Isn't it against some sort of disability law to have disabled toilets require a key, where the abled ones are open?

Posted by LEVI_TROUTS@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 37 comments

Went to a big Tesco yesterday (Gateshead) and the baby change toilets were locked. So we had to traipse back to the security at the front of the store. We then had to wait for the security guy to finish dealing with someone. Then he went to find the key. Then we had to go back through the entrance. If this was someone with Crohns, or even just any disability, but who had the squits, it'd be very inconvenient and stressful. Is this the norm? Isn't it against some sort of disability law? It was annoying enough with a small child, and the place was a total tip anyway.

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37 Comments

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RealSulphurS16@reddit

As a disabled person who uses a toilet, i hate the RADAR key scheme

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GlitchingGecko@reddit

Disabled toilets are locked with a universal key. If you have a disability, you can apply for a key that you carry around with you so that you can unlock it wherever you go. My brother in law, mother in law and grandmother in law all have such key.

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FourLovelyTrees@reddit

Does it mean you run the risk of unlocking the toilet with someone in there?

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MelodicAd2213@reddit

There’s usually a bar on the door signifying occupied - red, or vacant- green. I have had someone try the door on me at Waterloo stn, a shout usually stops this in its tracks, hoping they don’t have impaired hearing.

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geeksandlies@reddit

You can actually just buy the keys direct you dont even need to apply for them: [https://shop.disabilityrightsuk.org/products/radar-key](https://shop.disabilityrightsuk.org/products/radar-key)

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MyAccidentalAccount@reddit

The number of people who have these with no need is ridiculous. I know there is no good way to regulate who has access but I've been up in the lakes and heard people comment that they got one so they could use the "cleaner" toilets and "not have to queue". "Yeah that's great Susan, we got one so we could fit the wheelchair into the bathroom, but I'm glad you're not having to queue for 5 minutes"

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SpaTowner@reddit

I have one because I sometimes have to do a lot of driving in a very rural area where the toilets are often locked outside of tourist season. I’ve never yet put the theory to the test but my hope is that I would still be able to use a disabled loo with the key. I have used it when I had a leg in plaster and was on crutches though.

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MyAccidentalAccount@reddit

See that's an acceptable use, Rural, Few facilities, probably not in high demand by disabled people. However, depending where you are, you might be SOL anyway. National trust lock all of their toilets including disabled in winter so the key wont get you in anyway - Its something I've complained about to them in the past but they dont care.

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geeksandlies@reddit

Yeah my wife is disabled and stuff like this frustrates the hell out of me

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MrDibbsey@reddit

You don't even have to apply, they can be bought cheaply on Ebay.

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DeepPanWingman@reddit

I bought one when we had kids so we could access baby changes quickly, as they're usually in the accessible loo. Was about £3 delivered.

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tisonlymoi@reddit

I was surprised at how easy it is to buy a RADAR key, I thought there would be checks in place, like getting a blue badge, sadly, it's too easy, anyone can buy keys.

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CensorTheologiae@reddit

The system used to work ok back in the '90s/early 2000s, but it's been outpaced by internet sellers. And now everyone thinks that's fine and how it's supposed to be - which of course means that another one of the good things disabled people had is now gone.

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AnselaJonla@reddit

Is your grievance with the baby change being locked, or the disabled toilets? The lock on the disabled toilets is usually a radar lock. People with regular need of these facilities will have a radar key that unlocks _all_ such doors (provided they're not already in use and locked from the inside).

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MyAccidentalAccount@reddit

"People with regular need of these facilities will have a radar key" And cunts that bought them on Amazon because they want to use the disabled toilets for no reason other than they are cleaner due to less frequent use. I'm not bitter.

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Embarrassed_Park2212@reddit

I can vouch for the fact that, in my experience, unfortunately disabled toilets are not cleaner. Some haven't been cleaned at all. I think the only place I've found a clean disabled toilet is in McDonald's.

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MyAccidentalAccount@reddit

"I can vouch for the fact that, in my experience, unfortunately disabled toilets are not cleaner." Depends where you go, the National Trust ones up in the lake district are generally better. Though I suspect that the genuine users of these bathrooms are not the ones making the mess.

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ImChimeraX@reddit

You can just go and buy a genuine radar key from official sources too. It’s not like you need to prove anything to get one unless you’re claiming a free one using a blue badge or something like that.

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MyAccidentalAccount@reddit

I'm aware of that - but if you do that, with no genuine need of one you're taking the facilities away from people that do need them. Its the same as parking in a disabled bay. Not illegal, but a bit of a shitty thing to do.

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imminentmailing463@reddit

>Is your grievance with the baby change being locked, or the disabled toilets? Very often they're the same thing. The baby changing facilities are in the disabled toilets.

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CyGuy6587@reddit

I'm assuming the baby change facilities are located in the disabled loo?

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Skirting0nTheSurface@reddit

You can buy RADAR keys for £3 off ebay. I have one, not disabled or anything I just like the space and privacy the ~~disabled~~ VIP toilets offer.

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MyAccidentalAccount@reddit

See everyone, this is one of those cunts I was talking about in my other comment! Probably uses his nans wheelchair to skip the queue at the cinema too.

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Skirting0nTheSurface@reddit

Might have to try that one

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MyAccidentalAccount@reddit

Ill sell you a wheelchair - Unfortunately we only have a junior one spare so its probably too small.

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modumberator@reddit

I have one too. I don't have a disability but I do have stall shyness that can severely impact my enjoyment of a night out

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terryjuicelawson@reddit

I would presume or hope it is a RADAR key, which disabled people can get but I can appreciate it is a hassle if you aren't aware of that. The idea is it keeps out the riff raff and means anything can happen to the normal toilets but the disabled should always be accessible (with the key). The silly thing is you can just buy them, I've got one from Ebay.

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LEVI_TROUTS@reddit (OP)

Weirdly, it was just a standard key. There was someone who was using the disabled toilet nextdoor at the same time, and they left there's when we did and both went back to the security desk. Both were just Yale keys. In the past, I've always just used a baby change in a mens toilet, or baby change room. It's the first time I've come across this and it did seem a bit daft. I'm glad to hear that there is a more sensible and standardised approach. Not sure why Tesco aren't using it, but then we nearly got robbed £18 for a bit of chicken and some veg until I halved it by using my club card.

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wardyms@reddit

Are you quite a new parent? This is tip of the iceberg stuff with baby change facilities.

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LEVI_TROUTS@reddit (OP)

Nah, I'm not actually. This was just the first time I've come across having to find someone with a key. And it was an actual key, like a Yale key as well. Not a radar key. There was a woman who came out of the disabled after us and returned her key to the same security guy. So I'm guessing they didn't have the RADAR setup at all.

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Anxious-Molasses9456@reddit

If you were actually disabled you would have a RADAR key to open said locked door

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modumberator@reddit

you can buy the RADAR key yourself online for like a fiver. Disabled people are signposted to this so the hypothetical guy with Crohns should have a RADAR key.

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TraditionalRule6814@reddit

I assume you don't want to find dirty needles on the changing table, so whilst it's not ideal, consider it better than the alternative.

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DameKumquat@reddit

That's when you end up changing your child on the floor in the other toilets, if it's urgent.

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Ok-Fox1262@reddit

Those of us who truly need those disabled toilets have the key. I have one in my pocket right now.

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Chosen_Wisely89@reddit

I think you're missing the point of the lock as well. The normal toilets will be locked up at a certain point in the night and nobody can access them. The accessibility toilets are locked with (Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation) RADAR locks which are universal and anyone who has regular need of them will have a key to access. They can be accessed "out of hours" and without the need to speak to staff etc.

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