Comments on: Venice public toilets: Buy yours in bulk

By: Timo

Timo — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 06:14:22 +0000

What an excellent idea, Holocron!

By: Holocron

Holocron — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:03:37 +0000

So, soon, when I purchase my Eurail pass, I’ll be able to get a Eurpotty pass as well?

By: Tino

Tino — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:53:28 +0000

Camilla,

Does the money from the public toilets go to the preservation of the city?

And if they charge this much for public toilets, doesn’t that just create an incentive to piss in the canal? Shouldn’t they be ratcheting the price DOWN (to free?) to keep people from despoiling the place?

I think the “admission fee” a la Disneyland that you propose is a lot more sensible than small-change fees like this that could end up promoting the very bad behavior they’re designed to prevent.

By: camilla

camilla — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:21:12 +0000

I lived in Venice for a few years and I think this is the minimum they should do. Venice is a very fragile, delicate city that in high season is overrun with day-trippers and cruise ships who literally trash the place and contribute next to nothing towards cleaning up after them. They eat the cheapest take out, don’t stay in the hotels, buy fake masks or glass made in China rather than the masks or glass made by local artists and support the illegal street vendors by buying fake Prada and Fendi bags from them. Cleaning up after them is costly. I worked in a cafe in Piazza San Marco and the disgusting things I found in the bathroom would curl your toes. Venice is a tiny city with a tiny population that cannot afford to support the masses that enjoy her beauty. Very few Venetians actually profit from the tourists. I always thought the city should charge admission, like Disneyland, and waive the fee if you actually stay in a local hotel. It’s a beautiful, unique treasure and everyone who enjoys it should be happy to do their part to maintain it.

By: Colleen

Colleen — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:23:23 +0000

In Europe you customarily pay for the use of clean restrooms. If a tourist wants a safe clean public restroom and does not want to deal with always having the correct amount of euros to pay for a restroom break, the card is a nice way to hand this situation. At least Venice is giving a bit of a discount with the card.

By: Tammy

Tammy — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:49:08 +0000

As much as it bilks tourists, I’d pay it if I were headed there again. In Europe you get used to paying a nominal fee to use a toilet but the full Euro charge in Venice was really excessive… particularly last year when a Euro was close to 2 USD.

Venice is probably the only city I’d consider doing this. Other cities like Florence have many options of free public toilets, if you know where to look (department stores, bookstores, etc.)

By: S. Bryan

S. Bryan — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:44:11 +0000

What would stop tourists from paying 0.25 per use?
Lack of change?
A special card?

Seems like a cash grab to me.

By: Timo

Timo — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:29:30 +0000

Supercool. I am just doing MSc in toilet research, and it was news for me

By: eugem (Gem)

eugem (Gem) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 05:34:07 +0000

Twitter Comment

Introducing Toilet Subscription! [link to post] This is useful coz public bathrooms in Europe are too expensive! (via @upgradetravel)

- Posted using Chat Catcher

By: Mike Maddaloni - @thehotiron

Mike Maddaloni - @thehotiron — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:08:41 +0000

I’m all for it! If I can get a clean toilet for a little pay, why not?

mp/m