warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
Again, what bathrooms don't have locks? I couldn't poop in a bathroom without a lock.
A Question of Ettiquette
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LucyDuke
staring at the clock
the hypothetical assumes there is a lock
Okay, yeah, that hypothetical. I'm asking if you don't know whether there's a lock, do you just barge in? Or do you knock like a civilized person?
MeteorPunch
#WINNING
That's different, going to someone else's house you would always knock - the people in the OP are roommates. Again, their typical house etiquette should be stated.
In that case, you'd knock. It's about looking for something to tell you whether or not the bathroom is engaged or not. In the absence of a lock, knocking on the door is the next best thing.
LucyDuke
staring at the clock
A closed door tells you the bathroom may be engaged.
warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
If I'm at home I usually don't knock cause I live with a roommate and he's almost never around anyway. Even when he is, it's obvious when there's someone in the bathroom or not. These are my bathrooms - I know them well. If there's a party and I'm not sure or too drunk, I knock. I've never walked in on someone here.
If it's somebody else's house, I will knock. It seems like the polite thing to do. For the benefits of this hypothetical I pictured myself in my house so I voted A.
If it's somebody else's house, I will knock. It seems like the polite thing to do. For the benefits of this hypothetical I pictured myself in my house so I voted A.
Good point! If you here this, don't even knock. Just RUN!
Narz
keeping it real
I'm with Lucy, if the bathroom door is closed, you knock. If no one is in the bathroom leave the door open.
LucyDuke
staring at the clock
Unless it's stinky.
Narz
keeping it real
I guess, yeah, I wouldn't know about that, my **** don't stink. 
amadeus
Bishop of Bio-Dome
Oh, crap, I misvoted. Can a mod change it? Meant to vote Person B.
If the light is on and the door is closed, you should assume someone is doing their business in there and knock.
If the light is on and the door is closed, you should assume someone is doing their business in there and knock.
If it's a communal bathroom, you damn well knock.
You mean A people. You're a B person.
GhostWriter16
Deity
According to our own etiquette in our own house, you lock the door, and we don't knock, you'd just better remember to lock it.
That said, I've seen other people who do it differently.
And ultimately, it depends on the rules of the House you currently are in...
That said, I've seen other people who do it differently.
And ultimately, it depends on the rules of the House you currently are in...
LucyDuke
staring at the clock
B-voters knock. B-voters are not necessarily A people or B people.
Right. I got confused.
I should add that I would generally knock. Just because I don't really want to risk such an awkward situation. But the onus is on Person A.
Yes, a closed door tells you the bathroom may or may not be engaged.
Yes, a closed door tells you the bathroom may or may not be engaged.
azzaman333
meh
If there's a lock, use it.
Maniacal
the green Napoleon
Hell I've had to use bathrooms that didn't even have a door, just a plastic curtain. If there is a lock then yes you should use it, but you should still always knock first just in case and its common courtesy.
Should also note that the convention of knocking is discriminatory against deaf people, and mute people (who can't reply to a knock). With locks, if you're blind you can feel them or try the door, and you are presented with no issues if you are deaf or mute.
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