is of little interest to me).
As I have just broken my left wrist and my right thumb and am therefore somewhat limited in my typing ability I shall leave my support of your stance as is. Just as well: Otherwise might swell volume of your comment box on this subject to bursting point.
On a more practical note re you having to use public toilets during the day: Obviously liquid wants out – so no choice there; everything else can wait till you are back at home. A banana first thing in the morning will help to keep it in.
U
PS Thanks so much for bringing “cop-on” to my attention. Had to look it up; how useful it will be in the future.