I have a question regarding the etiquette of using handicapped stalls in public restrooms. Are they to be used only by the handicapped, or is it OK for others to utilize them if there are no handicapped persons in the restroom?
I often see obviously able-bodied people coming out of the handicapped stalls, even when other stalls are unoccupied. (Obviously, their larger size makes them easier to use.)I was in a restaurant recently, and when I entered the restroom, all the regular stalls were occupied. There wasn't anyone waiting to use that particular stall, so I went in because I really needed to go. I was only inside for a couple of minutes when a woman in a wheelchair was brought in by her husband. As I exited the stall, she muttered, "Oh, there she comes now, and she isn't even handicapped." Was I wrong to use that stall? - K.T.
Dear K.T.:
No