Finding Public Toilets when wildcamping - Online Maps

geoffvalenti said:
I'm sorry you had a problem with a motorhomer in a disabled toilet but it's a bit of a generalisation to brand all of us lowlifes, just because we might happen to take advantage of the disabled facilities when the "normal" toilets are locked.
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The disabled facilities are locked all the time, unlike "normal" toilets which are sometimes only locked at night. To gain access to these disabled facilities you would have had to contact RADAR the Disability Rights people and asked to be a member of their National Key Scheme, you would have had to specify that you had a severe disability and needed a key to access these facilities.

If you are not disabled you shouldn't have a key and shouldn't be using a disabled toilet.


Cashew
 
TomTom POIs for Disabled Facilities

I have the following tomtom poi (ov2) files available:

Public Toilets
Disabled Parking Places
Radar Scheme Toilets
Toilets - Supermarkets
Shopmobility Centres
Motorway Services

Please feel free to let me know if you would like any of them emailed to you or loaded on a tomtom.
 
I haven't looked at this thread for a few weeks, but as soon as Radar keys were mentioned, I suspected that it would turn into a discussion about the rights or wrongs of using them!

I have a Radar key on my keyring at all times, mainly because I occasionally take my elderly disabled mother out on shopping trips etc. (She has her own, but cannot always find it when needed).

When I'm out in my campervan I don't need public toilets on a daily basis because I have my own facilities on board. When I need to top up with water, or empty the cassette, I use the standard public toilets when I find them and not the Radar ones. I don't think there's a need to use Radar toilets for cassette emptying.

However, if I'm out and about in my car and the only toilets available are Radar ones, then I would use my key, making sure that I'm not "inconveniencing" anyone else first. Basically, I use them as an "emergency" back-up only. Surely this is better than going behind a nearby hedge or wall, as I've seen people of both sexes do, even in towns?

I fully understand the views of those who are registered disabled, and I would never suggest that any non-disabled person abuse the Radar facilities or use them routinely.

The biggest problem with public toilets in general now seems to be the number that have closed (including Radar), or are almost always locked (sometimes with the keys left at a nearby shop etc), due to financial cutbacks, or vandalism. In some areas there is a problem with the metal pipes and fittings being stolen for their scrap value, so the facilities have been closed.

A thread such as this is very useful to wildcampers, so long as it doesn't wander too far off topic. :)
 
If you go on the pocket gps world website you can download various free points of interest files for sat navs.one of which is a pretty comprehensive list of public loos.

On a totally different subject, this android wildcamping app is a handy bit of kit! (Parked up at bignor hill on the south downs for the night...)
 
scampa said:
I haven't looked at this thread for a few weeks, but as soon as Radar keys were mentioned, I suspected that it would turn into a discussion about the rights or wrongs of using them!

I have a Radar key on my keyring at all times, mainly because I occasionally take my elderly disabled mother out on shopping trips etc. (She has her own, but cannot always find it when needed).

When I'm out in my campervan I don't need public toilets on a daily basis because I have my own facilities on board. When I need to top up with water, or empty the cassette, I use the standard public toilets when I find them and not the Radar ones. I don't think there's a need to use Radar toilets for cassette emptying.

However, if I'm out and about in my car and the only toilets available are Radar ones, then I would use my key, making sure that I'm not "inconveniencing" anyone else first. Basically, I use them as an "emergency" back-up only. Surely this is better than going behind a nearby hedge or wall, as I've seen people of both sexes do, even in towns?

I fully understand the views of those who are registered disabled, and I would never suggest that any non-disabled person abuse the Radar facilities or use them routinely.

The biggest problem with public toilets in general now seems to be the number that have closed (including Radar), or are almost always locked (sometimes with the keys left at a nearby shop etc), due to financial cutbacks, or vandalism. In some areas there is a problem with the metal pipes and fittings being stolen for their scrap value, so the facilities have been closed.

A thread such as this is very useful to wildcampers, so long as it doesn't wander too far off topic. :)
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Not to mention the cottaging... :rolleyes2:
 
maj114 said:
:(radar keys are supplied for disabled to gain easy access to specially adapted for the disabled toilet usually they are clean and tidy as most disabled leave them in good condition.
You can buy a key from tourist information and they will ask if you are disabled
if all and sundry are going to buy a radar key it doesnt give much hope for the disabled to have clean facilities
i am disabled and am grateful for the privlege of being able to use the specially adapted facilities
disabled facilities are not provided for the emptying of toilet cassettes
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Like you maj, I have legitimate use of a radar key and it does depress me to see it being exploited to the point that it is being advertised in this thread as acceptable to apply for one regardless of disability.
 
jamesmarshall said:
Like you maj, I have legitimate use of a radar key and it does depress me to see it being exploited to the point that it is being advertised in this thread as acceptable to apply for one regardless of disability.
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Not only that but as this thread is a 'sticky' it does come over that this behavior has tacit approval of this group

Lets face it 'Wild Campers' are not the most favoured of visitors in in some quarters. I'm sure if some hoteliers and camp-site owners got a whiff (no pun intended) of what is being suggested in the above thread, they would have even more reasons to try to ban 'Wild Camping'.

Sometimes we are our own worst enemies
 
I think one of the big problems about Radar keys is that the general public tends to judge whether someone has the right to use on dependent on a visible disability. There are probably a huge number of people who have no visible outward disability but for whom a disabled toilet is a necessity if out and about. There is no longer such a thing as being "registered disabled" although alot of people and organisations don't know this and still insist of proof of disability. And if you have a bladder problem, are you really going to want to divulge this to someone in a tourist information centre, a public library, a council office reception or any other of the public places where you can buy a Radar key. That's why the system relies on honesty and self-declaration, I suppose, hoping that people who do not have the same needs do not abuse the system.

I have a Radar key because for a few months I was taking meds which meant that when I needed to go, I had to go, and as I worked in a Tourist Info Centre, I was able to purchase one for myself without having to reveal this to anyone else, and the local public toilets were closed so that the only public toilet in town was the disabled toilet. In the event, I never used it but it's still in my van, and it may come in useful on occasion when I am out with my elderly mother. But as it was only a temporary problem, should I not have been entitled to a Radar key? And should I now hand it back?

It would never occur to me to empty my loo in any public toilet. If away for less than a week, then it waits till I get home. If I'm away for more than a week, I'm very careful about using it as little as possible, and booking onto a site for the odd night if possible although as an unconverted white van alot of sites won't allow me on. Whilst I was away for a month in Sept, for this reason (difficulty in disposal) my loo contained simply urine - no number 2's, no paper, no chemicals, no bio washing powder etc. On 2 or 3 occasions I had to empty it whilst wilding. I chose locations well away from water courses, and where there would be no detrimental effect to the environment and no inconvenience to the public. Each emptying was probably the equivalent of 6 dogs weeing on the same spot.

I try to work on the basis that my loo is a last resort, not an easy option, and try to use public toilets, cafes, pubs etc wherever possible. Plus then I often get the benefit of hot running water for a quick wash too. If it means paying a couple of quid to have a drink in a pub or cafe, then fair enough. At the end of the day, wherever the loo is, someone has to pay for it's upkeep.

I sent the link to the public toilets to Firefox as I thought it might be a useful resource if everyone on the forum could contribute as between us all, we've probably visited a fair number of different loos across the country. I've refrained from posting on the thread till now because like someone else has said, the thread is turning into a discussion about Radar keys which is a shame.

Perhaps the thread could now revert back to being a useful resource, where people can post if they've found lovely loos, useful waste disposal locations, and especially loos in places where you perhaps wouldn't normally expect them.
 
toilets

we have outside loos The Bridge Inn Southam Road , Napton CV47 8Nq Tel: 01926 812466 or http//www.facebook.com/bridge.napton
come and see us all we ask until we set up properly for camping is you buy a few drinks in the pub please ( by summer this may change to a small charge but not written in stone yet)
 
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In my humble opinion loos are not very good places for emptying cassettes unless with express permission or your own loo I guess. The process can be rather messy. A foul manhole or proper elsan disposal point is better if you can find it.
 
Thank you

Thank you, everyone who responded with good advice.

I've also struggled with this one, I never like the idea of emptying a cassette toilet into a public toilet and have always sought campsites out for this (though it negates the idea of wild camping for a day or so each time its a longer trip).

Much appreciated,

Marthe
:wave:
 
Crud Covered Public Toilets - I find that after emtying cassette and a bit of rinsing I have left them in a better state than before - so I am doing the authorities a service and should ask for some pay.....

after thought - I was parked up in a car park in Snowdonia last weekend watching world go bye as you do when I saw toilet attendant collect all the rubbish from the toilet etc and just threw it in the river - I was speechless.
 
Every campsite I've ever asked has let me use the elsan disposal point for a small donation. Usually a pound if I'm doing it regularly.
Again, portaloo only used for emergencies.
 
Brilliance!

This is a brilliant idea! Will be checking it out as never like to get caught short! :)Thanks for sharing!
 
fairytooth said:
I have the following tomtom poi (ov2) files available:

Public Toilets
Disabled Parking Places
Radar Scheme Toilets
Toilets - Supermarkets
Shopmobility Centres
Motorway Services

Please feel free to let me know if you would like any of them emailed to you or loaded on a tomtom.
Click to expand...


do you also have POI for changing places? it would be handy if we were out and about and away from the motorhome. (obviously not needed if in the motorhome lol!)
 
Firefox said:
In my humble opinion loos are not very good places for emptying cassettes unless with express permission or your own loo I guess. The process can be rather messy. A foul manhole or proper elsan disposal point is better if you can find it.
Click to expand...

I've absolutely no qualms about using public toilets for emptying. I take in a 5 litre water bottle for rinsing the cassette & the loo & also a handfull of kitchen towels.

On the vast majority of occasions I leave the toilet in a much cleaner condition than when I entered.
 
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