Public toilets-a new concept

[RBSinTo]

This was taken yesterday in Kensington Market, here in Toronto, and while I've been coming here since I was born (my Grandparents lived here for many years and it is where my mother and her siblings were born and raised) I have never seen anything like this in over forty years of shooting.
 I was on my way to meet a photobud in the Market when I noticed a mother squatting over the edge of the sidewalk, holding her young daughter who was peeing on the sidewalk and road, while the father rummaged through the stroller for a fresh diaper or underpants, and a woman who I assume was a grandmother simply stood by and nonchalantly watched. This is not what I ever understood the phrase "public toilet" to mean, but I guess I'm just a bit old-fashioned when it comes to these things, and just not up with the times. Had to be seen to be believed, so I grabbed this shot.
 Nikon D3
 zoom-Nikkor 24~70 2.8 AF-S G ED
 f8 @ 1/125th ISO 200

[Seapy]

Not that unusual here, when you got to go, you got to go, esp. young children.

I read a similar story about Paris... That have introduced (like rubbish) bins for men to pee in.  Much uproar from the women, "where do we go".

[Airy]

I did that long ago with my daughter, when she was less than two. Dogs may, so what's wrong with kids ?

[Jacques Pochoy]

Classical for people having kids that age, as for other with grandchilds...
The new "male" toilets in Paris is another league... While we  had the "Vespasiennes" (19th century toilets for men for pissing only), there are just a a few left, mostly replaced by automated toilets for every sex and every use, those are now free and quite clean.

But this new "thing" that's mostly a red box that uses the urine to fertilize some plants (), without any shielding from the public view is quite controversial, specially when exposed toward the Seine river for all to see 

[RBSinTo]

I did that long ago with my daughter, when she was less than two. Dogs may, so what's wrong with kids ?

Airy,
Seriously?
I suppose its about standards of behavior in public places. Dogs also copulate and defecate on public streets, but we don't use that as a rationalization to permit ourselves to follow suit.
We're presumed to hold ourselves to higher standards.
But then since you actually asked the question I suppose no answer or argument I can make will change your mind.
Robert

[Airy]

In Taiwan at least, no problem (I mean, young kids emergency-urinating. Copulating, I'm not sure)

[Jacques Pochoy]

In Taiwan at least, no problem (I mean, young kids emergency-urinating. Copulating, I'm not sure)

 

[CS]

Airy,
Seriously?
I suppose its about standards of behavior in public places. Dogs also copulate and defecate on public streets, but we don't use that as a rationalization to permit ourselves to follow suit.
We're presumed to hold ourselves to higher standards.
But then since you actually asked the question I suppose no answer or argument I can make will change your mind.
Robert

+1

[Frank Fremerey]

all parents know this shitsuation or pisscomestances.

Only a short while ago I was in a supermarket with no facilities and my little one in some urgency. I told them: "help now or she will produce a puddle on your floor" ... they took her behind the security door ... fast

[Airy]

+1

There are differences between different places.

If there is one thing that gives me a rash, it is public display of drunkenness. Unfortunately, in France, Germany, and some other places like UK, this is widespread and does not seem to pose problems (albeit illegal, I guess). But try to relief your kid from urgent needs, and you get your finger pointed at.

In Taiwan, being drunk on the street means instant loss of face. Taking care of your kid meets understanding and help.

I guess you understand where my preferences lay. I've spent three years in Taiwan, and that was definitely the better place to raise toddlers, compared to Paris where I had to pick used syringes out of the sandboxes (by the dozens).

[Airy]

OKTOBERFEST ? NEIN DANKE.

[CS]

There are differences between different places.

If there is one thing that gives me a rash, it is public display of drunkenness. Unfortunately, in France, Germany, and some other places like UK, this is widespread and does not seem to pose problems (albeit illegal, I guess). But try to relief your kid from urgent needs, and you get your finger pointed at.

In Taiwan, being drunk on the street means instant loss of face. Taking care of your kid meets understanding and help.

I guess you understand where my preferences lay. I've spent three years in Taiwan, and that was definitely the better place to raise toddlers, compared to Paris where I had to pick used syringes out of the sandboxes (by the dozens).

Fine, but Toronto is not Taiwan. IOW, when in Rome....

[Airy]

Precisely. Although throwing used syringes into sandboxes reveals a state of moral decay that is beyond the bearable (unlike peeing). That was definitely one reason for my expatriation.

[pluton]

Hopefully the parents were appropriately embarrassed and therefore chastened and humbled by the experience, and hopefully they made an effort to clean up, and hopefully they'll be better prepared next time.
There's always hope.

[charlie]

Once I became a parent it opened my eyes to all of the ridiculous, absurd, frustrating, etc situations that parents find themselves in. Any judgements I may have once had about public scenes such as this have ceased to exist.