6 replies to this topic

[Stefancos]

In The Netherlands, its not what it used to be!

One of the great joys of my youth was, when taking a train somewere, to go to the toilet.
Basically the trains here had a standard toilet, like you see at home, but in the floor was a hole, so you could see the track running on the bottom of the bowl. You could actually piss on the rails.

http://www.expatica....ins_180456.html

Dutch National Railways said Friday it planned to introduce so-called "pee-bags" as an emergency alternative to non-existing toilets on its short-hop trains.
"Yes, we are planning to introduce the bags on our short-hop Sprinter trains," NS spokeswoman Nienke Kooistra told AFP, but stressed "it's to be used in extreme emergencies only, for instance when a train is stranded."
Should passengers urgently need the bathroom, they will be able to take an on-board bag and use the unoccupied drivers' cabin at the back of the train, she said.
The bag is attached to a spout and filled with a powdered substance that turns into a gel, and passengers would then leave it behind or simply throw it away when they step off.
But incredulous rail passengers interviewed by Dutch national television were dismayed by the idea, especially women.
"Are you serious? No, no ways, I just can't see myself doing 'it' in that," one unnamed female passenger told its NOS morning journal programme.
"For a man it may be easier, for a woman that's just impossible," she said.
Dutch train drivers also reacted with fury, saying they were revolted by the idea of their work space being turned into a lavatory.
"When I first heard about it, I thought it was a joke. Wim Eilert of the country's driver's union (VVMC) told the ANP news agency.
"To let people pee where somebody else needs to work, that will not do. It's distasteful," he said.

[Quint]

I remember going for a night out with the lads to Matthew Street on the train and I'd necked a load of tinnys before boarding. Bad idea - a couple of stops into the journey and I felt like my bladder was going to explode at any moment, it was utter agony. I took a gamble and jumped off at Kirkdale and ran to the adjacent wall where I slashed with a heavenly fury, the train still there behind me. I heard "Hurry up mate!" and was surprised to hear a woman's voice - the door operator at the back of the train was watching my plight and she was giving me a chance to get back on if I was quick. It was the only time I've ever seen a female in that position on a train and I was thankful for it. She waited!

[Stefancos]

My main issue is that these bags are only supposed to be used in an emergency.

Now...who's gonna decide whether my urgent need to piss qualifies as an emergency? Some conductor?
If you have to go, like really go. It's the most important thing in the world at that moment.

As far as I know Dutch trains have always had toilets. I've been in some shocking ones, clogged with toilet paper and several turds FROM DIFFERENT people stacked on top. Toilets that smelled like someone had died there, even one filled with sperm.

But if you have to pee bad enough....it will do.

[Omen II]

Going for a slash on a Virgin Pendolino can be something of a challenge, especially if the automatic door opens unexpectedly when the train banks round a steep curve (yes, even when you have locked the door). Most trains in the UK have toilets, although thankfully, as I am sure you are aware, London Underground trains do not.

In some of the older trains you were discouraged from using the toilets at a station, as I believe the waste ended up on the tracks - I remember reading that they used to get lots of complaints from passengers at London Liverpool Street about this a few years ago.

[Stefancos]

Going for a slash on a Virgin Pendolino can be something of a challenge, especially if the automatic door opens unexpectedly when the train banks round a steep curve (yes, even when you have locked the door).

I was in a long distance train last year in Spain. Apparently if you spend more then a few minutes on the bog, the door, oone of those big, revolving ones opens up automatically.

I was exposes in the most vulnerable position anyone can be to the whole of Spain...

[Blumenkohl]

Welcome to the 21st Century Netherlands! Finally leaving those third-world habits behind! Before you know it, you'll have actual bathrooms with receptacles that will store your pee for later disposal!

[Stefancos]

I wanna piss on the rails!