Toilets and social distancing

[Adamvanman]

Only my opinion but if they have to close the WC blocks then
all public toilets should be closed.

Motorway services, hospitals, fast food joints, pubs and restaurants when
they eventually slowly open.

A normal toilet you can be in and out without touching anything, this is much more difficult in a campsite toilet, with carrying a towel, wash bag etc.. and bare feet in the shower .

 

[Pro moochers]

I don't think we will see toilets blocks open and if they do I am not sure I would be happy to use them as some people have disgusting habits at the best of times. We have just purchased a portable toilet and toilet tent. Only thing we need to sort is the hot water now.

I don’t think hot water is essential, I’m sure it’s the soap so you’re pretty much there


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CampervanBits]

In the shop we have seen a massive increase in orders on portable toilets and toilet tents, also the hot water geysers we are struggling to keep up with demand

Geyser - CampervanBits

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[Wild Bob]

Most campsites are saying toilet blocks will stay closed and only vehicles with their own facilities will be allowed on site. I know this will affect most of us on here but it's possibly the correct decision

Even though most of us have porta potties ?

 

[willwander]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought you could only catch the virus by breathing it in, or touching your mouth, nose etc. Not via your arse cheeks or your feet.

 

[Amarillo]

However, for avoidance of doubt..... for those suggesting that toilet blocks should remain closed.....they could just not use them themselves and avoid that risk to themselves. But, instead they are applying their value judgement of risk and are trying to stop anyone from using the toilet block.

If it were as simple as that dealing with the pandemic would be easy. Let people assess the risk to themselves and act accordingly. A bit like the choice over whether or not to wear a bicycle helmet.

However, if you become infected, the danger to you is limited, but the danger you pose is not limited. You risk infecting either directly, or through one or more intermediaries, someone who will die.

And that is why risky behaviour, such as continuing to shake hands, should be discouraged.

 

[CaliforniaBen]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought you could only catch the virus by breathing it in, or touching your mouth, nose etc. Not via your arse cheeks or your feet.

You would bring it into the van , so for example if someone sneezed in the shower you could carry virus into the van via your feet

 

[Amarillo]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought you could only catch the virus by breathing it in, or touching your mouth, nose etc. Not via your arse cheeks or your feet.

You get it on your feet, put on your socks, transferring it to your hands, then rub your eyes...

 

[steve and lisa]

Some toilet blocks can be disgusting places even on 5* campsites, especially around 10am in morning. I would not feel at all happy using communal facilities for washing and showering. I don't think you can compare a shower block with a public toilet

 

[Amarillo]

Some toilet blocks can be disgusting places even on 5* campsites, especially around 10am in morning. I would not feel at all happy using communal facilities for washing and showering. I don't think you can compare a shower block with a public toilet

When we spent a year travelling, initially we were showering daily, that gradually dropped to most days, then every second day, then every second or third day, until reaching two or three times a week. Face, hands, feet and crotch can be cleaned using a washing up bowl, soap and flannel. Teeth cleaned using a cup and toothbrush. But without safe showering facilities I wouldn't want to go away for longer than a weekend or bank holiday weekend.

 

[Big Ron]

If it were as simple as that dealing with the pandemic would be easy. Let people assess the risk to themselves and act accordingly. A bit like the choice over whether or not to wear a bicycle helmet.

However, if you become infected, the danger to you is limited, but the danger you pose is not limited. You risk infecting either directly, or through one or more intermediaries, someone who will die.

And that is why risky behaviour, such as continuing to shake hands, should be discouraged.

Yes, you risk causing harm to others....like with many other things....you drive a diesel vehicle which belches out CO2 and particulates....you may have a woodburner, ditto...you burn gas, you are a consumer of many items from petrochemicals, food, clothing, drugs,....all of which can impact the health of others....but they continue?

Of course, the bi-products of these have never caused the death of anyone so I guess you can keep doing all those things but for goodness sake don’t let anyone use a public toilet.....instant death?!

 

[Karlos]

No toilet paper, no toilet seats and worst of all, no soap either. Perhaps this pandemic will change that aspect of camping in France.

Toilets in private homes are almost always better equipped than those in public areas.

I've started to notice soap in more French sites now and never really found it a problem to have to take my own bog roll and kind of got used to no seat.

 

[Big Ron]

You would bring it into the van , so for example if someone sneezed in the shower you could carry virus into the van via your feet

If you’re worried about that you can decide not to use the toilet block, and leave others to decide whether they wish to.
That just leaves the question of 3rd party impacts as Amarillo Tom has raised .....which I think is on dodgy moral grounds given all the other things we do which impacts 3rd parties.

 

[Karlos]

Porta Potti in a toilet tent and wash in the washing up bowl should keep us clean for at least a week.

 

[Amarillo]

Yes, you risk causing harm to others....like with many other things....you drive a diesel vehicle which belches out CO2 and particulates....you may have a woodburner, ditto...you burn gas, you are a consumer of many items from petrochemicals, food, clothing, drugs,....all of which can impact the health of others....but they continue?

Of course, the bi-products of these have never caused the death of anyone so I guess you can keep doing all those things but for goodness sake don’t let anyone use a public toilet.....instant death?!

The Government has said that public toilets can remain open throughout this period. Many councils have chosen to close some or all of their public toilets.

I think it all comes down to balancing reducing the reproductive (R) number of the virus with the need for essential functioning. Each of these little things will have some effect on how the virus spreads.

 

[Amarillo]

I've started to notice soap in more French sites now and never really found it a problem to have to take my own bog roll and kind of got used to no seat.

I guess, then, you have never had to deal with a three year old in a French campsite swimming pool who unexpectedly says, "Dad, I need a poo." You have limited time to get the child from the pool, to the toilet block. No seat - no problem, but no paper and no soap is a problem. Do you leave the child alone while you return to the van to get paper and soap, or do you allow the child to waddle back to the van to do the cleaning?

 

[GrannyJen]

When lockdown was announced for oldies like me I was on a CC site. I was with my sister who has lung problems.

Using the loo, or shower was a nightmare.

Exit the cubicle and you are touching three hard surfaces before you leave. Wash your hands as as the tap was not lever design so you had to touch the tap. Go to leave the block and it opens inwards so you have to use the handle.

I have been quite happy in the past camping away for ten nights at a time in places with no facilities and would be quite happy to do so again. I can also see though the argument to leave loo blocks closed. Not everyone is scrupulous about hygiene as we've all seen even in "peacetime". They would be just one other source of contamination.

 

[Lin!]

With this combination you have your own bathroom

 

[Karlos]

I guess, then, you have never had to deal with a three year old in a French campsite swimming pool who unexpectedly says, "Dad, I need a poo." You have limited time to get the child from the pool, to the toilet block. No seat - no problem, but no paper and no soap is a problem. Do you leave the child alone while you return to the van to get paper and soap, or do you allow the child to waddle back to the van to do the cleaning?

No never had that problem with our daughter but we did always put a loo roll in the bag we would take to the pool, I say we, what I mean is Mrs K so maybe she was thinking ahead.

 

[westfalia]

With this combination you have your own bathroom
View attachment 59434
View attachment 59431

That would be great set up.

I can see it being frowned upon on certain campsites, ruining the
precious grass.
Especially when i wash my hair with Persil automatic.

 

[Amarillo]

No never had that problem with our daughter but we did always put a loo roll in the bag we would take to the pool, I say we, what I mean is Mrs K so maybe she was thinking ahead.

Yes - If it were Mrs Amarillo in the pool she'd have wipes and a couple of changes of clothes, plasters, emergency sweets, drinking water, suncream, sun hats and all sorts of other useful stuff.

When I go, its trunks, a shared towel and perhaps crocs.

I take 5 seconds to get ready for a swim with the boys, Mrs Amarillo takes at least an hour.

 

[Karlos]

Yes - If it were Mrs Amarillo in the pool she'd have wipes and a couple of changes of clothes, plasters, emergency sweets, drinking water, suncream, sun hats and all sorts of other useful stuff.

When I go, its trunks, a shared towel and perhaps crocs.

I take 5 seconds to get ready for a swim with the boys, Mrs Amarillo takes at least an hour.

Agreed and what do they do I the shower for so long?

 

[blakeley]

I like the idea of showering in a toilet tent but it is not practical as soon as that water hits the grass you then have mud making it unusable for next time , you also run the risk of upsetting the campsite owner. Showering outside is possibly just as bad as discharging grey water on a pitch

 

[Euge]

True. I think nearly all toilet doors open the wrong way round. Why is that. You always have to pull the handle to get out. Pubs are the same

Probably to prevent getting a face full of door when people are walking past a cubicle that someone is vacating.

 

[Vagophile]

I often wonder how we managed with our Kombi in the '80s. No toilet, not even a porta potti, no shower, only cold water, but used it for 3 month+ trips through Europe without visiting many camp sites, in fact I cannot remember showering at all, but I do have an abiding memory of a very surprised Greek shepherd confronting a naked lady bathing in his sheep drinking trough at a fresh water spring.
Perhaps we can get too hung up on some things? I know we have to look out for children and that does have responsibilities, but a few packs of Florence and Fred wet wipes is cheap and in my view will adequately clean any and all parts of the human body indefinitely.