Why Don’t We Have Pay Toilets in America? (psmag.com)

In downtown San Diego, there are very few public toilets. And the ones that exist are so dirty that there's no way you'd want to use them. A few years ago, I made the mistake of going to the public library, which had a restroom on the third floor. When I opened the door to the stairwell, a distinct odor hit me right away. As I climbed upward, it grew in intensity, and by the top of the staircase, it was unbearable. I (vividly) remember the poor librarian sitting behind the counter, holding a rag over her mouth and nose! I had to go, but I couldn't take it, so I went back down, and ran to my hotel room, which was many blocks away.

During that uncomfortable jog back, I would have gladly paid a few bucks for a clean restroom. Given my experience, I think it's insane for anyone to expect other people to clean bathrooms for free.

In major urban areas, this is something that has to change!