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I've always wondered why so many toilets in the US seem to have see-through holes: you can be seen below the knees, between the hinges and if you're tall enough

I've always wondered why so many toilets in the US seem to have see-through holes: you can be seen below the knees, between the hinges and if you're tall enough, above your neck. I've been told that this anti-privacy design was on purpose and made to avoid people doing drugs or having sex in toilets. Is it true?

madengr 7y ago
That’s why one person stands in a paper grocery bag.
curiousgal 7y ago
The answer is the same for why US houses are built with wood and appear "flimsy" compared to other countries'; cost.
- petra 7y ago
  Do wood houses just appear flimsy ? Or do they last significantly shorten than concrete ?
  - cannonedhamster 7y ago
    Depends on upkeep and environment. Some wood structures in very dry locales can and do last ages without any real upkeep. There's some very, very old wood houses at the Romanian house museum, which is a great place to visit.
  - ajmurmann 7y ago
    As a German owning a house in the Pacific Northwest: it's true, American homes are flimsier. At least in rainy climate the outside needs constant upkeep. You need to paint and caulk every few years. I frequently hear from people discovering dry rot in their homes. Stuff like this never happens to my parents concrete home build in the 80s in comparable climate in Germany and hasn't happened (yet) to the 300 year old timbered home we remodeled in the early 00s mostly following traditional building methods. Even oak beams, clay brigs and lime paint seem to hold up better than US homes.
    - bogglejr 7y ago
      It may not be entirely the case, but wooden homes are generally build in high risk earthquake area. Other regions of the US use different building materials ( e.g. adobe in New Mexico, bricks in the south).
- ajmurmann 7y ago
  I don't buy that for the bathroom doors. All you need is a tiny section that overlaps. You can even buy cheap plastic flaps to retro fit.
- rrauenza 7y ago
  Other reasons too, depending on location: https://csengineermag.com/article/wood-frame-construction-advantageous-in-areas-prone-to-seismic-activity/ https://csengineermag.com/article/wood-frame-construction-ad...

madengr 7y ago

That’s why one person stands in a paper grocery bag.

curiousgal 7y ago

The answer is the same for why US houses are built with wood and appear "flimsy" compared to other countries'; cost.

petra 7y ago
Do wood houses just appear flimsy ? Or do they last significantly shorten than concrete ?
- cannonedhamster 7y ago
  Depends on upkeep and environment. Some wood structures in very dry locales can and do last ages without any real upkeep. There's some very, very old wood houses at the Romanian house museum, which is a great place to visit.
- ajmurmann 7y ago
  As a German owning a house in the Pacific Northwest: it's true, American homes are flimsier. At least in rainy climate the outside needs constant upkeep. You need to paint and caulk every few years. I frequently hear from people discovering dry rot in their homes. Stuff like this never happens to my parents concrete home build in the 80s in comparable climate in Germany and hasn't happened (yet) to the 300 year old timbered home we remodeled in the early 00s mostly following traditional building methods. Even oak beams, clay brigs and lime paint seem to hold up better than US homes.
  - bogglejr 7y ago
    It may not be entirely the case, but wooden homes are generally build in high risk earthquake area. Other regions of the US use different building materials ( e.g. adobe in New Mexico, bricks in the south).
ajmurmann 7y ago
I don't buy that for the bathroom doors. All you need is a tiny section that overlaps. You can even buy cheap plastic flaps to retro fit.
rrauenza 7y ago
Other reasons too, depending on location: https://csengineermag.com/article/wood-frame-construction-advantageous-in-areas-prone-to-seismic-activity/ https://csengineermag.com/article/wood-frame-construction-ad...