DC used to have public rest rooms in most of the major parks until the 1950s. But during the Mccarthy hearings, the case was made that these were meeting places for communists, fellow travelers, State Department homosexuals, and other “deviants” and the restrooms were shut down. As if we needed another thing to hate Joe Mccarthy for. But you can’t really blame commercial businesses for limiting access to their restrooms. Would YOU like to clean up after these people? Some people just clearly have NO IDEA how to use a toilet. Either that, or they really need to work on their aim. How the f**k did they get that stuff on the CEILING?

Worst bathroom: MLK Library. The ones with the half-doors. I’m convinced some people live in there.

Best bathroom: National Building Museum. Bright, clean, with that nice pebbled glass on the doors. Really makes defecating a pleasure.

great question. I used to live in Philly and dated a girl with a pretty small apartment. She was also so much classier than I was. I never got the courage to number 2 in her place. Would always go across the street to Barnes and Noble to take care of business. good times!

public bathrooms in parks are breeding grounds for seedy dealings. you name it, it’s guarenteed to go down in those places. for example, the ones in meridian hill park (i think they may be closed now?) were disgusting. i personally saw prostitution and drug use going on in the entrance ways and the smell was so foul, i can’t even describe it.

I usually dip into a Starbucks. They’re everywhere, and the employees don’t care if you use the restroom without buying anything.

I don’t think a public restroom is really going to change much in terms of seedy happenings. These things happen either way. See park on 11th and Monroe. No bathroom, lots of seedy happenings, and almost always smells like piss.

The only thing I’m curious about is who is actually going to clean these bathrooms.

If its in DC’s hands, those things will never get cleaned. I can’t even think how disgusting they would be. I second Starbucks or hotel lobby bathrooms.

Hotels are nice, but not everywhere and take a long time to get in and out of. I use Bus Boys & Poets a lot or Starbucks (the one thing I like about Starbucks).

DC is not too bad on this front. In the US, Boston is hands down the worst experience I’ve encountered. On the Commons, there’s like one public restroom which is old and disgusting and has mile long line. If you venture into surrounding areas, many places advertise ‘no restrooms’ and not even ‘restrooms for patrons only’. Starbucks is one option, but the lines are also ridiculous.

DC has options in every museum and public government building. Even the Memorials have reasonable restrooms. Commercial districts can be a little more difficult, but the low ratio of Starbucks : visitors and large number of hotels makes those good options

When I lived in San Jose and San Francisco, we had these automated self-cleaning public pay toilets on the street that were very popular:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28156071@N00/3459317704

I can’t actually remember the last time this was ever an issue for me. I’m not even sure under what set of circumstances this even becomes an issue. I think I must just always go to places that actually have bathrooms? I can’t think of a time that I couldn’t make it to my destination, which is most likely going to have a restroom for its patrons. I don’t do a lot of aimless wandering though – not really my cup of tea. I’m more the “sitting at the bar for hours on end” sort, which works out because bars have bathrooms.

For the ladies, when you can’t find a restroom or at least a clean one

http://www.shewee.com

The Shewee is a moulded plastic funnel that provides women with a simple, private and hygienic method of urinating without removing clothes whilst standing AND sitting.

I predict that we will all soon see Nichole’s “In Defense of the She Wee!” do it!

@Nichole! We may know each other, as any friend of PoP’s is a friend of mine! hmm….maybe I lie, but I love the fact you have a Freshette! We could be friends, but please know I have the “Freshette” god gave me.

@ Nichole — wonderful comment!

May I add that Union Station isn’t too bad, but the room in AMERICA restaurant is even better. Penn Sta in NY is getting better too, as is the NY Port Authority, if one is in need of a break after a bus/train ride. The DC Greyhound station bathroom is not recommended.