I used to think these coin operated toilet kiosks would be such a great idea. You're walking around town and you really have to go. Rather than risk all of the dirty looks that you'll get when you try to use the bathroom at the Westin Hotel while clad in your finest jogging or walking attire (I speak from experience), you can pop a quarter in the slot and get 15 minutes of privacy from one of these many, conveniently located public toilets. They're guaranteed to be clean since they completely self-clean after every use. Maybe they could even put a nice LCD screen in there so you can watch the news or get tips on where to go for the latest movies. All for the price of a local, 1-minute long phone call from a soon to be extinct "pay phone."
Yes, that would be great, wouldn't it? I wonder how such things have worked out for other cities. Ok... Google, what can you give me on "automated public toilets?" Bingo. Seattle seems to have tried this already. Seattle's a good clean city that doesn't have as much a problem with crime and cleanliness as Philadelphia at least judging from my weeklong visit back in 2000. They're biggest issue seems to be freeing up their waterfront by building a tunnel for a major highway that cuts the water off from the rest of the city. Gee, I'm glad we don't have that problem. Oh... wait.
Anyway if the toilets work there, maybe they have a chance here. If they don't, I doubt Philadelphia's government would be able to keep them clean, maintained and secure. Let me just read this editorial from the Seattle Times to find out.
Oh. Well, so much for that idea.
Comments (3)
Having just spent a week in Paris, I was thinking that Philadelphia should install some of these public toilets too. One of the things that makes the public toilets different in Paris from Seattle is that they are free.
While I think it's probably difficult to keep the toilets impeccably clean anywhere, even in Paris, I found them extremely convenient if you just have to go.
I'm not sure that the stories of drugs and sex in the Seattle case would convince me that the toilets are inherently a bad idea. I have a hard time believing that a few of these toilets in Center City or business corridors like Main Street would become havens for drug trafficing. As for the toilets not putting an end to public urination--when there are only a half dozen for the experiment--that would definately be too few to have an effect. I'd bet that a half dozen of the toilets would be much appreciated by late night South Street patrons. As for the cost, I'd say, cover them with advertising.
Posted by mdcphilly | November 4, 2006 8:33 PM
You are much more optimistic about these things than I am. I guess if it could be done in an experimental way that wouldn't cost the city a huge amount of money or get it bogged down in some kind of long term contract, then I'd be ok with trying it - even on South Street. If these things can function as advertised on Saturday night on South Street, then they can probably work anywhere - even the Broad Street subway concourse under South Broad!
Posted by Dan | November 5, 2006 10:24 AM
I have to admit that you'd have to find the perfect sponsor to cover the cost. Perhaps it's not priority but as a public service, it just might be worthwhile.
A friend recently traveled to Munich, Germany where he saw a--very uncouth American--throw some trash on the ground. The locals just about bit his head off. Could we get some of that going on her? I wouldn't mind if the next mayor initiated a stop littering campaign.
Posted by mdcphilly | November 5, 2006 11:02 PM