Related to public bathrooms (could be TMI for some) :





Even as an emet, I cannot wrap my brain around this one. Why do you flush the toilet with your foot?


The reason(s) I ask is:


1.) You go into the stall,set your purse down on the floor,if there is no hook to hang it (for those who don't know, the floor of a public bathroom is way, way dirtier than the seat--research it if you're not too squeamish) , and immediately put toilet paper on the seat to provide protection from germs.


2.) Next, you carefully sit down, trying not to expose any skin to the "germ infested" toilet seat.


3.)Youdo your business, and your hands then become dirty with your own bodily fluids from wiping, and if you're having your visit from Aunt Flo, you touch the dirty little box in the stall to dispose of your hygiene product.


4.) You touch the toilet paper that is on the germ infested seat to put it into the toilet to flush. Or, if you use theHover Maneuver--"If you sprinkle when you tinkle, be a sweetie and wipe the seatie!" As emets, I'm sure we all observe this rule.


5.) Now, you are ready to flush. By this point, aren't your hands germy enough? And aren't you going to immediately run to the sink to wash them thoroughly afterward (or use Purell if you pee 'n' dash)?


6.) If you employ the "foot flush method," don't you have to touch the germy door handle to unlock the stall door and get out?








I'm sorry to sound snotty, but I just don't get it. If you're already going to use the public potty, what good is it going to be if you use your foot to flush? I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm certainly not flexible enough to reach that knob above the toilet to flush with my foot. Sometimes, you are lucky enough to have a handle to flush next to the toilet itself.


But, why do we do this to ourselves? Is it really necessary to go that far in the name of cleanliness?





The reason I bothered to ask this question is: we are all concerned with taking "baby steps" to be more confident in this phobia. Wouldn't flushing with our hands be a little step? Wouldn't it make more sense to do so, instead of using insane acrobatics to reach the button that's two feet above the toilet with our feet? C'mon! We can do it! Let's reach out and touch someone--or something. Heeehheheh. [img]smileys/smilies_04.gif[/img]