Bellingham, the ugly truth.... (Seattle, Vancouver: casinos, codes, airports)

[k2rider]

Originally Posted by Stonepa

As someone who lives in the Bay Area and Seattle, I can tell you bathrooms in either downtowns are impossible to find, for both tourists and homeless alike. If the cities really wanted to deal with the problem they would install a lot more bathrooms. I feel especially bad for the tourists who couldn't find a bathroom to save their life.

All nonsense and BS excuses. San Diego had very limited public restrooms as well but we didn't have feces all over the place. I travel all over and not many large cities have plentiful, *easily located* public restrooms. Sometimes you just have to be resourceful and make a little effort to go FIND ONE. Every department store has them, most major hotels have them in the lobby and every sit down restaurant has one. Life really isn't that hard most of the time.

[CrazyDonkey]

In busy areas with lots of homeless, it is common for many stores, restaurants, and other businesses to restrict bathroom-access to customers or clients. Many public bathrooms (in courthouses, etc.) are closed at night. I suspect that many of those not able to "hold it" overnight are chronic alcoholics.

[k2rider]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

In busy areas with lots of homeless, it is common for many stores, restaurants, and other businesses to restrict bathroom-access to customers or clients. Many public bathrooms (in courthouses, etc.) are closed at night. I suspect that many of those not able to "hold it" overnight are chronic alcoholics.

I should have clarified that I know that *technically*, restrooms in many places are listed aren't intended for people to just walk in off the street but let's be realistic, they aren't going to guard the bathrooms to verify you're staying there. I've walked into restaurants 100 times and just told that hostess that's my wife is already seated out "I'm going to the bar" and instead go straight to the bathroom. When I'm in Boston, I can walk into any mega-hotel and use their readily accessible and fantastically clean bathrooms. Lastly, especially in Seattle or San Francisco, there is ALWAYS a Starbucks nearby and they all have bathrooms. Starbucks has also went public that anybody is welcome to come hang out, loiter, sleep or whatever whether you buy something or not after the brouhaha in Philadelphia.

[Stonepa]

Originally Posted by k2rider

All nonsense and BS excuses. San Diego had very limited public restrooms as well but we didn't have feces all over the place. I travel all over and not many large cities have plentiful, *easily located* public restrooms. Sometimes you just have to be resourceful and make a little effort to go FIND ONE. Every department store has them, most major hotels have them in the lobby and every sit down restaurant has one. Life really isn't that hard most of the time.

Really? Nonsense? How is the need for public bathrooms nonsense? Given to get around in a city like San Diego most people are using cars which makes bathrooms much easier to find - just drive to a McDonalds or In N Out Burger. But, in walkable cities public bathrooms are a big deal. And given the rent that many places, even McDonalds, pay in downtown Seattle, you often find there is no bathroom at all. And Starbucks usually has a code to enter the bathroom to keep it customers only. Want to use the bathroom? Then walk to Pike Market. If you are 3 miles away this may be a problem.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Stonepa

Really? Nonsense? How is the need for public bathrooms nonsense? Given to get around in a city like San Diego most people are using cars which makes bathrooms much easier to find - just drive to a McDonalds or In N Out Burger. But, in walkable cities public bathrooms are a big deal. And given the rent that many places, even McDonalds, pay in downtown Seattle, you often find there is no bathroom at all. And Starbucks usually has a code to enter the bathroom to keep it customers only. Want to use the bathroom? Then walk to Pike Market. If you are 3 miles away this may be a problem.

What McD's or burger joint allows non-patrons to use the bathrooms? No fast-food restaurant I know of allows that. Another poster had it right; it's usually only department stores, where you can do that. Does B'ham even have any department stores?

[PartIrish]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

What McD's or burger joint allows non-patrons to use the bathrooms? No fast-food restaurant I know of allows that. Another poster had it right; it's usually only department stores, where you can do that. Does B'ham even have any department stores?

Department stores and other locations with public restrooms in Bellingham:

Macy's
JC Penneys
Kohl's
Target
Marshalls
Bed Bath & Beyond
TJ Maxx
Homegoods
Fred Meyers
B'ham Public Libraries
Padden Lake
Bloedel Park


I imagine there are others . . .

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by PartIrish

Department stores and other locations with public restrooms in Bellingham:

Macy's
JC Penneys
Kohl's
Target
Marshalls
Bed Bath & Beyond
TJ Maxx
Homegoods
Fred Meyers
B'ham Public Libraries
Padden Lake
Bloedel Park


I imagine there are others . . .

Lots of bathrooms, then! lol

[RMESMH]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

What McD's or burger joint allows non-patrons to use the bathrooms? No fast-food restaurant I know of allows that. Another poster had it right; it's usually only department stores, where you can do that. Does B'ham even have any department stores?

In-N-Out and McDonald's were mentioned.


I've been to In-N-Outs in CA, NV, AZ, TX, and UT, and I've seen non-patrons walk in, use the bathroom, and walk out. I've never seen an In-N-Out employee monitor who is using the bathroom, nor even look over from behind a counter, or even glance over while cleaning the table area.


I've been to stand alone Starbucks in 46 states, and the only ones I've seen with key locks or combo locks are ones in bad neighborhoods, or in high density city areas with homeless issues ('Pre-Philly'). Same with the McDonald's locations that I've been to in IDK how many states (but probably 30+).

[Stonepa]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

What McD's or burger joint allows non-patrons to use the bathrooms? No fast-food restaurant I know of allows that. Another poster had it right; it's usually only department stores, where you can do that. Does B'ham even have any department stores?

All you have to do is walk in, use the bathroom, and walk out. It's not like they have a guard.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Stonepa

All you have to do is walk in, use the bathroom, and walk out. It's not like they have a guard.

The staff serve as guards. Some chain fast food places have signs up, that bathrooms are for patrons only. So do non-chain restaurants. And some locations are so small, you can't get in and out without being seen by staff. IDK, maybe the businesses in areas where there are more homeless people are stricter about that? And I guess Starbucks doesn't care? I thought it was a pretty common policy, but apparently not...?