don't gas stations have bathrooms any more?

[OhioGuy]

I filled up at a fairly new looking Marathon gas station yesterday
morning, then went inside to use the bathroom. I was told "We don't
have one."

Now I had my receipt in hand, so obviously I was a customer. This
was also one of those places that sells loads of food and "huge gulp"
type drinks.

Obviously, they would have to have a bathroom for employees. If it
was an old gas station, I suppose I could see why they might not have a
bathroom if they didn't want the expense of making sure the bathroom met
newer standards, such as handicapped access. However, this thing is no
more than a few years old.

Is this a new trend? (my bladder is hoping not) The only gas station
where I've seen this before was one that OBVIOUSLY didn't have a
bathroom - it was a tiny shack about 8' long and 5' wide, with just
enough room for the attendant. This was a full sized one where it looks
like they took the space normally reserved for a bathroom and used it
instead to showcase merchandise.

[Rick]

I thought there was some law somewhere that retail establishments had
to provide for bathrooms for the public. I bet that person was
messing with you.

Regards,

Rick

[Bill]

In Europe they have pay bathrooms. And that is OK with me. If you've got to
go, you've got to go!

I would rather have pay bathroom available than no bathrooms.

[John A. Weeks III]

In article <gk7i0m$2kjs$1...@news.ett.com.ua>, OhioGuy <no...@none.net>
wrote:

I think you should call both Marathon and the state Attorney General.
The building code probably requires a bathroom for the public.

I travel extensively, and I have not seen any kind of trend towards
eliminating bathrooms from convenience stores or gas stations. I
have seen more and more have these rooms locked where you have
to ask for a key.

I ran into only 2 gas stations that I can recall that didn't have
bathrooms. One was in Port Arthur, Tx, just after a hurricane,
and the city water was not working yet. The other was in
Waterloo, IA, and their sewer was backed up, so they have the
bathrooms closed. Perhaps the location you were at was in the
process of remodeling or had some problem like this.

At any rate, there are always more stations and fast food outlets
that do have bathrooms, plus rest stops on the Interstates.

-john-

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John A. Weeks III           612-720-2854            jo...@johnweeks.com
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[Cindy Hamilton]

On Jan 9, 9:05 am, Rick <r...@quesocabezafarm.com> wrote:

> I thought there was some law somewhere that retail establishments had
> to provide for bathrooms for the public.  I bet that person was
> messing with you.
>

There certainly is no such law in Michigan. Even restaurants that
provide
only carry-out service aren't required to have public bathrooms.

Cindy Hamilton

[Brian Elfert]

"John A. Weeks III" <jo...@johnweeks.com> writes:

>I think you should call both Marathon and the state Attorney General.
>The building code probably requires a bathroom for the public.

I don't think public bathrooms are required in Minnesota. The state
either passed or was considering a law that required stores and the like
to allow people with a certain malady to use any bathroom including
private employee only bathrooms.

I don't think such a law would be required if public bathrooms were
required.

>I travel extensively, and I have not seen any kind of trend towards
>eliminating bathrooms from convenience stores or gas stations. I
>have seen more and more have these rooms locked where you have
>to ask for a key.

I have run into quite a few gas stations with no restrooms. There is at
least one near me and it happens to have gone out of business recently.

[John A. Weeks III]

In article <ppednSb73q8ylvXU...@posted.visi>,
Brian Elfert <bel...@visi.com> wrote:

> "John A. Weeks III" <jo...@johnweeks.com> writes:
>
> >I think you should call both Marathon and the state Attorney General.
> >The building code probably requires a bathroom for the public.
>
> I don't think public bathrooms are required in Minnesota. The state
> either passed or was considering a law that required stores and the like
> to allow people with a certain malady to use any bathroom including
> private employee only bathrooms.

My thought with calling Marathon is that it might be contrary to
the station's franchise agreement. Not having a bathroom would
be a negative as far as corporate identity goes.

[thedark...@hotmail.com]

On Jan 9, 9:45 pm, Brian Elfert <belf...@visi.com> wrote:

> "John A. Weeks III" <j...@johnweeks.com> writes:
>
> >I think you should call both Marathon and the state Attorney General.
> >The building code probably requires a bathroom for the public.
>
> I don't think public bathrooms are required in Minnesota. The state
> either passed or was considering a law that required stores and the like
> to allow people with a certain malady to use any bathroom including
> private employee only bathrooms.

Oh yeah, I can see trying to enforce that one with some joker at the
local Hadji-mart. Wonder even if you took it to the extreme of calling
the cops if they'd even know about it. Then after that they'd just lie
and say "eetz out uv oorrr-duhhrrr", which is what many of them do
anyway.

[Cheapo Groovo]

In article <gk7i0m$2kjs$1...@news.ett.com.ua>, no...@none.net says...

> I filled up at a fairly new looking Marathon gas station yesterday
> morning, then went inside to use the bathroom. I was told "We don't
> have one."
>
> Now I had my receipt in hand, so obviously I was a customer. This
> was also one of those places that sells loads of food and "huge gulp"
> type drinks.
>

The ones on the south side of Chicago don't have bathrooms because of
all the rif-raff on that side of town

[Brian Elfert]

thedark...@hotmail.com writes:

>Oh yeah, I can see trying to enforce that one with some joker at the
>local Hadji-mart. Wonder even if you took it to the extreme of calling
>the cops if they'd even know about it. Then after that they'd just lie
>and say "eetz out uv oorrr-duhhrrr", which is what many of them do
>anyway.

I don't have this particular malady, but I think by the time the cops were
called it would be too late for the caller. When these people gotta go,
they gotta go now.

I think it is a pretty silly law. How are store clerks suppposed to
remember all the laws and rules they already need to know and then add on
another one about certain people being allowed to use private bathrooms?

[OhioGuy]

> At any rate, there are always more stations and fast food outlets
> that do have bathrooms, plus rest stops on the Interstates.

I'm just thankful that I didn't have to go right at that moment. I
have gallbladder disease, which for some reason seems to have a side
effect of making me need to go soon after eating. When I have to go, I
often can't wait even another 5 minutes or longer to use the bathroom -
I need to go then.

I don't really want more laws and such on the books trying to force
people to do certain things. Instead, I'd like bathrooms at a gas
station to be a common courtesy, and something that everyone expects.

I suppose on that note, I should simply send a letter to both the
owner of the local gas station, plus the franchise, explaining that I
will not give my business to anyone who decides not to have a bathroom
available.