toilet troubles in Paris

[Aquarius]

I recently went to Paris to accompany a group of 18-year-olds, students, and I made two observations there :
1. guys that age really aren't good at planning toilet visits, as we already remarked on this forum a few times
2. there is a massive shortages of (public) toilets there...

Two occasions of desperation occurred on the subway : the first guy was at the point where he stood next to me in the crowded subway, saying nothing and just holding himself with one hand for balance while holding his crotch with the other hand. He didn't care who saw it. Two minutes before our stop, he bent over so deep he was almost crouched down and I was afraid he'd pee himself right there. But when the doors opened, he bolted out and found a spot in time. The second one was far less silent : he was sitting down on a subway seat and moaned rather loudly while holding his crotch with both hands and frantically shaking his legs. At a certain moment, just before our stop, he announced to me in a panicky voice that he had to get off at the next stop beacuse a few drops had escaped. I assured him we had to get off there anyway, and also he found a spot in time. Both guys had planned poorly, since they were informed beforehand that there's nowhere to pee once you're on the subway.

The third incident was at the Louvre, where I myself was also really desperate actually. The wait there was no less than 20 minutes, and the guy I had accompanied to the toilet was hopping from foot to foot and pinching the entire time. When he came out, I saw the tiniest wet spot. He tried to hide it with his sweater, but my trained eye spotted it right away

[Fred]

Having chaperoned trips with people of all ages, I agree that young men are the least likely to plan when and where for using the toilet. Some don't seem to think about it until their bladders are quite full. Although I'm not personally familiar with Paris, from other things I've read public toilets there are hard to find. When planning any trip as a tourist, I always research the location of the toilets!

[Adrian6970]

I think us Brits tend to not be very good at forward planning when it comes to planning loo visits. That is, I think, partly because we've historically been rather spoilt with plenty of public toilets in urban areas, although they're less plentiful than they used to be due to council spending cuts. Also I think some people are wary of 'breaking the seal' before leaving home if they don't particularly need to wee at that time.

[Dazza88]

I was in Paris last year and saw a guy in his mid twenties at one of the viewing points for the Eiffel Tower desperately looking for a toilet, I have never seen a grown man openly holding himself like that. He seemed to be with his girlfriend who did not seem to get the seriousness of the situation. I couldn’t help myself and had to follow, obviously Paris is a very busy place and he struggled to find somewhere and had to stop a few times as it seemed walking quickly was taking affect. He eventually found some toilets but with the queue that was there he walked on probably hoping he would find somewhere but not long after he returned to the bathroom queue with a wet patch on his crotch which was gradually growing it seemed then he just flooded his khaki shorts. I actually felt bad for him.

[Brian]

I was in Paris last year and saw a guy in his mid twenties at one of the viewing points for the Eiffel Tower desperately looking for a toilet, I have never seen a grown man openly holding himself like that. He seemed to be with his girlfriend who did not seem to get the seriousness of the situation. I couldn’t help myself and had to follow, obviously Paris is a very busy place and he struggled to find somewhere and had to stop a few times as it seemed walking quickly was taking affect. He eventually found some toilets but with the queue that was there he walked on probably hoping he would find somewhere but not long after he returned to the bathroom queue with a wet patch on his crotch which was gradually growing it seemed then he just flooded his khaki shorts. I actually felt bad for him.

Yes, I'd have felt sorry for him too, but what an amazing thing to see. Thanks for describing it so vividly for us!
And welcome to the forum.

[Fred]

I've read that Europe is overrun with tourists this summer, and that some cities are figuring out ways to limit the numbers. I presume that the number of public toilets has not increased, and I wouldn't be surprised if there are queues at the men's in popular tourist areas. (Although queues have been common at the ladies' for years, they do plan better!)

In my travels in Europe years ago, I noted then that women got preferential treatment when our tour bus stopped at a place with limited facilities. More than once, when just two toilets were available, the women were allowed to use both while the men waited until they were done. At one restaurant, women used the indoor toilets while the men queued up at at outdoor shed. Quite proper, of course, because men can hold it longer.

[Dazza88]

Thanks, I have been using the site for a while but just never registered. The key to a good story is in the details

[Dontpissitaway]

I was in Paris last year and saw a guy in his mid twenties at one of the viewing points for the Eiffel Tower desperately looking for a toilet, I have never seen a grown man openly holding himself like that. He seemed to be with his girlfriend who did not seem to get the seriousness of the situation. I couldn’t help myself and had to follow, obviously Paris is a very busy place and he struggled to find somewhere and had to stop a few times as it seemed walking quickly was taking affect. He eventually found some toilets but with the queue that was there he walked on probably hoping he would find somewhere but not long after he returned to the bathroom queue with a wet patch on his crotch which was gradually growing it seemed then he just flooded his khaki shorts. I actually felt bad for him.

Poor guy, must have been awful for him, you'd have to be exceptionally desperate to wet yourself in public like that! Would love to have been a fly on the wall when they got back to their hotel, maybe they both agreed not to speak about it but it would have been on their minds for the rest of their visit for sure. Quite jealous you got to see something like that though.

[Lee]

I was in Paris last year and saw a guy in his mid twenties at one of the viewing points for the Eiffel Tower desperately looking for a toilet, I have never seen a grown man openly holding himself like that. He seemed to be with his girlfriend who did not seem to get the seriousness of the situation. I couldn’t help myself and had to follow, obviously Paris is a very busy place and he struggled to find somewhere and had to stop a few times as it seemed walking quickly was taking affect. He eventually found some toilets but with the queue that was there he walked on probably hoping he would find somewhere but not long after he returned to the bathroom queue with a wet patch on his crotch which was gradually growing it seemed then he just flooded his khaki shorts. I actually felt bad for him.

Poor guy, must have been awful for him, you'd have to be exceptionally desperate to wet yourself in public like that! Would love to have been a fly on the wall when they got back to their hotel, maybe they both agreed not to speak about it but it would have been on their minds for the rest of their visit for sure. Quite jealous you got to see something like that though.

Likewise

[evergreen]

Sounds like a great siting to me. For the guy its the subject of nightmares but for a watcher like me, sheer bliss. Looking on the bright side perhaps it gave a new focus to their love life? I rather hope so.