A Question of Ettiquette
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Integral
Can't you hear it?
If the bathroom door is closed and the light is on, it's definitely a violation of good manners to barge in without knocking.
B is in the wrong.
B is in the wrong.
Boundless
Deity
If you don't lock the door, you pay the price!
The scenario states they live in the same house... B knows there's a lock!
The scenario states they live in the same house... B knows there's a lock!
rugbyLEAGUEfan
Deity
Light>lock
Our bathrooms don't have locks and I don't really mind if this situation happens at my house. I think the situation is worse for person B, because he just walked into someone taking a stinky crap.
For those who are uncomfortable with bathrooms without locks: usually we knock around here, unless you suppose nobody's in the bathroom or if it's really, really urgent.
For those who are uncomfortable with bathrooms without locks: usually we knock around here, unless you suppose nobody's in the bathroom or if it's really, really urgent.
aronnax
Let your spirit be free
I think what we have here is a cultural clash of some sort. For example, some posters saying that bathroom doors do not have locks (WHAT???) or not locking them.
Where I live, everyone locks the door and no-one knocks in 99% of Bathroom situations. In your own home, at home with guest, as someone else's guest, public bathrooms. The only possible exception might be if you are alone at home. A closed door at home does not imply that it is being engaged. It just means that the door is closed.
Who the hell just opens a bathroom door without knocking??
We never locked the door in my family, because we are civilized people.
But we don't just close doors of empty bathrooms, either - so closed door means "OCCUPIED."
Must be a cultural thing, though. When I was a kid, my friend's dad would use the bathroom without even closing the door. It was really disconcerting to turn the corner to go take a leak and he's just sitting there on the can with his newspaper.
We never locked the door in my family, because we are civilized people.
But we don't just close doors of empty bathrooms, either - so closed door means "OCCUPIED."Must be a cultural thing, though. When I was a kid, my friend's dad would use the bathroom without even closing the door. It was really disconcerting to turn the corner to go take a leak and he's just sitting there on the can with his newspaper.
MeteorPunch
#WINNING
You know, if there's anything that doors are for..Must be a cultural thing, though. When I was a kid, my friend's dad would use the bathroom without even closing the door. It was really disconcerting to turn the corner to go take a leak and he's just sitting there on the can with his newspaper.
Around here pretty much every toilet has a lock. I can't remember ever seeing a toilet without one. As for the proper etiquette, a locked door means occupied. This works in reverse too: an unlocked door means unoccupied. Closed door does not mean occupied: it could be closed for a number of other reasons: maybe the door is in a hallway, so it has to be closed. Maybe the toilet has some odour issues. Who knows? But unlocked means unoccupied, locked means occupied.
AL_DA_GREAT
amour absinthe révolution
Person A. It is your responsibility to lock. If I need to go to the bathroom I open the door. I don't think I ever have knocked in my entire life.
Honor killings:
bringing Muslim and Christian fundamentalists together since time immemorial.
GhostWriter16
Deity
I hope you are exaggeratin
Honor killings:
bringing Muslim and Christian fundamentalists together since time immemorial.
I hope you are exaggeratin
Yeesh, relax guys. Just a little hyperbole...
MobBoss
Off-Topic Overlord
My situation: I never had to lock the door while I was in it. If anyone in my household ever walked in on me once, it was to their regret and never happened again.
Maniacal
the green Napoleon
The few times I've talked about it with other people, it entirely depends on the person, their family's habits, and upbringing (such as if there was a working lock on the bathrooms in their homes). I also got the feeling that many (though not all) people who demand that the person inside is always at fault if they didn't lock the door are butthurt over walking in on someone and don't want to take the blame.
That is only consistent in public/communal (ie in a work place) washrooms where most doors are designed to only remain closed if locked. Which is a very different situation from someone's home.
Most people are not deaf, and if a deaf person is involved then yeah locking is right.
There's also children who may not be able to reach the lock and you may not want them to lock themselves into the washroom for safety reasons. It really takes no effort to quickly knock on the door and try the lock before barging in. Even a simple "is anyone there? Because I'm coming in" is appreciated.
I think I've only walked in on maybe 4 people. And hadn't really been walked in on until I lived with roommates, and I was the only one who didn't walk in on someone.
dirtyparrot
Upholding Brannigan's Law
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Person B is at fault. Always knock before.
shadowplay
your ad here
If you know it's a bathroom, and the door is closed, you knock before entering. Period.
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