Restroom Keys

December 3, 2004 2:16 PM

Why do all the local medical clinics require a key to use the restroom? Is this practice widespread? [MI]

Both multi-use medical facilities I've visited in Columbia, MD, require a key to be checked out to use the restroom. These buildings are located in an upscale suburb with minimal pedestrian traffic. Are the building managers that determined to reduce toilet traffic? Is the risk of a phantom shitter coming off the street so high that they must lock the doors? What is the logic behind this?

posted by hendrixson to Society & Culture (6 answers total)

Or, couild they be doing drug testing and don't want people leaving "good" pee behind for people who would otherwise have something to worry about?
posted by Doohickie at 2:21 PM on December 3, 2004

Depending on where they are, they don't want people shooting up in the crapper.
posted by fenriq at 2:30 PM on December 3, 2004

What doohickie said. They have to monitor access to restrooms that could be used for drug testing.
posted by SpecialK at 2:30 PM on December 3, 2004

They have to monitor access to restrooms that could be used for drug testing.

This is my understanding as well.
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 4:43 PM on December 3, 2004

For the same reason gas stations and convenience stores often do. Bathrooms provide privacy, something that can be troublesome when left wide open. Requiring a key adds accountability and allows the staff to make sure that when Mrs. Swithens goes to take a leak she isn't going be confronted with a doper nodding out in the stall.

On preview: and the drug testing thing.
posted by cedar at 5:02 PM on December 3, 2004

I thought it was the people shooting up, too. Then I noticed that fenriq and I are from the same town. Ha?
posted by rfordh at 5:48 PM on December 3, 2004