Live data from Hacker News

Airpnp: Like Airbnb, but for toilets

thenextweb.com

11–20 of 106 posts

Re: Airpnp: Like Airbnb, but for toilets

#11
All jokes aside, I know I would definitely use this service. I have bathroom issues all the time.

Just recently I was in central london on a busy saturday night and finding a toilet was seriously hard work. Macdonalds had long queues for toilets, so did many other retail outlets and many tube stations dont have toilets. I know residential areas are a little further out from the city, but i'm sure people could get creative and make it work.

I'd even check the toilet "spots" before I went to a crowded area so I know i could pop in when needed.

On the flip-side, acting as a host however, I dont think I could do it. With the state of toilets in most service stations, I couldn't give up my toilet to someone to come in and pee all over the seat or forget to flush or something.

The irony is that, that's going to be the real sticking point.

Re: Airpnp: Like Airbnb, but for toilets

#12
Charging to use the restroom urgently gets close to violating the rules of civil society in my books. Yes, I know city governments do it in many big cities. Yes, I know it is the norm in many parts of Europe. But still ...

I've had a few businesses (even chains) in NYC insist that I purchase something before using their restroom. As someone who has a comfortable living, I don't hesitate. At the same time, I make a mental note to not give that store my business if I can help it. The whole kindness to strangers thing .. yeah .. that's mostly dead.

I understand the problems caused by homeless individuals when using restrooms or camping out in stores. I even get that the rest room maintenance costs money. In Europe, when you have to pay those old ladies to use the restroom to pee ... that's their income. But still ... when you turn away someone when they urgently need to go ... that's just wrong.

Re: Airpnp: Like Airbnb, but for toilets

#16

Charging to use the restroom urgently gets close to violating the rules of civil society in my books. Yes, I know city governments do it in many big cities. Yes, I know it is the norm in many parts of Europe. But still ... I've had a few businesses (even chains) in NYC insist that I purchase something before using their restroom. As someone who has a comfortable living, I don't hesitate. At the same time, I make a me…

Charging for restrooms is also a bit stupid in some cases. I've run into quite a few restrooms here in Denmark where you need to pay by inserting a coin, typically only 2DKK. That's all well an good, the money goes to keep the restrooms clean and you avoid a lot of misuse. The stupid part is that a rather large number of people don't carry cash anymore.

The local bus and train terminals are 2DKK to use the restrooms, but you do really use cash to pay for your travels anymore, so the assumption that you would have a 2DKK coin is a bit flawed. Why can't I use the same card I use to check-in to bus/train to check-in to the restrooms?

Re: Airpnp: Like Airbnb, but for toilets

#17
I've joked around with this idea before, except I called it Püber.

In all seriousness, this is an issue I deal with frequently in NYC. I'm out and about in Manhattan all day, get struck by the need to pee, and then run around trying to find any place with a restroom. Paying a buck or two would be a negligible cost if it meant immediate relief.

If they expanded and got enough supply, I'd definitely use their service.

Re: Airpnp: Like Airbnb, but for toilets

#19

Charging to use the restroom urgently gets close to violating the rules of civil society in my books. Yes, I know city governments do it in many big cities. Yes, I know it is the norm in many parts of Europe. But still ... I've had a few businesses (even chains) in NYC insist that I purchase something before using their restroom. As someone who has a comfortable living, I don't hesitate. At the same time, I make a me…

Charging for restrooms is also a bit stupid in some cases. I've run into quite a few restrooms here in Denmark where you need to pay by inserting a coin, typically only 2DKK. That's all well an good, the money goes to keep the restrooms clean and you avoid a lot of misuse. The stupid part is that a rather large number of people don't carry cash anymore. The local bus and train terminals are 2DKK to use the restrooms,…

It's even worse than that if you consider that bus or train stations tend to be the places where a lot of tourists transit. If I spend just a few hours in a country it does not make much sense to obtain local cash, especially coins which will be unusable as soon as I leave the country. On the other hand, the chances that I will need a restroom at least once in a few hours are quite high ...
Post reply on HN