The Official "Restroom Thread"

[BenGoodLuck]

I thought of this the other day as I was at a restaurant using the urinal. It's a really bad situation as your back is turned away from the door, or what's behind you, not bragging hear, but your hands are taking care of business, and you're in a really precarious position with "it" hanging out. After analyzing this situations, I've started using stalls w/doors, locking them, and staying observant to anyone in the restroom or coming in.

I always use a stall for privacy.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[kg4ghn]

#1 just slide it over a little(I carry AIWB at 12:00.)

#2 It gets unclipped and set on top of the tp holder.

Although, it is pretty rare to need to #2 in public. I'd rather do it at home or even better at work where I'm getting paid for it!


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[FastFreddie]

I wasn't concerned about this until I got pick-pocketed a couple months ago while using a urinal in a men's restroom at Navy Pier in Chicago. Now whenever I make pee pee while armed my situational awareness is maxed out!!

I wasn't armed in Chicago, by the way. The "police state" of Illinois doesn't recognize my Michigan concealed pistol license. When I filed the police report, the cop asked me if I had my gun on me.

[badger54]

Shoulder carry would have prevented this.

[insman1132]

Actually, in my view, a restroom is no different than any other location. You must be aware of your surroundings and be vigilant as to the opportunities provided for any bad guys. Then act accordingly. For instance, a small rest room in a restaurant may pose a lot less threat than a restroom in a rest stop area along the expressway. etc.

[Jaxon06]

I always use a stall for privacy.

Always

[romansten9]

I just go in the bathroom and take care of business.

If anyone wants to start something, I'll take care of that when it happens

don't mean to be disagreeable, but that reminds me of the saying:

"Failure to plan is planning to fail."

If you really do have a plan, I'd like to hear it. I take carrying a firearm as serious business, and that means trying to think ahead about what I would do in different scenarios. "winging it" or trying to sound tough by saying that I'll handle all the bad guys as the situations come up is not something I would do. Another thing that I remind myself is that if I think I'm tough, or can handle "anything" I'm dead. Pride kills.

[romansten9]

Like Pgrass said, Sums it up well.

I would want a better plan than that, in general. We talk about all kinds of scenarios here for a reason. Its nice to hear what other people have to say, (so we can learn from each other) and how to think ahead, have good SA, etc. "Winging it" is not a good option at all in my opinion, when carrying a firearm for self defense. Having a plan is always a good idea.

[romansten9]

I just wear adult diapers all the time. Problem solved.

Would get pretty smelly if you were out running errands all day or out for the evening, then you'd have to change your diaper, and you'd end up in the restroom anyway! (unless you ran home in between, which would be real inconvenient)

[romansten9]

I hear alot of stall comments saying it gives you a barrier, and time to react etc..

Well think about it as the "tunnel of death" like a doorway opening.

If you are locked in there yea theres a barrier..
But!
You can not see who comes and goes into the restroom
A body count of possible trouble
Theres only ONE way out of the stall and the BG knows where you will be coming from!
And if he is armed and just random shooting you are like a fish in a barrel. Those little metal walls are not doing anything to stop a bullet. wouldnt take much to shoot you threw the wall, vs. you can stoot out the walls b/c you dont know his exact location AND the locations of others in the room.

Just my opinions!

Thats why I go to the very last stall of a row of about 16 stalls. That way, there are about 31 layers of metal (and maybe other people) between me and someone that comes in shooting. But seriously, I'd rather be in a stall than standing at a urinal where I can't really see behind me anyway. The stall has many advantages in my opinion, esp since I think most attackers in bathrooms are going to either attack a person out of anger, or be trying to steal from someone, or both. As far as the mass shooting scenario you seem to be talking about (someone firing into stalls randomly) I haven't heard of that happening too often. (of course it could happen) Seems rare compared with the number of thefts/beatings that occur in bathrooms.

[romansten9]

As I was visiting the Wally World rest room, I looked at my weapon in an OWB holster laying on my pants, and wondered, If the anti gun nut next stall over sees this, what problems could it cause me?What things could I do to mitigate them or even prevent them. Most restrooms have stalls with open bottoms. If you can see the shoe of the person in the next stall, you can see the weapon there also. What do you folks on this forum do with the weapon during the necessary trips to the facilities? Even if you do off load prior to departing the home, an all day shopping excursion can necessitate a trip to the out house. What I have decided to do is 1) always use the handicapped stall because it has a rail above the tissue dispenser. 2) After securing the door, I withdraw the weapon from the holster and lay it upside down on the paper dispenser, if the rail is high enough to hold it in place. If the rail above the dispenser is high enough I will lay it down in an upright position. What ever position will hold it most securely. If there is no rail, I need suggestions. In this day and age, I can even see someone in the stall next to me seeing this weapon and trying to snag it from me having caught me with my pants down. What do DC.com members do when they must use the facilities and a private bathroom is not available?

Easy solution: Don't drop your pants all the way down to your ankles! Let your belt line sit above your knees! Keeps your pants cleaner! (who would ever want their pants touching that gross floor?) Keeps you legs warmer in cold too! (especially in the outhouse!)

[romansten9]

A colleague was followed in to a bathroom by a man who saw him in his nice suit and lizard cowboy boots and assumed he was an easy target. BG threatened him through his coat pocket with a nonexistent gun. My colleague is a 3 tour Iraq veteran, and former Command Sgt Major of the National Guard in our state. He carries his duty weapon a Glock 23 in a crossdraw SERPA. He drew on the BG and the BG about wet himself. He cuffed him and waited for backup to arrive. LOL

A person wearing lizard cowboy boots is ALWAYS armed. Thats just common sense.

[romansten9]

Use the handicapped stall or the diaper changing station. No trick. You CC and it's a ball and chain. Marriage ring a bell? You'll find a way or you'll do without. My apologies if this seems too straightforward. A better way? If there is you'll need to find it just like everyone else who carries 24/7. You have my best wishes in everything you do.

diaper changing station?? the last time I crawled up on one of them, it came off the wall. I'm also not sure how clean it is.

[romansten9]

if you all freek out about using the restroom because your back is exposed ; I wonder how many of you don't wash your hands for the same reason?

You can stop washing your hands at any time (such as when someone walks behind you that you are suspicious of), and your pants aren't open either (I hope)

Actually, an easy solution if this is still a problem: Back up against the wall and "hit the trigger" on the top of a little bottle of hand sanitizer that you have in a little holster next to your firearm. (or reach in your pocket with a dirty hand and pull the bottle out)

[romansten9]

Do all the non handicap people that use a handicap stall also park in a handicap spot in the parking lot?

Well, I'm sure you know that its illegal to use a handicap parking spot without a permit (some permits are issued to non handicap people and aren't deserved of course) Handicap stalls in bathrooms are NOT "reserved" for handicap people, they are simply provided to make it possible or more convenient for people that need the extra space and hand rails, etc. Anyone is free to use those stalls. If a person that is handicap is in the bathroom and waiting for a stall, the polite thing to do would be to let them use it. But its not illegal to use that stall.