Planet Money Why it's so hard to find a public toilet
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May 2, 2025 Finding a public bathroom can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. The journey through the story of pay toilets reveals how a grassroots movement fought to abolish them, leading to unintended consequences. Challenges in maintaining public restrooms are examined, reflecting the struggle between urban policy and societal needs. Experts emphasize the crucial role of access to clean toilets for community health. Ultimately, the podcast highlights disparities in restroom availability and the ongoing quest for better facilities in urban settings.
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Teddy's Bathroom Map Story
- Teddy Siegel created a crowdsourced map to find publicly accessible bathrooms in NYC and beyond.
- She shares tips and maintains the "Got to Go" app to help people find free bathrooms.
The Gessel Brothers' Fight
- Michael and Ira Gessel fought pay toilets in the '60s and '70s, finding them unfair and extortionate.
- They formed a club to ban pay toilets, inspiring protests and legislation.
Unintended Consequences of Bans
- Banning pay toilets led to the loss of many free public toilets due to lack of maintenance incentive.
- This is a classic price control failure reducing supply despite high demand.