Woman Tracked Down and Busted for Using Restaurant's Customers-Only Bathroom

Not sure about anywhere else but California states:
"118505. (a) Publicly and privately owned facilities where the public congregates shall be equipped with sufficient temporary or permanent restrooms to meet the needs of the public at peak hours."

In Cali, you can't deny 'the public' the use of your restroom, if 'the public' is your client.

It still happens, but if injury or infection can legitimately be linked to being denied use of restroom facilities the owner of said facilities could be liable for injury. And I can't remember how many times I've had this argument with people at "Subway" restaurants. If they provide seating, they have to provide restrooms.

There are similar requirements for gas stations and the like too.

The restaurant owner actually committed a Class "C" Misdemeanor by charging for restroom use.

Tennessee Statutes

Title 39. Criminal Offenses

Chapter 17. Offenses Against Public Health, Safety and Welfare

Part 1. Miscellaneous

Current through 2011 Legislative Session

§ 39-17-105. Charge for use of public toilet facility prohibited

(a) It is an offense for a person maintaining toilet facilities available to the public to impose a charge for the use of the facility.

(b) Each toilet facility maintained in violation of this section constitutes a separate offense.

(c) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.

Cite as T.C.A. § 39-17-105

Source

So annoying when people come into your place of business and crap up the NOT FREE toilets, use the NOT FREE toilet paper and dry their hands on the NOT FREE paper towels. We call them mangrove monkies. They even shower in the sink. Had 2 ladies needing to piss their drunk selves at once so one plopped her butt on the sink to pee and busted the sink off the wall. I was closed down for a whole day be of it. Now u have signs and even keys to get in. I'm not looking to profit but I will be damnedest if I have to pay you to crap!

reply to post by j2000


In mexico they charge to use the bathroom. seems we are headed in that direction.

I can see why the owners would get fed up. they are the people that have to clean those toilets. they buy the soap, toilet rolls etc. the way they went about it was completely wrong. the sheriff was wrong.

sounds like a couple of people were trying to be clever and it backfired.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

"Flood Zone"



The irony.

Add to that: a Class C misdemeanor is like a $50 fine.

So for five bucks the manager could be throwing away fifty bucks (per toilet) and a potential customer that could have spent enough money there to supply the joint with toilet paper for a year. Not very capitalistic at all. tsk.

Though charging for restroom use is a misdemeanor in TN, refusal of service (facilities included) is not. The manager didn't have to let her use it. Anyone staying on premise after being asked to leave is trespassing.

20 minutes? Must've been a big one.

Sounds like the ol' gal went in there to... well, who knows for sure... lets just say junkies and prostitutes have been known to utilize restrooms this way. Which suspicion of is reason enough to deny service and use of facilities.

eta:

The favors thing. I'd say this is abuse of law enforcement resources. So petty. Surely there's a meth lab needing a raid somewhere in the vicinity.

reply to post by j2000

The USA maybe - where I live? A bar (not a bar in the sense of the USA bar - a bar here sells ice-cream, pastry, coffee) - anyway - the 'bars' here? They cannot refuse you the bathroom - OR - a drink of water, no cost.

Of course the bathrooms in hell are cleaner but...

In the USA I understand - in part. The bathrooms (mostly) are clean and provide toilet paper and either paper or electricity to dry the hands.

peace

reply to post by j2000


Insane, absolutely insane. I own my own business, I never knew I could get cops to run down people for frivolous reasons. Good to know!

Originally posted by craig732
The restaurant owner actually committed a Class "C" Misdemeanor by charging for restroom use.

Tennessee Statutes

Title 39. Criminal Offenses

Chapter 17. Offenses Against Public Health, Safety and Welfare

Part 1. Miscellaneous

Current through 2011 Legislative Session

§ 39-17-105. Charge for use of public toilet facility prohibited

(a) It is an offense for a person maintaining toilet facilities available to the public to impose a charge for the use of the facility.

(b) Each toilet facility maintained in violation of this section constitutes a separate offense.

(c) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.

Cite as T.C.A. § 39-17-105

Source

edit on 3-3-2013 by craig732 because: Add source.

Thank you very much for that and on top of that and even worse is the other found on page 3 from EvenPar...

Lisa Kent the co-owner is also co-conspirator with the local sheriff in a violation of Driver's Privacy Protection Act of 1994, a Federal Law that restricts access to motor vehicle records.

The owner wanted to make a "point". Well if anyone has any just at all, they will make a "point" with her and the sheriff. I am sure the federal charge will go no where unless this sheriff does not get along with the Feds very well. She will only get a warning on the 5 dollar charge as it makes since how she would not take the money afterwards. But, I wonder if any others will step up that did pay the charge?

Originally posted by Auricom
reply to post by j2000

 

Insane, absolutely insane. I own my own business, I never knew I could get cops to run down people for frivolous reasons. Good to know!

There are a lot of place I am sure you can. When I was young, my friends dad was a Capt on the Police force in a city of 100k. We would have him run plates to make an offer on a car. We were not stupid though, we told them we just seen it driving by. This owner has an ingnoramace about her that you do't find with owners of a business usually.

I'd write a letter back stating simply:
"Sue the 5$ out of me or go to hell. Oh, and I'm boycotting your restaurant."

This incident brings to light the way things have "progressed" in the past 30 or so years. WHY was using a bathroom made into such a MAJOR event? Can we not just allow someone to relieve themselves and be done with it? What kind of a person is the owner to dwell so much on the payment of a mere 5 dollars? If someone came to my home and presented me with this demand, I would've thought I was on Candid Camera, or checked the date to see if it was April 1. Common human courtesy is going extinct! There have been a few times in my travels where I was also denied bathroom access after politely asking for use. The one thing I do believe, is to ask permission first, because that is the mannerly thing to do. Did this woman ask permission? Either way, the second half of this story was a small travesty!

I've seen the signs "customers only" in tourist areas, assume lay to keep the masses from over-running small cafes with limited facilities. I've never seen signs posted like this in Houston proper.

That said, as a person with IBD I have had to use restrooms in a variety of places on immediate notice. I've never left the restroom in a mess though.

As a business owner, I have seen first hand how people can completely disrespect your property. We have had people come in and completely kill our bathroom, pee all over the floor, flush things which should not be flushed, steal rolls of TP, and in general, act like pigs. I know where the business owner comes from, but how she handled it was completely wrong. The negative publicity from this will cost her a lot of business. The sheriff should be formally censured for abusing their office too. This is shameful on several levels.

reply to post by j2000

The owner wanted to make a "point". Well if anyone has any just at all, they will make a "point" with her and the sheriff. I am sure the federal charge will go no where unless this sheriff does not get along with the Feds very well. She will only get a warning on the 5 dollar charge as it makes since how she would not take the money afterwards. But, I wonder if any others will step up that did pay the charge?

How much TAXPAYER money does this rigmorole cost?

Ok...I understand that "wrong is wrong"....it was a customers only facility and she was not a customer. But how much did this little adventure cost the taxpayers? Unless they were able to run the plate, write the ticket and mail it off in 10 minutes or less...they just wasted money for something completely trifling.

I know...wrong is wrong...but maybe this person had been a patron before and didn't use the restroom that time...so they had a free pee coming...

Originally posted by Jeremiah65
Ok...I understand that "wrong is wrong"....it was a customers only facility and she was not a customer. But how much did this little adventure cost the taxpayers? Unless they were able to run the plate, write the ticket and mail it off in 10 minutes or less...they just wasted money for something completely trifling.

I know...wrong is wrong...but maybe this person had been a patron before and didn't use the restroom that time...so they had a free pee coming...

The world is not just black and white.

Wrong is not JUST wrong and right is not JUST right. There is context behind everything. The restaurant owner is far more wrong than the woman she decided to stalk with the aid of the dopey-brained sheriff.

reply to post by mangust69


YOU'RE NASTY!

reply to post by mangust69


I suggest to people you do not hit the link from this nasty person as it has a popup with a virus in it. I have alerted the ATS staff and hopefully they will remove it and also remove this person from ATS. Nice thread kill jack wipe.