Comments for London Launches SMS Toilet Locator Service

London Launches SMS Toilet Locator Service

2007-11-30T07:55:10Z

Beginning today, if you're in the Westminster area of London and text the word "toilet" to 80097, you'll be sent the location of the nearest bathroom. The service costs 25 pence ($0.52) per request.

"SatLav," as the article calls it (we're not sure if that's the real name), is the idea of a 26-year-old who submitted it to an "innovation competition" sponsored by the Westminster Council.

We think this would be a great idea in New York City, except since the ratio here is something like 1 public toilet for every 900,000 people, only an insane person would bother to use one. After all, that's why there's a Starbucks on every block.

"Is that worth 50 cents? I guess so..." [Reuters]
(Photo: Getty)

Comment from jwissick on 2007-11-30

2007-12-01T00:50:33Z

If you text "Crack" to 88456 you will be given the location of your local drug dealer. "Ho" will get you your local prostitute. "Car" will locate and drive your car to you should you lose it.

Comment from mac-phisto on 2007-11-30

2007-11-30T22:37:38Z

@no.no.notorious: look up "tragedy of the commons" & you'll begin to understand why free public restrooms ten to end up like this:
[www.youtube.com]

Comment from Cowboys_fan on 2007-11-30

2007-11-30T21:27:26Z

@no.no.notorious: Its not about you or me. Once you start letting the homeless in, they don't want to leave.
This darn thing better be accurate b/c if I really gotta go and I drive 10 mins to find a gas station out of business, I'd be pissed(no pun intended!).

Comment from no.no.notorious on 2007-11-30

2007-11-30T20:24:51Z

i hate when you're denied a restroom just because you're not a customer. like is it really that big of a deal of maybe 10 people tops walk through just to use the bathroom?

Comment from Rectilinear Propagation on 2007-11-30

2007-11-30T18:42:02Z

@FLConsumer: Jo-Ann Fabrics. That's why.

Comment from darkclawsofchaos on 2007-11-30

2007-11-30T12:10:52Z

@FLConsumer: lol

Comment from FLConsumer on 2007-11-30

2007-11-30T09:58:19Z

Why bother with this when many foreigners just find the nearest alley and piss against a building? Seen many of the Frenchies using this trick in London the last time I was there.

Comment from kracer22 on 2007-11-30

2007-11-30T09:44:26Z

they forgot to tell you that they charge another 5 quid to use the bloody bastards.. LOL

Comment from catskyfire on 2007-11-30

2007-11-30T08:20:48Z

I could have used this when I visited London. We grew to love Starbucks because they had a public restroom...