The first time I was faced with a plastic sheath-covered (is that redundant?) toilet seat, I was confused. I was a few months shy of 22 years old, a college graduate, I'd lived in NYC, considered myself relatively savvy. And I was a complete germaphobe, prone to blurting, "Outbreak!" when confronted with anything that challenged my sense of cleanliness. But, when I faced the sheath, all common sense disappeared.
Instead of thinking, "Maybe I should wave my hand / press this button and new sheath will roll forward," I thought, "Let me sit myself down here and then prepare new plastic covering for the next person."
Just an embarrassing moment in my past that crossed my mind when I walked into a stall and found that the paper toilet seat cover of the last user had not been flushed. So then I assumed that the last user prepared the seat for me. Don't worry, that's a mistake I've made only once. Why it matters so much, I don't know. Just a sense of propriety, I guess
hello hello! i am commenting on your pilgrimage.
please help. i have been blessed to go june 4th. i am terrified due to- how i get from tel aviv to haifa! to my hotel - san carmel. what transportation do i take???? can you help me! please email thank you , thank you
Honestly, that's a habit I've come across, I want to think, only in America. So far? Metres (!) of toilet paper spread all along the seat, hanging half in, half out...and not removed before flushing. Is that an oxymoron, I ask. Caring for one's own hygiena and whatnot, but being so rude as to not leaving the place in a condition one would like to find it in oneself? Yes, I firstly wanted to believe in people's kindness, too, but somehow made me feel alerted.
I'm not really sure as how people do it here - I know of spray boxes one can use and hygienic wipes, automated 'sheath streams' ... and maybe human sense in the fashion to just not really sit on the frame if all should fail. About the rest I don't really want to think. Oh, and many public toilets do have cleaning ladies sitting in the entrance who take care of the cleanliness.
Maybe, one day, I will dare and do a writeup about the toilets on Germany's fast trains and my first complaint letter to the boss of all fast trains. I'm sure he has his own little private train and his own little private 'doubleuhcee'.