Is this a problem in the United States?

That's kinda cool...I guess.

Actually, people with colitis, irritable bowel or even who have small kids could use something like this. I have relatives with irritable bowel, it can be a real emergency at times, and a true embarrassment if a facility can't be found.

They just copied this: [www.thebathroomdiaries.com]

So basically it lists every Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, etc. in an area?

@Kos:

Even if they did, they implemented it better. I like the java map interface.

I wonder if google maps can integrate this?

Kos: It lists other places, too. My ZIP included a police station and the public restrooms at the beach.

Smartpuppy: Exactly! I have a young child and when they finally say they have to go, they mean immediately.

Senator Craig? Is that you?

One of the entries in my town is the "Constable's Office"

Now, I don't know which is more concerning, the fact that I had no idea that my town had a constable's office, the fact that the constable's bathroom is public, or the fact that it is located at PO BOX 146.

There is apparently only one bathroom in my entire zip code ... and it's at Wal-Mart.

@mgy: Sometimes, yes. We live in upstate NY and spend a lot of time in the Adirondacks. At some point on I-87, service signs just stop. Somebody passing through might be SOL if they aren't familiar with the area, or can't wait til the next rest stop.

We also spend a lot of time driving around Vermont. They don't even have a McDonald's in the capital (reason #453 that I <3 VT), and the only obvious 'outlet' are the gas stations. And gas stations with outside/detached bathrooms scare me. Women do some scarrrrrrrry things in public restrooms, but those kind seem to be the worst.

So I can think of some situations where this might be handy.

Commerce Banks in PA, NJ, DE, and NY have great bathrooms.

As a bathroom aficionado, I have in my head, a growing list of good places to go No. 2 if the situation arises, Starbucks are always a good bet while Barnes and Noble can be really disappointing.

@Ihaveasmartpuppy: I unfortunately have to deal with both Colitis and IBS since I got that from my Dad's side. It sucks to know that just one thing I eat can trigger a massive attack that finding a decent bathroom is almost impossible. Ugh thanks Pops.

I wasn't feeling to well a few years ago. My mom was visiting and we went to a greek restaurant just TWO BLOCKS from my house.

Bad stuff kicked in. It was the longest walk of my life. I almost went behind my neighbor's flowers.

There's my way too personal story for the day.

@Sndtrkman: Man, that's pretty crappy

Had a similar situation with the womans 3 year old cousin. The time between the "I have to poo poo" light coming on with Tyler and the actual occurrance of the poo poo was quite slim. This might have helped.

@CRNewsom: Haha yeah it is pretty crappy. Been dealing with it for a long time so I've found ways of coping with it. The worst though is when I start cramping up really bad to the point where I have actually passed out on the toilet. My Dad has done the same thing which is kind of funny but scary in a way. I wish I didn't have this but unfortunately it's hereditary in my family.

If only they had user ratings, that would just be amazing.

It's a bit incorrect here and there. It says there are three Hiltons in my town. Not quite correct. There's zero. It also suggests Buzzy's Roast Beef in 02114 which has been closed for years. ALTHOUGH, there is a new hotel in that location which can be used.

Meh, it's a crappy site. I'd love to see a user-generated version. There are only 6 bathrooms in my town? No McDonalds or anything are listed, but there is an Applebee's (who just walks into a sit-down restaurant to use a restroom?!).

I tagged along with parking enforcement in my town - THEY know where all the public restrooms are.

Some listing are a little out of date - I wish you could add or subtract some. Though, some surprisingly new and small venues were listed.

Ha! See these people think like me! I have often wondered where people go use the bathroom in my area. Because there are no public restrooms to be found. I just did a search for my area and it listed two YMCAs. I didn't know you could use their bathrooms!

I will certainly add this link as a bookmark in my iphone. Because when you have to go you have to go!

Once while I was in college I really had to go but I was driving on the highway and the next exit was over 10 miles away. So of course I was speeding to get to it. Got pulled over and before the officer could even approach my car I ran out and did my business right there on the side of the road.

At first he was just in shock but then he couldn't stop laughing. When I explained to him that I was speeding for that reason, he actually understook and I didn't even get a ticket! Yes I am a chick!

Thanks for the post!

I checked my zipcode. They hit 3 out of 10 or more that I know of.
They missed McDonalds, the village hall, the library, the community center, and the train stations.

They need a way for users to submit places that aren't in their database.

who just walks into a sit-down restaurant to use a restroom?!

I would if it was a restaurant that tends to have the restrooms off the lobby, making it easier to sneak in and out. Perkins tend to be like that, and I've seen a number of Olive Gardens that way.

Checking 94720 (UC Berkeley):

"Sorry, there are no results for that location."

Well, shit. Looks like I have to go off campus just to use the restroom.

too bad your claim of using this with an iPhone DOES NOT work.... The site is in flash (or some HTML iPhone doesn't support)

Long-time lurker, and THIS is the post that causes me to register and comment.

As a colitis sufferer, can attest to all the horror stories above. I now live in London, and have found the going even tougher.

Starbucks continues to be our best friend, and agree with the above who said B&N can be very disappointing.

I find a good trick in the sit-down restaurants that have bars is to say you're meeting someone there, look around and then head for the can.

Also, in hotels, particularly in NYC, head immediately to the mezzanine or second floor where the conference rooms are usually located. Usually big (and often uncrowded) facilities.

My absolute favorite when I lived in the South was Publix. Always very well-kept restrooms.

Agree that this needs to be a user-driven database. Though I can't criticize anything Immodium does too much, they have saved me countless times.

Zip 10022... New York, NY... They forgot the back corner of the subway station, and I know that always smells like piss.

That site misses many obvious ones for both my work and my home zipcode. For my home zipcode, it sends you to a fitness club which I doubt actually lets the public in, but misses the very obvious multiple Starbucks, the Borders books, and a number of others.

This is kind of like George Castansa. Name a block anywhere in New York and he can name you the best bathroom around.

@mgy:

In California it is.

I know in some states a business can't serve food without having a public restroom on the premises or nearby. Every gas station, every fast food place, every restaurant, and most stores bigger than a hole in the wall have public restrooms, in AZ, AK, TX (the only other places I've paid attention to this).

In CA, you have to look long and hard, and you want to be aware of where you can go.

Were I to guess, I'd say it's from assholes who:
Clog toilets with toilet paper
Piss/shit/bleed on the seat
Smear shit on the walls
Leave shitty toilet paper on the floors
Piss on the floor

And whatever other bathroom-filthifying activities you can think of. It's a few scumbag assholes ruining it for everyone.

If I were in charge, bathrooms would be mandatory for every business that serves food. They would be allowed to have cameras in the bathroom including in the stalls. Anyone caught defiling a public restroom would be executed by drowning in shit.

Public restrooms are important, and anyone who jeopardizes them is a net non-contributor to society...I don't care if they cured cancer and AIDS. Execution.

As it is, I just check for a public restroom at any gas station (yeah, a lot of them don't have them) I stop at in California before I buy anything, including gas. That's whether I need to use it or not.

@BabyGorilla: I am personally not a fan of the total silence in most Barnes and Noble bathrooms. Sometimes you need some background music so you aren't so shy to go with others in the room! :)

@cabingirl: Add Cracker Barrel to that list of restaurants where you can run in and run out.

It would be great if they allowed user ratings and comments.

I sometimes can spend 8 hours or more on the road a day for business. My own rules for finding good restrooms to go #2 in are these:

Look for a big hotel with a conference center or a restaurant attached. They will have clean restrooms off of the lobby.

Spot an upscale shopping mall or plaza, and look for the Nordstrom's and Neiman's type of store.

Border's and B & N in upscale areas can be a good bet, but are iffy in other areas.

Everything else is a crap shoot. (Pun intended.)

@MissPeacock: The Japanese certainly agree. [en.wikipedia.org]

One of the starbucks it pinpointed in my town is actually a little cart-thing inside the grocery store. And that grocery store does *not* have public restrooms.

However, it's literally across the street from a full size starbucks that *does* have public restrooms!

@Ihaveasmartpuppy: I agree, my girlfriend has uc and it can be a problem if we are in a place we are not familiar with.

This is such an untapped web 2.0 site idea: user contributed listings with reviews and ratings that can be sent via twitter, and picture uploading. Throw a simple sleek web2.0-ish interface on it, and call it Crappr.

I honestly do think it'd be a good idea, with my touchy stomach trips from LA to SF on the I-5 are perilous and sometimes a whole bottle of pepto bismol can't help.

For my zip code, the Immodium.com bathroom search came back with "Mobile On The Run".
Run?... Runs?... ewwwww, a little too,... well-- just "ewwww!"

@Eyebrows McGee: One restroom for an entire zip code? It must be FILTHY!

@Rigo: I like that idea! It's one thing to know where the restrooms are, but it would be helpful to know how well it's maintained. Is it dirty or reasonably clean? Is the paper and hand soap well supplied? Are the plumbing fixtures well maintained? These things would be good to know.

I was watching an episode of Lonely Planet about Singapore. In it, they featured a group of people who went around reviewing public bathrooms and giving awards out to the operators of those that they thought deserved recognition. The scummiest one they showed was appalling, and some of the the best award-winning bathroom was breathtaking.