Not really a rant, more of an observation.

When did people stop knocking on doors prior to opening them?

We have a one-seater public bathroom in one of the halls at work. I find myself warming the seat in there from time to time and it simply amazes me the number of people who walk up and rattle the knob trying to enter without knocking first. When did this become commonplace?

The last thing I want to see is some dude on the throne, so to avoid this I knock...wait a second for a response...then try the handle. It seems that I'm the only one who was taught this as a child. When I'm in there, I hear the rattle and then the thump of someone walking into the locked door that they expected to open but didn't. Every time. Nobody ever knocks.

Heck, I even say, "knock knock" when I enter a room enclosed by a curtain where you can't technically knock.

I don't get it. I guess common courtesy has become uncommon.

Always.

Common courtesy is not common at all. No danger of becoming an epidemic in North America. Probably will be outlawed within the next election cycle.

Nobody courtesy flushes either. Work, gym, wherever. You’d think the man would want to wash down his own feces in public so as to not ruin the entire air in the bathroom. I mean at work it’s so bad, there is especially one large man, dude you hit the hallway and just bail. Hold it, go to another bathroom, game over man.

Courtesy is gone. As these younger generations come up, well they’ve been brought up in total narcissism. It’s all about them. No thought or concern for anyone else. Your bathroom door should be open at all times for them with nobody in there.

So if there is someone in there, how are they supposed to respond? If the guy sitting there has been dumb enough to leave the door unlocked, then he deserves to be interrupted. If I'm in there perusing my cellphone (isn't it wonderful that we no longer have to search for a magazine), then I don't want to have to converse with whoever is knocking on my locked door. As for flushing, if it's full of feces, I try to give the last guy the benefit of the doubt, after all, his back was to the toilet, maybe he was distracted. What I don't understand is the guy facing the toilet, who fills it with urine, then turns and walks away. All this reminds me of one of my favorite cartoons, a sign on the stall door of a men's room that reads, "Employees Must Use Paper".

I don’t knock before entering bathrooms. To me, the general rule of thumb is that if the door is locked I stand back and wait. Knocking on a public bathroom door doesn’t fall under common courtesy in my book. I am generally very courteous in public but this doesn’t seem like it falls under courtesy. I think people would prefer someone to rattle the door knob rather than croak out “I’m still doing my business”. Lol

yes, some folks close door after leaving bathroom!!

You'll need a warrant... or immediately surrender upon entering.

Yes, I'll knock, but any courtesy flush from the previous occupant would be greatly appreciated.

I believe protocol for this was covered in “The Office” part one and two of episodes “Fun Run” when Pam walked in on Michael changing clothes.

I always knock. Maybe a habit formed in high school?

Knock was signal that the person entering wasn't a teacher (you now, smoking in the boys room)

On an indoor stall, I knock (or stand back far enough to see if there are shoes).

However, on an outdoor portolet, a red "Occupied" flag appears when the door is locked. Most people will lock a toilet door while inside, for their privacy and security. I once surprised a lady who was doing her business and hadn't locked the door. I quickly apologized and closed the door. I didn't think the time was right to educate her on the purpose of door locks.

^^^ Had that happen on an airplane. Opened the unlocked door and got a terrified look from a large woman who forgot to lock it. Closed it quickly and went back to my seat and waited long enough to avoid running into her again.

In a public restroom setting, it is presumed (or so I thought) that if a stall is unlocked/open to begin with, it is not occupied.

I not only knock but I'll also pop the door a couple inches and stop for a second just in case. I've had a couple people who either didn't hear the knock or weren't paying attention who were saved by that brief pause.

It’s the proliferation of multiple bath homes. You’re just not preconditioned with the assumption every bathroom is being used all day every day.

Knock on a bathroom stall? You only knock when you expect someone on the other side. There's no point in knocking if no one's on the other side of the door. So, are you expecting to be invited in?

The idea of knocking on a bathroom stall door is foreign to me. I simply look for feet or the knob usually says occupied or I can see through the slat whether the bar is locked or if there's even someone sitting on the throne.

<knock, knock>

"yeah, come right on in."

I won't enter my best friend's house without knocking, despite being told probably a hundred times just to come on in, but I don't knock on public restroom stalls. I look for signs of...occupation...and proceed. In the single seaters at the office the door to the bathroom itself locks. If the knob doesn't turn, you head to the restroom in the locker room and find a stall.

In a public bathroom? Afraid you'll get spooked and drop your phone into the bowl? With _____ you were looking at frozen on the screen?

I assume you're talking a single room. Not someone knocking on a stall in a public rest stop.

Knock?

Shit no, I arrive with theme music and fireworks.

I don't, but I like the suggestion. Thanks!