Do you make a noise when someone enters if you're alone in a public bathroom?

spiderskull — Sat, 03 Dec 2005 20:49:11 -0800

Do you announce your presence in a public bathroom if you're in a stall by making subtle sounds? A friend and I were discussing how if we're alone in a stall in a public bathroom, and someone walks in, we clear our throats or rustle the toilet paper to make sure they know we're there.

I was trying to figure out why we do it, and I think it's three reasons: the first is that we don't want them attempting to open the stall door, hence exposing us; the second is that we don't want them to start doing something weird or awkward, such as having sex or dancing on the sinks; the third is that we don't want to startle them when we exit the stall.

Does anyone else do this? Is it a quality of introverts? None of my extraverted friends seem to do it, although that may be entirely arbitrary.

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Do you make a noise when someone enters if you're alone in a public bathroom?