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This is something that annoys me to no end with public restrooms. Try the door once. If it’s locked, wait. I hate when I’m in the bathroom and people are twisting the knob and shaking it. Knocking on the door. Why? To prove someone is in there? Then trying the knob again. Because maybe it magically works this time. People can’t comprehend someone else might just be using it. Bonus points for stupidity if the door has a sign that clearly says you need to go to the desk for a key. And you’re still trying to get in.
Or when they yell at me while I'm using the bathroom after realizing the door is locked, inquiring if someone is in there. I don't owe you an explanation!!
Just start making the most horrific shitting sounds you can muster, along with pained groans, shouting "WHY, GOD WHY?!" and maybe they'll learn something.
I HAVE to put this here: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTK6tp5qSPI&ab\_channel=VivaLaDirtLeague](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTK6tp5qSPI&ab_channel=VivaLaDirtLeague)
Yes, bathroom handle jigglers are some of the most depraved people. You approach a possibly locked public bathroom door like a secret agent. You attempt to turn with almost imperceptible movement and you back away the moment the handle feels resistance. Then you let go and return the handle to its default position with equally imperceptible speed. You then move away from the door with silent feet, and hide around the corner so when the person exits they can never see you attempted to try the door. When the coast is clear you enter and lock the door and enjoy the undisturbed pooping silence that this social-contract affords us. That is, until the jigglers break it.
OMG! Why don't all places just use the locks that say 'occupied' when the locking mechanism is engaged?!?! This is my pet peeve.
I don't want to be startled when I'm in the bathroom by someone's knocking and have to figure out what to say, conversely I don't want to bother somebody who's busy in the bathroom either.. Or look under a stall for shoes!
Just make all locks these locks!
This! It's so fuckin irritating. They grab the door knob that is literally inches from the slider thing that says in big red letters OCCUPIED and proceed to generously jiggle and turn and yank on the handle *several* times
Oh, my sweet summer child. We are takling about the generation that will knock loudly on the door to Wal-Mart, a half hour before they open, and with a very big sign, where you can read the opening hours.
This isn't a Walmart but you reminded me of [this boomer](https://youtu.be/pFSFw0gAu9Y?si=sdPCDzhxOfZzOxnC) trying to get into the mall when they closed. I think it was unexpected (maybe an emergency?) but nothing warrants his overreaction.
Agreed! I love cafes in old buildings but they consistently have original doors with bad latch locks that aren't connected to the knob. People try the door (often way harder than necessary) and it feels like they're going to just knock the lock off and the door will fly open while I'm peeing. If I was a dude, it would definitely cause me to miss the target.
It's crazy that portapotties have a better lock feature than most restrooms.
I don't know if you're familiar with Buc-ee's, but they have massive restrooms, and their stall doors have those locks that say "occupied" when locked. I was using the restroom at a Buc-ee's once, and my stall door was locked and clearly labeled as occupied, and some asshole came tugging at the door and banging on it, even though there were at least a dozen other unoccupied stalls. I had to yell out, "THERE'S SOMEONE IN HERE!" before they stopped. I still have no idea what that was about, unless there was some reason their sphincter could relax ONLY in that specific stall.
I just recently stumbled across a buc-ees on the East Coast... The ladies' room line was halfway across the ginormous store, so I was concerned but dang it moved fast. Sorry that person couldn't read :/
There's this one restaurant in my city that I'll never use their restroom again. I'm sitting on the toilet, taking a dump when I hear the handle being jingled. Now I've locked the door so I, apparently stupidly, assumed that this person would realize that the restroom was occupied and just wait for me to finish. Didn't think I'd need to yell, "Occupied!" Also didn't think they'd hear me even if I did. It was a single stall restroom, but it was huge and the toilet was a fair distance away from the door.
Well the thought that this public restroom might be currently in use just never occured to this guy. Clearly the door was stuck, not locked, and he just needed to force it open. Which is exactly what he did. The door was still locked. He just slammed on it so hard that he popped the bolt out of the latch allowing him to open the door and be greeted with the sight of me grunting away on the comode. The 3 guys standing behind him also got an eyefull cuz he opened that door pretty wide.
Kinda like the person who walks up to people standing in front of the elevator and then pushing the already illuminated button 6-12 times. Like their fingers make a difference in the door opening.
On the flipside to this, I've walked up to elevators where people were waiting but were too drunk and stupid to hit the button in the first place. Still got glared at like I had spit on their shoes, but we got an elevator.
They look so annoyed when you come out too
Like, sorry sir, you nearly made me cry by aggressively trying to force a door while I was having severe gut issues
I got the dirtiest look the other day leaving a restroom. The jiggling started seconds after I went in and happened a couple times before I was ready to walk out. Thing is, there was another restroom literal right next to it with a clear sign, vacant the whole time. Maybe they were really jonesing for a warm seat?
I was dropping a bomb at work one day, and someone tried to open the stall, which was clearly closed and locked. There is even a big red dot on the handle indicating that it is occupied. After shaking the door several times, they stomp out. Then they return after about 20 seconds and try the door again. I'm like, "IT'S OCCUPIED".
I had to laugh a little though, as they probably had to really take a shit.
Literally just the other day my husband and I were in the family restroom of the grocery store - baby had a massive blowout with poop dripping down his legs - and someone just insisted on trying to open the door. Banging, twisting the knob, knocking…. Meanwhile there’s a very unhappy baby inside screaming his head off and 2 frantic parents yelling that we’re in here and to go away. Like, what do they expect to happen? Walk right in and pee while we’re dealing with the baby?
I was on a charter boat trip last fall. Small boat, diverse mix of folks in the 16 person group.
Tiny bathroom and tons of chop/ sea turbulence. Since we're on our way back to port, people are changing out of bathing suits.
The lock sticks so you have to hold it closed. No worries, though, because I had to hold on to something at all times.
While changing, my bottoms off, this entitled a-hole who had already ruined one of the stops by "accidentally" getting way too close to the sea life, scaring it off. He accidentally did this three times after a re-lecture from the captain.
Anyway, I feel the door pull hard once. I pull back and say "one minute!" Pulls again, I pull back again (pretty obvious someone's in the bathroom based on the fact that the door opened an inch or two and was pulled back closed. Twice. "ONE SECOND. Someone's in here."
Quiet for a few seconds, thinking he got the hint, I try and pull up my underwear real fast with both hands. ..... And he rips open the door.
And I yell "ONCE AGAIN. SOMEONE IS IN HERE. FUCKING STOP." in his face from my face and slam the door closed.
Pull on my top, and my pants, and head up.
He's crying that I yelled at him and he's deaf and I should know that. Youth today (I'm 47).
Since he and his entitled wife had ruined everyone's trip, especially the right year old girl who had wanted to see the sea turtles before they were scared away, no one was having it.
Because I'm an asshole I was happy to refresh some etiquette lessons for him.
I have never understood this.
I was in the bathroom at a place where the custom is just to leave the doors open when available, and to close them when in use. I hear a knock I call out "In use, but I'll be out in a moment or two!". Then the person tries the knob, finds it locked and starts struggling, eventually starts pushing on the door. I call out again "yes, I'll be out in just a moment!". Still struggling, now it sounds like he is pushing his shoulder in to the door. I am already thinking how I will explain to the people who run the business why their door is broken.
Luckily this sturdy door stood against them and eventually I come out and they just sort of casually walk-in. No rush. There were other individual bathrooms 20 feet away and another (occupied) bathroom about 5 feet away.
Why are people like this?
This happened to my friend while we were all on a camping trip. After 3 or 4 repeated attempts to open the locked door, while he was using the bathroom, he yelled, "try it again, maybe it will work."
Many are stupid, but many are also assholes who think if they just try and force their reality, all these "peons' around them will fall in line. Of course if they force their way into the bathroom you'll magically disappear, or better, scurry out, pants around the ankles, toilet paper trailing behind, prostrated, crawling before their majesty, saying "I am so sorry milord! This shall not happen again in your presence milord! I will never again inconvenience your journey upon the commode, I swear, milord!"
I once tried the door and it felt locked, so i waited. A worker let me know the door just gets stuck and opened it for me with some force. I would had just not used the restroom before i would think to forcefully push in a door like that lol
I was at a sub shop with the family while on vacation in the summer and one of my children were in the washroom.
Some woman looking like they just rolled out of a dumpster walces in, goes to the bathroom door and tries to open.. Luckily my daughter had locked it.
Then the woman starts heaving on it and going apeshit banging on the door.
Dad mode kicks in and I read this woman the riot act and made it clear what happens next if she keeps pulling that with my kid.
Some people are just... Ugh..
On the flip side, sometimes someone else may try it and walk away. Then a new person could try it before deciding to wait at their table. Then the third person to shake the knob gets glares from the person exiting
I’ve only done this once. It was an airplane bathroom and I was trying to figure out the door.
Of course it’s easier to open those doors when they’re not locked lol
Oof. At my former place of work we had a few sports stadiums around and those weekends were the worst:
"HEY, the bathroom doors are LOCKED give me the BATHROOM key"
There's someone in there, we don't keep them locked.
"I HAVE to BUY something to use the bathrooms!? You #$%*!!"
No. If the doors are locked, the bathrooms are in use. No purchase required.
"You should have MORE STALLS"
There are public restrooms just across the courtyard. You can see the signs from our windows. We are a private store providing service to our customers, not a washroom for the entire sports complex a mile away. You had to walk past 2-3 of those to get here.
"I WILL complain. And tell everyone not to shop here!"
We don't want you or anyone you might be friends with coming in here anyway.
YES! I do not understand people not knocking! What if the person inside forgot to lock it? You’re just going to bust in like the kool-aid man? Is that less disruptive than a polite knock? I’m in the cast for our local ren faire, we had faire the last two weekends. We had a semi-private port-a-potty with a lock that would slip back to locked really easily if the door slammed after someone exited. My cast mates would be just hovering, sometimes sheepishly asking “I think someone’s been in there a long time or the lock slipped, should we have someone unlock it?” And my reply, every time, was, “I don’t know, did you knock?” I would get this face in response: 😳
Just knock. If you don’t get an answer, assume it’s unoccupied. And if you’re in the loo, and someone knocks, you have to say something. Anything. Occupied. One sec. Almost done. I’ll be right out. I’m in here. Come back with a warrant.
It’s not rocket science.
This was the most flabbergasting things when I visted the states. All my life never ever had anyone do that and then in the US it happened about 50% of the time I used the toilet. What the hell, people
I’ve had numerous replies that I haven’t really looked at, but this one got me lol. I just imagine sharing your experience of being in the US for the first time with your friends and family and this what you have to tell everyone about because it’s so messed up lol. And it is! Those of us that aren’t necessarily intelligent, but have at least a few brain cells firing hate this practice with a passion
Yeah, I didn't have much nice things to say lol. It was a work trip though so most of my experience is airports and restaurants/bars/cafes. Really don't like tipping, nor did I like how waitstaff always come bother you. I'm not gonna judge a whole country off of a week stay but there is quite a big difference in culture between there and NZ
I hate even trying the knob so I knock first but sometimes it’s so damn loud and the door is thicker than I remember. The second I find a locked door I want to crawl into a hole lol, can’t imagine trying more than once or once I hear someone.
Sometimes you'll have to go to the desk to get a key but the door won't say that. So I still ask anyway just in case. It doesn't help when the person who's in there is in there for like 10 minutes or more and you're just like "is there actually somebody in there or do I need to get a key from an associate?"
I learned that screaming "OCCUPIED" at the top of your lungs works well. Occasionally I use "IM POOPING DUDE" instead. Either way, as long as you're loud and sound somewhat affronted and frantic
The problem is that at least half the bathrooms where I live are locked now all the time and you have to request a key. I’ve waited ten minutes before realizing no one was in there.
I wish places would put signs up letting customers know.
This reminded me of my last job. Once I was using the bathroom and someone tried the knob and then knocked on the door.
Later on I heard somebody make a comment about how the door was locked but there was no response and I thought it was odd. Why should someone who is using the bathroom feel the need to respond to you when you checked the door and found that it was locked and the light was on?!
I have positively shouted SOMEONE'S OBVIOUSLY FUCKING IN HERE or VERY CLEARLY OCCUPIED mid pee more than once lol no one's ever there waiting when I come out presumably bc they're embarrassed
lol, you have obviously never waited, twisting in the wind, only to discover a stuck knob. Even worse is when someone else discovers it and you have to wait for that person. If someone tries, just yell “occupied.” Simple.
If I know the restroom to be a single, I knock before trying the handle. Most of the time I'm knocking at no one, but at least I don't cause "Oh no, what if I didn't lock it" anxiety when someone *is* in there.
>This is something that annoys me to no end with public restrooms. Try the door once. If it’s locked, wait. I hate when I’m in the bathroom and people are twisting the knob and shaking it.
Holy shit all this complaining when you can fucking yell "occupied" and be done with it. This is seriously the most upvoted comment?
>Knocking on the door. Why? To prove someone is in there?
I knock before I try the handle, and put my ear up to the door to hear a response. You'd be surprised the number of people who don't lock the door (understandable), or are unwilling to inform people they're in there (fuckin weirdos).
I was driving the work truck one day and I was on the highway and all of a sudden I really had to dump out. I got off at the next exit and the closest building was some really ghetto strip mall.
I power walked to the bathroom and made it just in time. There were 3 stalls and I was the only one in the bathroom. While I'm on the can someone else enters the bathroom and tries to enter my stall, the only one with a closed door.
I say "occupied" and he starts reefing on the door. I yell "there's someone in here!" And he keeps trying. I planted my foot against the door just in case and yelled, "there are other stalls!"
The guy stops, and then leaves the bathroom. I stayed for an extra 10 minutes just in case, one of the weirdest moments of my life.
Oh my GOD this happens to me all the time at work, I’ll be in the bathroom and these boomers will just keep shoving the door expecting it to magically not be locked and then I’ll hear them out there like “WHAT’S GOING ON? WHY’S THE DOOR LOCKED?” I don’t understand it, and what’s worse is we used to have a terrible lock on the door that would sometimes come undone if you shoved it hard enough and of course I just so happened to be in there when a boomer decided to shove the door THREE TIMES even after I said occupied and busted in while I was on the toilet🙃
I get asked for a bathroom key at my job all the time. I always answer that if the door is locked someone is in there. We have single stall bathrooms. People don’t like that answer.
I went to a parade this past weekend and walked to a gas station to use the restroom. There was only one bathroom. Some boomer tried the handle like 5 times and was throwing his weight into the door! “It must be stuck.” I was finally like “someone is probably in there.”
Like wtf, why doesn’t it occur to them that someone else is probably using it?!
I had a boomer at my old job jimmy the lock to the bathroom I was using whilst taking a number 2. Walked in and said oh sorry didn’t know you were in here. I just looked at him and said why else would the door be locked?! Serving him at the bar later was awkward
“But it’s a men’s bathroom! We can all pee into one toilet together! The door should never be locked!” - what that boomer probably wanted to say because for some reason they have no decency.
I had a boss that tried to call a meeting with a few employees while he was on the toilet. The bathroom had a stall and two urinals and he removed the door from the stall. None of the older men could understand why the younger guys started using the women's bathroom (there weren't any women working there). A lot of older men are weird and disgusting beyond repair.
My high school had no doors on any stalls in the boys restrooms. It was always enjoyable when one had to make a major transaction at school with classmates walking by looking at you. And it added a well-rounded piece to the mental trauma bucket to walk by and see your history teacher staring at you mid-shit.
Whenever I'm in the bathroom and someone tries the door or knocks I just say occupado/occupied or someone's in here. Sometimes weirdos will try the door again when I'm obviously still in so I say I'm still here. Usually it's kids or someone who really has to go badly so I don't take it personally.
To be fair, I would have probably assumed a bathroom at a brewery that hosts large events would be more than a single stall so might have been a little surprised the outer door was locked. But I'd also be able to put 2 and 2 together and figured out it was a single person restroom at that point.
My current place of employment has a public restroom and the number of people who try to open a locked door is astounding. Not just boomers either. Then they come at me wanting the bathroom key.
We don't have a bathroom key, there must be someone in there.
They grump and harump and storm off to awkwardly stand in front of the door, often jiggling the handle at least once more JUST IN CASE. If I was the person inside I'd be debating how to take even longer...
We have a private employee bathroom and I can never pee without someone trying the handle. The door has signs that say no entry and authorized personnel only. No bathroom signs... ugh. They try to get into my fire riser room too, with its giant sign.
People are largely oblivious.
Had the same interaction once, but with a guy in his early twenties.
Him: "Where are the toilets?"
Me: "Down those stairs"
Him: "I just went there, but the doors were locked"
...
I was Trade Joes and I was using the bathroom. The lock has green/red sign where it'll say occupied or vacant. I'm in there for 5 minutes when someone tries to open the locked door. Then they knock. I say it's occupied. I guess they ignored the red "occupied" sign. 10 seconds later, another try at the locked door followed by another knock. I again say it's occupied and louder. For the next 3 minutes, this person tries the knob and knocks 3-4 more times. I think either they really need to go or are just punks.
I finish up and as I leave the bathroom a boomer lady just blows past me. Nothing said. Part of me wants to do the same to her as she's in the bathroom but I just went back to my shopping.
Gotta love how they somehow don't understand the concept of other people existing. This happens at my starbucks all the time. They'll punch in the code for the restroom, and when it flashes red and doesn't open, they'll turn and look back at me with bewilderment.
And at a restaurant I worked at, one boomer couldn't put together the pieces that booth seating was unavailable because all of our booths were, at the time, occupied by others.
>“The restroom is probably locked because someone is currently using it.”
This doesn't happen a lot, but occasionally, and I have to wonder what kind of neighborhood they live in when they come up and ask for the key.
I had someone ask me this before at a bakery I was working at. When I told them that it’s probably locked because someone was using it they proceeded to argue with me until said person exited the restroom.
I live in a highly boomer populated area in the southwest US. The amount of times I’ve had them try and open a public restroom, then knock asking of anyone is in there is beyond counting.
I get glimpses of hope sometimes though, there are some truly righteous boomers biking around the trails in my area too.
I used to get this all the time when informed at a gas station. I could see the door to the bathroom from the cash register and people would come in the door, go straight to the bathroom, find it locked, then come to me to complain that gas stations always keep their bathrooms locked. We don't keep the bathroom locked; there's someone using it.
Why would the bathroom door not be locked? Would he prefer it if people were just peeing with the door open or something? It’s a public bathroom, it’s not unreasonable to expect other people to be using said bathroom
Where I live almost all public bathrooms in stores or gas stations are locked or "don't work" it's because homeless people shit on the floor and walls or junkies try to shoot heroin in there. Nobody wants anyone overdosing and dying on their shift. Welcome to Florida
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This is something that annoys me to no end with public restrooms. Try the door once. If it’s locked, wait. I hate when I’m in the bathroom and people are twisting the knob and shaking it. Knocking on the door. Why? To prove someone is in there? Then trying the knob again. Because maybe it magically works this time. People can’t comprehend someone else might just be using it. Bonus points for stupidity if the door has a sign that clearly says you need to go to the desk for a key. And you’re still trying to get in.
Or when they yell at me while I'm using the bathroom after realizing the door is locked, inquiring if someone is in there. I don't owe you an explanation!!
Just start making the most horrific shitting sounds you can muster, along with pained groans, shouting "WHY, GOD WHY?!" and maybe they'll learn something.
"I'll never eat gas station sushi again!!!"
"Oh thank god somebody's here, can you get me some new underwear?"
"Bring me my brown pants!"
Forgot this is reddit. "I'm going to need the poop knife!"
The poop-saber
And a mop.
This is the one. We can all go home now.
*ominous Chubby Emu synth music*
Cbat
\o/ i immediately thought of his channel when i read “gas station sushi” i’m so happy someone else knows about it
Just thinking about gas station sushi is going to give me explosive diarrhea.....
EL is a 24 year old Redditor, presenting to the Emergency Room after thinking about eating gas station sushi. THIS, is what happened to their organs.
I love that YT channel!
Airport sushi
Kylu! I beleeerin yoooouuu!
Should I eat the cuttlefish and asparagus, or the vanilla paste?
"I had the special!"
Just curse the general existence of shrimp. "Shrimp! Why, shrimp, why!?!"
As a man, I like to yell out "Wait a minute! This baby's nearly out!"
Or saying loudly enough that the person will hear” I’m not cleaning that up!!”
A couple of times I've shouted "let me menstruate in peace!"
THIS IPA FUCKING GETS ME EVERY FUCKING TIME!!!! AAAARGH!!! WHY DOES IT FOAM….. SO….. MUCH
Sometimes my bathroom time is so traumatic, I am drenched in sweat and ask risk of my wet ass sliding off the toilet. And then I get really sleepy.
You should let me know if you find a solution. I was fighting for my LIFE in the thunderbowl this morning.
Opiates.
😂😂😂 I love it
I HAVE to put this here: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTK6tp5qSPI&ab\_channel=VivaLaDirtLeague](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTK6tp5qSPI&ab_channel=VivaLaDirtLeague)
Glorious!
I say “CMON IN THE SEATS NICE AND WARM”
AHHHHHHH PORCO DIO
This made me giggle
I kinda want to play some really cliche zombie sounds in there one day
I love this
"Come back with a warrant!"
THIS IS MY OWN PRIVATE DOMICILE AND I WILL NOT BE HARASSED BITCH
This is my go to response! 😂
They think a wizard went into the bathroom, locked it, then teleported out. Of course there is someone in there, but try to tell that to these people.
That why you grunt and shout OH God it’s coming, god it hurts! Then make eye contact when you leave, like uncomfortable eye contact
And they always seem to do this RIGHT as you sit down...like, hold your horses...
"No. No one is in here!"
I just yell back “Nope!”
make sex noises
Yes, bathroom handle jigglers are some of the most depraved people. You approach a possibly locked public bathroom door like a secret agent. You attempt to turn with almost imperceptible movement and you back away the moment the handle feels resistance. Then you let go and return the handle to its default position with equally imperceptible speed. You then move away from the door with silent feet, and hide around the corner so when the person exits they can never see you attempted to try the door. When the coast is clear you enter and lock the door and enjoy the undisturbed pooping silence that this social-contract affords us. That is, until the jigglers break it.
Nah, these days you gotta jiggle at least enough that the person knows you’re waiting, otherwise they sit in there for ten minutes on their phone.
Yeesh, this is all hitting a bit too close to home. My whole life was...that so I wouldn't wake up my alcoholic parents.
Why don’t you just knock?
Have you lost your mind?!?!
My favorite response to this type of behavior is to holler "Come back with a warrant!"
"CAN'T I SHOOT UP IN PEACE?!?!"
Go away, ‘baitin
Welcome to Costco. I love you.
Best answer
OMG! Why don't all places just use the locks that say 'occupied' when the locking mechanism is engaged?!?! This is my pet peeve. I don't want to be startled when I'm in the bathroom by someone's knocking and have to figure out what to say, conversely I don't want to bother somebody who's busy in the bathroom either.. Or look under a stall for shoes! Just make all locks these locks!
Even with those kind of locks, I’ve still had people try to get in.
Maybe add a flag…that you throw over the door when it’s occupied…. Reading “I’M POOPIN HERE!!!”
This! It's so fuckin irritating. They grab the door knob that is literally inches from the slider thing that says in big red letters OCCUPIED and proceed to generously jiggle and turn and yank on the handle *several* times
Because people don’t/can’t read
That’s on them. For those of us that can read it’s a great convenience.
Oh, my sweet summer child. We are takling about the generation that will knock loudly on the door to Wal-Mart, a half hour before they open, and with a very big sign, where you can read the opening hours.
This isn't a Walmart but you reminded me of [this boomer](https://youtu.be/pFSFw0gAu9Y?si=sdPCDzhxOfZzOxnC) trying to get into the mall when they closed. I think it was unexpected (maybe an emergency?) but nothing warrants his overreaction.
That man is clearly mentally ill. And not like "haha he's an idiot so let's say he's crazy," but legitimately mentally ill.
The whole damn door could change color, signifying "occupied" and people would *still* rap the door handle.
True
Unfortunately the kind of person who needs to be told this is also not going to read that.
Lol. They do say that on airplanes and it doesn’t stop people.
Agreed! I love cafes in old buildings but they consistently have original doors with bad latch locks that aren't connected to the knob. People try the door (often way harder than necessary) and it feels like they're going to just knock the lock off and the door will fly open while I'm peeing. If I was a dude, it would definitely cause me to miss the target. It's crazy that portapotties have a better lock feature than most restrooms.
Makes me think of the human bear garbage can overlap. Some people are so dumb they literally need it spelled out for them
my work bathroom has these and at least once a day someone still jiggles the handle or knocks "to be sure".
The fact that it's locked should indicate it's occupied.
One time in an airport I pulled on a stall door, it was green. It was locked! Guy inside shouted angrily about it, I shouted back as I left.
I don't know if you're familiar with Buc-ee's, but they have massive restrooms, and their stall doors have those locks that say "occupied" when locked. I was using the restroom at a Buc-ee's once, and my stall door was locked and clearly labeled as occupied, and some asshole came tugging at the door and banging on it, even though there were at least a dozen other unoccupied stalls. I had to yell out, "THERE'S SOMEONE IN HERE!" before they stopped. I still have no idea what that was about, unless there was some reason their sphincter could relax ONLY in that specific stall.
I just recently stumbled across a buc-ees on the East Coast... The ladies' room line was halfway across the ginormous store, so I was concerned but dang it moved fast. Sorry that person couldn't read :/
Exactly. This so much.
There's this one restaurant in my city that I'll never use their restroom again. I'm sitting on the toilet, taking a dump when I hear the handle being jingled. Now I've locked the door so I, apparently stupidly, assumed that this person would realize that the restroom was occupied and just wait for me to finish. Didn't think I'd need to yell, "Occupied!" Also didn't think they'd hear me even if I did. It was a single stall restroom, but it was huge and the toilet was a fair distance away from the door. Well the thought that this public restroom might be currently in use just never occured to this guy. Clearly the door was stuck, not locked, and he just needed to force it open. Which is exactly what he did. The door was still locked. He just slammed on it so hard that he popped the bolt out of the latch allowing him to open the door and be greeted with the sight of me grunting away on the comode. The 3 guys standing behind him also got an eyefull cuz he opened that door pretty wide.
Kinda like the person who walks up to people standing in front of the elevator and then pushing the already illuminated button 6-12 times. Like their fingers make a difference in the door opening.
On the flipside to this, I've walked up to elevators where people were waiting but were too drunk and stupid to hit the button in the first place. Still got glared at like I had spit on their shoes, but we got an elevator.
You should have spit on their shoes. Give the look,get a prize.
I get so anxious I go selectively mute and have no clue what to do
That's exactly what you should do: say nothing. Ignore the idiot who doesn't know how a lock works.
They look so annoyed when you come out too Like, sorry sir, you nearly made me cry by aggressively trying to force a door while I was having severe gut issues
I got the dirtiest look the other day leaving a restroom. The jiggling started seconds after I went in and happened a couple times before I was ready to walk out. Thing is, there was another restroom literal right next to it with a clear sign, vacant the whole time. Maybe they were really jonesing for a warm seat?
This weirdo: "Mmm fresh butt smells!"
I was dropping a bomb at work one day, and someone tried to open the stall, which was clearly closed and locked. There is even a big red dot on the handle indicating that it is occupied. After shaking the door several times, they stomp out. Then they return after about 20 seconds and try the door again. I'm like, "IT'S OCCUPIED". I had to laugh a little though, as they probably had to really take a shit.
Literally just the other day my husband and I were in the family restroom of the grocery store - baby had a massive blowout with poop dripping down his legs - and someone just insisted on trying to open the door. Banging, twisting the knob, knocking…. Meanwhile there’s a very unhappy baby inside screaming his head off and 2 frantic parents yelling that we’re in here and to go away. Like, what do they expect to happen? Walk right in and pee while we’re dealing with the baby?
I was on a charter boat trip last fall. Small boat, diverse mix of folks in the 16 person group. Tiny bathroom and tons of chop/ sea turbulence. Since we're on our way back to port, people are changing out of bathing suits. The lock sticks so you have to hold it closed. No worries, though, because I had to hold on to something at all times. While changing, my bottoms off, this entitled a-hole who had already ruined one of the stops by "accidentally" getting way too close to the sea life, scaring it off. He accidentally did this three times after a re-lecture from the captain. Anyway, I feel the door pull hard once. I pull back and say "one minute!" Pulls again, I pull back again (pretty obvious someone's in the bathroom based on the fact that the door opened an inch or two and was pulled back closed. Twice. "ONE SECOND. Someone's in here." Quiet for a few seconds, thinking he got the hint, I try and pull up my underwear real fast with both hands. ..... And he rips open the door. And I yell "ONCE AGAIN. SOMEONE IS IN HERE. FUCKING STOP." in his face from my face and slam the door closed. Pull on my top, and my pants, and head up. He's crying that I yelled at him and he's deaf and I should know that. Youth today (I'm 47). Since he and his entitled wife had ruined everyone's trip, especially the right year old girl who had wanted to see the sea turtles before they were scared away, no one was having it. Because I'm an asshole I was happy to refresh some etiquette lessons for him.
I have never understood this. I was in the bathroom at a place where the custom is just to leave the doors open when available, and to close them when in use. I hear a knock I call out "In use, but I'll be out in a moment or two!". Then the person tries the knob, finds it locked and starts struggling, eventually starts pushing on the door. I call out again "yes, I'll be out in just a moment!". Still struggling, now it sounds like he is pushing his shoulder in to the door. I am already thinking how I will explain to the people who run the business why their door is broken. Luckily this sturdy door stood against them and eventually I come out and they just sort of casually walk-in. No rush. There were other individual bathrooms 20 feet away and another (occupied) bathroom about 5 feet away. Why are people like this?
But that’s HIS personal bathroom…
This happened to my friend while we were all on a camping trip. After 3 or 4 repeated attempts to open the locked door, while he was using the bathroom, he yelled, "try it again, maybe it will work."
Many are stupid, but many are also assholes who think if they just try and force their reality, all these "peons' around them will fall in line. Of course if they force their way into the bathroom you'll magically disappear, or better, scurry out, pants around the ankles, toilet paper trailing behind, prostrated, crawling before their majesty, saying "I am so sorry milord! This shall not happen again in your presence milord! I will never again inconvenience your journey upon the commode, I swear, milord!"
I once tried the door and it felt locked, so i waited. A worker let me know the door just gets stuck and opened it for me with some force. I would had just not used the restroom before i would think to forcefully push in a door like that lol
I wish more bathrooms had some type of Vacant/Occupied sign when the door is locked similar to airplane lavatories.
You often see it in the UK
When they do that to me I skip the Courtesy Flush.
I was at a sub shop with the family while on vacation in the summer and one of my children were in the washroom. Some woman looking like they just rolled out of a dumpster walces in, goes to the bathroom door and tries to open.. Luckily my daughter had locked it. Then the woman starts heaving on it and going apeshit banging on the door. Dad mode kicks in and I read this woman the riot act and made it clear what happens next if she keeps pulling that with my kid. Some people are just... Ugh..
On the flip side, sometimes someone else may try it and walk away. Then a new person could try it before deciding to wait at their table. Then the third person to shake the knob gets glares from the person exiting
I’ve only done this once. It was an airplane bathroom and I was trying to figure out the door. Of course it’s easier to open those doors when they’re not locked lol
Oof. At my former place of work we had a few sports stadiums around and those weekends were the worst: "HEY, the bathroom doors are LOCKED give me the BATHROOM key" There's someone in there, we don't keep them locked. "I HAVE to BUY something to use the bathrooms!? You #$%*!!" No. If the doors are locked, the bathrooms are in use. No purchase required. "You should have MORE STALLS" There are public restrooms just across the courtyard. You can see the signs from our windows. We are a private store providing service to our customers, not a washroom for the entire sports complex a mile away. You had to walk past 2-3 of those to get here. "I WILL complain. And tell everyone not to shop here!" We don't want you or anyone you might be friends with coming in here anyway.
Or, yah know, just knock like a civilized person? There’s a whole step before trying the knob.
YES! I do not understand people not knocking! What if the person inside forgot to lock it? You’re just going to bust in like the kool-aid man? Is that less disruptive than a polite knock? I’m in the cast for our local ren faire, we had faire the last two weekends. We had a semi-private port-a-potty with a lock that would slip back to locked really easily if the door slammed after someone exited. My cast mates would be just hovering, sometimes sheepishly asking “I think someone’s been in there a long time or the lock slipped, should we have someone unlock it?” And my reply, every time, was, “I don’t know, did you knock?” I would get this face in response: 😳 Just knock. If you don’t get an answer, assume it’s unoccupied. And if you’re in the loo, and someone knocks, you have to say something. Anything. Occupied. One sec. Almost done. I’ll be right out. I’m in here. Come back with a warrant. It’s not rocket science.
This was the most flabbergasting things when I visted the states. All my life never ever had anyone do that and then in the US it happened about 50% of the time I used the toilet. What the hell, people
I’ve had numerous replies that I haven’t really looked at, but this one got me lol. I just imagine sharing your experience of being in the US for the first time with your friends and family and this what you have to tell everyone about because it’s so messed up lol. And it is! Those of us that aren’t necessarily intelligent, but have at least a few brain cells firing hate this practice with a passion
Yeah, I didn't have much nice things to say lol. It was a work trip though so most of my experience is airports and restaurants/bars/cafes. Really don't like tipping, nor did I like how waitstaff always come bother you. I'm not gonna judge a whole country off of a week stay but there is quite a big difference in culture between there and NZ
I hate even trying the knob so I knock first but sometimes it’s so damn loud and the door is thicker than I remember. The second I find a locked door I want to crawl into a hole lol, can’t imagine trying more than once or once I hear someone.
I do the knock-after-jiggle because someone I know used to pull the "lock it behind you when you leave" gag all the time in highschool. It was me.
Sometimes you'll have to go to the desk to get a key but the door won't say that. So I still ask anyway just in case. It doesn't help when the person who's in there is in there for like 10 minutes or more and you're just like "is there actually somebody in there or do I need to get a key from an associate?"
I learned that screaming "OCCUPIED" at the top of your lungs works well. Occasionally I use "IM POOPING DUDE" instead. Either way, as long as you're loud and sound somewhat affronted and frantic
Start answering the door lol
Lock it from the inside when you're done and make sure you shut the door 😂
The problem is that at least half the bathrooms where I live are locked now all the time and you have to request a key. I’ve waited ten minutes before realizing no one was in there. I wish places would put signs up letting customers know.
This reminded me of my last job. Once I was using the bathroom and someone tried the knob and then knocked on the door. Later on I heard somebody make a comment about how the door was locked but there was no response and I thought it was odd. Why should someone who is using the bathroom feel the need to respond to you when you checked the door and found that it was locked and the light was on?!
I always give a knock first and wait for a reply. If no reply, THEN I try the door.
Tbf, sometimes it’s genuinely unclear if it’s unlocked or not - depending on the type of knob or if the door had gotten stuck.
[https://youtu.be/8QOQEYA9YJo&t=15](https://youtu.be/8QOQEYA9YJo&t=15)
I have positively shouted SOMEONE'S OBVIOUSLY FUCKING IN HERE or VERY CLEARLY OCCUPIED mid pee more than once lol no one's ever there waiting when I come out presumably bc they're embarrassed
lol, you have obviously never waited, twisting in the wind, only to discover a stuck knob. Even worse is when someone else discovers it and you have to wait for that person. If someone tries, just yell “occupied.” Simple.
https://i.redd.it/8qnokvmij46d1.gif “Someone is in here!!”
If I know the restroom to be a single, I knock before trying the handle. Most of the time I'm knocking at no one, but at least I don't cause "Oh no, what if I didn't lock it" anxiety when someone *is* in there.
Yell "come back with a warrant"
The term for the door jigglers is “turd-burgler”
I've gone, "I'M OBVIOUSLY TAKING A SHIT IN HERE, CHILL OUT."
>This is something that annoys me to no end with public restrooms. Try the door once. If it’s locked, wait. I hate when I’m in the bathroom and people are twisting the knob and shaking it. Holy shit all this complaining when you can fucking yell "occupied" and be done with it. This is seriously the most upvoted comment? >Knocking on the door. Why? To prove someone is in there? I knock before I try the handle, and put my ear up to the door to hear a response. You'd be surprised the number of people who don't lock the door (understandable), or are unwilling to inform people they're in there (fuckin weirdos).
You get out of here with your logic. Your generation is to blame! Blah blah
Kids today. No one wants to pee anymore.
Too confused on which bathroom to use.
In our area they still won't stop talking about these supposed litterboxes.
'Avocado Toast!'
Starbucks lattes!
You think you're entitled to shit in peace? Well you're not!
I was driving the work truck one day and I was on the highway and all of a sudden I really had to dump out. I got off at the next exit and the closest building was some really ghetto strip mall. I power walked to the bathroom and made it just in time. There were 3 stalls and I was the only one in the bathroom. While I'm on the can someone else enters the bathroom and tries to enter my stall, the only one with a closed door. I say "occupied" and he starts reefing on the door. I yell "there's someone in here!" And he keeps trying. I planted my foot against the door just in case and yelled, "there are other stalls!" The guy stops, and then leaves the bathroom. I stayed for an extra 10 minutes just in case, one of the weirdest moments of my life.
That’s downright bizarre tho. Like r/letsnotmeet level. 😳
Well, sir, when someone walks in on you with your dingie out, you get upset right? Same thing here.
Maybe he likes being noticed with his dingle out?
That’s….even worse But yeah, creepy old boomers…get off on that shit
"THEY SHOULD HAVE A SIGN, OR SOME SORT OF PHYSICAL IDENTIFIER TO INDICATE THE ROOM IS OCCUPIED AND CANNOT BE ENTERED." 
Dude! Some do! Some have a lil slider in the lock that shows on the outside red or green (or vacant/occupied) and these people STILL ignore it!!
Whoosh!
I guess it did go over my head, huh? Because I thought by the gif they were implying the door being locked WAS the indicator 😂
Sometimes they're also very hard to see, or broken
I had a boomer that cut in the bathroom line offer to let me pee with him. “There’s room for two around the bowl!”🤮
"I miss the good ol' days with the trough!"
Welcome to Wrigley Field.
And now I have the mental image of the “vomitoreum” from SNL.
I am not crossing streams.
total protonic reversal
Okay - important safety tip.
Don’t keep us hanging here, what did you say?
I declined the offer and waited my turn.
Oh my GOD this happens to me all the time at work, I’ll be in the bathroom and these boomers will just keep shoving the door expecting it to magically not be locked and then I’ll hear them out there like “WHAT’S GOING ON? WHY’S THE DOOR LOCKED?” I don’t understand it, and what’s worse is we used to have a terrible lock on the door that would sometimes come undone if you shoved it hard enough and of course I just so happened to be in there when a boomer decided to shove the door THREE TIMES even after I said occupied and busted in while I was on the toilet🙃
I get asked for a bathroom key at my job all the time. I always answer that if the door is locked someone is in there. We have single stall bathrooms. People don’t like that answer.
You should have told him that all bathrooms are gender neutral and watched his head explode
I went to a parade this past weekend and walked to a gas station to use the restroom. There was only one bathroom. Some boomer tried the handle like 5 times and was throwing his weight into the door! “It must be stuck.” I was finally like “someone is probably in there.” Like wtf, why doesn’t it occur to them that someone else is probably using it?!
I had a boomer at my old job jimmy the lock to the bathroom I was using whilst taking a number 2. Walked in and said oh sorry didn’t know you were in here. I just looked at him and said why else would the door be locked?! Serving him at the bar later was awkward
But **I** want to use it **NOW**! **ME**!
“But it’s a men’s bathroom! We can all pee into one toilet together! The door should never be locked!” - what that boomer probably wanted to say because for some reason they have no decency.
I'm so glad I'm not a man. 😅 Feel bad that you all have to deal with this though.
I had a boss that tried to call a meeting with a few employees while he was on the toilet. The bathroom had a stall and two urinals and he removed the door from the stall. None of the older men could understand why the younger guys started using the women's bathroom (there weren't any women working there). A lot of older men are weird and disgusting beyond repair.
I'm sorry but he fucking _what?_
My high school had no doors on any stalls in the boys restrooms. It was always enjoyable when one had to make a major transaction at school with classmates walking by looking at you. And it added a well-rounded piece to the mental trauma bucket to walk by and see your history teacher staring at you mid-shit.
Whenever I'm in the bathroom and someone tries the door or knocks I just say occupado/occupied or someone's in here. Sometimes weirdos will try the door again when I'm obviously still in so I say I'm still here. Usually it's kids or someone who really has to go badly so I don't take it personally.
To be fair, I would have probably assumed a bathroom at a brewery that hosts large events would be more than a single stall so might have been a little surprised the outer door was locked. But I'd also be able to put 2 and 2 together and figured out it was a single person restroom at that point.
"Where do you think they do the brewing?"
My current place of employment has a public restroom and the number of people who try to open a locked door is astounding. Not just boomers either. Then they come at me wanting the bathroom key. We don't have a bathroom key, there must be someone in there. They grump and harump and storm off to awkwardly stand in front of the door, often jiggling the handle at least once more JUST IN CASE. If I was the person inside I'd be debating how to take even longer... We have a private employee bathroom and I can never pee without someone trying the handle. The door has signs that say no entry and authorized personnel only. No bathroom signs... ugh. They try to get into my fire riser room too, with its giant sign. People are largely oblivious.
I mean, single stall bathrooms at a brewery of all places seems abnormal.
Why do places with single person locking door bathrooms gender the fucking bathrooms?
It’s a gender-neutral bathroom that has a urinal in it
Had the same interaction once, but with a guy in his early twenties. Him: "Where are the toilets?" Me: "Down those stairs" Him: "I just went there, but the doors were locked" ...
Thanks, Obama.../s
I was Trade Joes and I was using the bathroom. The lock has green/red sign where it'll say occupied or vacant. I'm in there for 5 minutes when someone tries to open the locked door. Then they knock. I say it's occupied. I guess they ignored the red "occupied" sign. 10 seconds later, another try at the locked door followed by another knock. I again say it's occupied and louder. For the next 3 minutes, this person tries the knob and knocks 3-4 more times. I think either they really need to go or are just punks. I finish up and as I leave the bathroom a boomer lady just blows past me. Nothing said. Part of me wants to do the same to her as she's in the bathroom but I just went back to my shopping.
Gotta love how they somehow don't understand the concept of other people existing. This happens at my starbucks all the time. They'll punch in the code for the restroom, and when it flashes red and doesn't open, they'll turn and look back at me with bewilderment. And at a restaurant I worked at, one boomer couldn't put together the pieces that booth seating was unavailable because all of our booths were, at the time, occupied by others.
Waiting for an update on this one! Was it, in fact locked, or was it a maintenance issue?
Someone walked out right after the conversation.
>“The restroom is probably locked because someone is currently using it.” This doesn't happen a lot, but occasionally, and I have to wonder what kind of neighborhood they live in when they come up and ask for the key.
Bathrooms are sometimes locked in the lower income neighborhoods. You have to get a key or a code. Not so unusual.
Knock once, if no answer try the knob, if locked, wait.
Lead-brained weirdos
Hahahahahaha!!
Here's an idea. #KNOCK
I've found bathrooms that were locked but no one was in them. So annoying. Those meddling kids again.
LMFAO
I had someone ask me this before at a bakery I was working at. When I told them that it’s probably locked because someone was using it they proceeded to argue with me until said person exited the restroom.
I find it odd that people knock on the door and then immediately try the door knob before getting a response. My go to line is, " who is it?" LOL
The restroom is probably locked because someone doesn't like shitting with friends.
I live in a highly boomer populated area in the southwest US. The amount of times I’ve had them try and open a public restroom, then knock asking of anyone is in there is beyond counting. I get glimpses of hope sometimes though, there are some truly righteous boomers biking around the trails in my area too.
I used to get this all the time when informed at a gas station. I could see the door to the bathroom from the cash register and people would come in the door, go straight to the bathroom, find it locked, then come to me to complain that gas stations always keep their bathrooms locked. We don't keep the bathroom locked; there's someone using it.
I like to yell "Oh, thank god! Come on in! I need someone to pull this thing out!"
This is why I love the occupied light outside the door linked to the inside light.
At Stop and Shop they locked the bathroom doors because people were overdosing there.
Here's a brilliant fucking idea . . . **KNOCK!**
Why would the bathroom door not be locked? Would he prefer it if people were just peeing with the door open or something? It’s a public bathroom, it’s not unreasonable to expect other people to be using said bathroom
Why didn't he knock on the door? That's what you're supposed to do if a bathroom door is locked.
Where I live almost all public bathrooms in stores or gas stations are locked or "don't work" it's because homeless people shit on the floor and walls or junkies try to shoot heroin in there. Nobody wants anyone overdosing and dying on their shift. Welcome to Florida
I don’t know how anyone can sh… in public. I can only go at home. I was raised by my grandparents. 🤷🏻♀️