Being now some years old, and having loved to travel all my life, and having stopped to use the rest rooms more times than I could guess, I saw something I had never seen before on any rest room wall. This sign.
We were driving from the New York Finger Lakes down to home in Pennsylvania, and this was in a highway rest stop. It was straight ahead of you as you entered the men’s room. The place was a state welcome stop. I wish it has been New York, but I think it was actually Pennsylvania. It was clearly not a state sponsored sign and clearly belonged to this particular place.
PLEASE DO NOT BARGE INTO STALLS
Several questions arose immediately in my loose mind. Who created and put up this sign? What barging incident(s) had prompted it? How effective had this sign been in preventing other barge-in happenings? Had the incidents been accidental or intentional? Were there other posted instructions on the inside of this rest room, I wondered as I entered?
There were, indeed, other posted notices. “Remember to take your cellphone when you leave.” “Don’t forget your car keys.” “Be sure you have your billfold.”
Obviously, the resident sign creator had wished to be helpful to all the rest stop patrons. I wondered if this was the station manager, or one of the attendants? Or was it left there as a joke by someone passing through and unaffiliated with the management? It crossed my mind that I myself might have done this at some early point in my life.
There were other potential rest room signs I thought about as my mind wandered further.
PLEASE AIM CAREFULLY WHEN USING THE URINALS
REMIND OTHERS TO WASH THEIR HANDS
AVOID BUMPING THOSE USING THE URINALS
NO DRYING HANDS ON OTHER PEOPLE’S CLOTHES
EYES FORWARD WHEN USING THE URINALS
PLEASE FLUSH UNTIL TOILET BOWL IS CLEAR
DO NOT URINATE IN WASH BASINS PLEASE
But after these diversions, I was still most curious about the stall-barging sign. I was especially curious as to why the burden of prevention was put on the barger and not the bargee. In other words, why not have a sign inside the stalls reminding the occupant to latch the damn door. Something like this.
PLEASE LATCH THE DOOR TO PREVENT SOMEONE BARGING IN
So now, please consider, if a stall is occupied, and the latch unlatched, and thinking it is empty and available someone barges in, who then is at fault? Who then is the victim here? Who then should have a sign advising them on the proper course of action? I rest my rest room case.
Is any of this nonsense very important?
No, it is not.
But when you travel long hours and see something curious, the mind will wander some.
You can email Ed Briggs HERE
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