Why I Hate Automatic Flushing Toilets

Yes, I do feel that I need to write a blog about this, because they annoy me so very much. I'm sure the developers liked the idea, and thought the concept was a great one - after all, if you make it automatic then you won't have to touch the nasty handle, and you also won't have to worry about other people touching the handle and then not washing their hands. That's cool, right?

My complaint isn't with the idea - it's with the actual product. I was raised to be borderline "germaphobic," and I absolutely hate going in a public restroom and using the toilet only to have it flush while I'm still standing there. Why is that such a big deal? Well, water droplets from the toilet are known to fly out of the toilet in a cloud and can land as far as six to eight feet away. If you don't believe me, try putting dye or food coloring in your toilet, flushing it, and holding a piece of paper over it.

These droplets can land everywhere in this six to eight foot radius, including the walls (partitions in the stalls), doors, floors, the toilet paper dispensers (and the toilet paper itself) and even the ceilings. Yuck! If the sink is within this radius, it can be the most affected by bacteria from the spray, because it's a moist environment. Believe it or not, the seat is actually one of the areas with the least amount of bacteria, because the seat is too dry to support a lot of germs.

So anyway, this is why I hate the automatics, because they flush before you're finished. With the "old," manual ones, you could finish, unlock the partition door, slap the handle with your foot, and then bolt out of the stall with minimal spray contact.

I know I sound completely ridiculous. I mean, I should be thankful for plumbing, not ranting about the wonder of modern technology, right? Don't get me wrong - I'm very thankful we don't have to use corncobs as toilet paper anymore, but every once in awhile my pet peeves get to me and I just have to let it out. Thanks for indulging me.

Oh, and keeping your toothbrush on the back of the toilet? That's just wrong.