August 10th, 2004

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Technology
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Sixty Seconds in the Loo?

This invention seems more German than British, but regardless it’s deeply bizarre. From that non-pareil of journalism, the Sun:

Time-wasting girls are to be flushed out of club toilets–using cubicles which spring open after 60 seconds behind closed doors. Bar chain Brannigans plans to introduce a new automatic door mechanism–dubbed the Bog Off system–in its 12 venues. This will open the cubicle door exactly one minute after it is closed –exposing occupants who selfishly hog the loo while they gossip with pals or apply new layers of make-up.

That seems a little extreme, doesn’t it? I mean, surely there are any number of scenarios (fear not, I’m not going to explore them here) where a woman needs more than 60 seconds behind closed doors. I guess hurried shags are out of the question for all but the most acute premature ejactulation sufferers.

This is classic Britishness, by the way. When it comes to sex, they’re the most repressed culture in the western world. However, when it comes to toilets and all things related to bodily waste, they’re happy as pigs in, well, you know.

I tried to find the manufacturer for this product, to determine if there was an override switch or something, but no joy. I’ve emailed Brannigans (flashy flash and the flash gang ahead) to enquire.

While searching for “Bog Off”, I tried www.bogoff.com. While not the home of a stall timer manufacturer, it is the home page of Stephen Bogoff, Antiquarian Horologist (since 1970). Christmas is coming, and I rather like this one.

Comments: 5 Responses so far

Jeremy C. Wright
August 10th, 2004
12:43 pm

Biggest culture shock my first time in the UK? Many toilets require you to pay. Hopefully those aren’t the ones that eject you… If they were you’d think they’d have a nice female voice “please deposit 50p to continue your piss”.

That’d be fun ;-)

[Reply]

Georgia
August 10th, 2004
2:24 pm

Oh my god, not that I’m a bathroom hog, but I am NEVER stepping foot in those chains of bars, that’s just rude and demeaning.

Have they consider like building MORE washroom stalls for the ladies? I bet a man invented this. And I hope he #%#$#$%$^ off the face of Earth.

[Reply]

jenny
August 10th, 2004
5:20 pm

Ridiculous!
For the most part, women who spend a lot of time in the bathroom at clubs are chatting in front of the mirrors while they re-apply their masks, I don’t see too many women spending a lot of time in the actual stalls when there are line-ups.
The addition of stalls usually clears up the problem.
Just bizarre!

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bree
August 11th, 2004
8:43 am

It’s like bathroom stalls that try to limit you to one square of one-ply toilet paper. Obviously invented by a man as well — it’s bad enough normally but at certain times of the month…

So I guess the worst toilet stall imaginable would be a pay toilet that kicks you out after 60 seconds and forces you to use only one square of one-ply.

[Reply]

Paolo
August 13th, 2004
9:18 am

I bet they wouldn’t design 60-second ejection bar stools. It’s okay to fill up on the food and drink for hours but heaven forbid you actually *use* the facilities for longer than a minute.

Absolutely horrendous behaviour.

[Reply]

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