That gap has been legally required in every U.S. public restroom since 1955. It solves four problems simultaneously.
The official name is the "open-front toilet seat." The American Standard National Plumbing Code mandated it seven decades ago. California's state plumbing code still reads: "all water closet seats, except those within dwelling units, shall be of the open front type." Install a closed seat in a commercial bathroom and you can get cited.
The primary function is contact elimination. A closed oval seat creates a continuous surface where skin presses against plastic that thousands of strangers have already sat on. Removing the front section eliminates that contact zone entirely. Fewer shared square inches, fewer bacterial transfer points between users.
Second is wiping clearance. The IAPMO, the organization that writes the plumbing codes most U.S. states adopt as law, designed the opening so women can wipe without their hand contacting the seat surface. The gap is sized for a hand to pass through cleanly.
The open front also eliminates the surface where urine pools at the front of the seat, so the next user sits on dry plastic instead of someone else's miss.
One more layer. Public restrooms use elongated bowls while home toilets are typically round. A stolen U-shaped seat from a restaurant won't fit a residential toilet. The shape mismatch makes it worthless to take home.
Seven decades of sanitation engineering in a gap most people assumed was a manufacturing shortcut.
i appreciate that the city of toronto is able to speed up construction because fucking FIFA is gonna be here, not because the city is in constant gridlock and we have some of the worst traffic/roads on the planet not because it would make commuting around the city easier.
i appreciate that the city of toronto is able to speed up construction because fucking FIFA is gonna be here, not because the city is in constant gridlock and we have some of the worst traffic/roads on the planet not because it would make commuting around the city easier.
this app is so dogshit man yeah lets just move our likes from our profile to the MOST RANDOM FUCKING SPOT POSSIBLE AND MAKE IT SO HARD FOR PEOPLE TO SHARE A TWEET THEY LIKED A WHILE AGO FUCK YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
notice how after the wall tap he's turning right and the car is still going left? then just before the second to last cut they conveniently cut the clip while he's turning the wheel right and the car is still GOING STRAIGHT. car is broken, not good enough. horrific sport now.
Why Charles Leclerc was handed a 20-second time penalty post-race ‼️
The penalty was given for leaving the track “on several occasions without a justifiable reason” on the final lap in Miami ⬇️
#F1#MiamiGP
A two-week-old baby was hospitalized at Wolfson Medical Center with a severe herpes infection after contracting the virus during a brit milah (Jewish ritual circumcision) that involved direct oral suction.
https://t.co/CQBp6my2qI
and people say he did horrible in toronto. no, he was on a tight leash engraved with shanahans name and was genuinely prevented from making trades he wanted to make. he'd still be GM and marner would still be here if upper management didn't worry about their profits for once.
Kyle Dubas took over the NHL's biggest mess in 2023 in Pittsburgh. Oldest team, little cap, little picks, no prospects. Now they are in a playoff spot with most picks of any team next 3 years, tons of cap, drafted one of the best rookies last summer and prospect pool is far better. Now he's frontrunner for GM of the year.
He runs the entire show in Pittsburgh.
This man complains that his daughter stays in her room all day and doesn’t enjoy talking to him and his wife. Whenever she does come down for food or water, he’s always reminding her that when she turns 18 either she can move out or pay rent.
I never understood why people do this as a scare tactic to teach kids responsible. Is it possible that his interactions like this is actually damaging his relationship with his daughter. Isn’t he giving her a vibe that he doesn’t want her around or is this a part of teaching her responsibility?
our draft pick’s going to boston and our chud captain got killed and our gm’s a terrorist and our coach has permanent brain damage and the guy we just traded away for a bag of chips has 5 points in two games