Communal showers...

[SpikieMikie]

Why do we put up with communal showers ?

I was thinking about communal facilities in general as a result of one of my earlier questions and it occurred to me that many communal facilities and things have now gone or are disappearing - laundrettes, allotments, shared bathrooms in B&B's and guesthouses etc... I'm sure there are better examples too...

.. and yet, if we sign-up for a gym or go to most council-owned leisure centres, or play with a rugby or football team, we're all too often expected to use communal showers.. even at work for some of us.. why ?

I'm not too bothered about people seeing me having a shower; although I'd prefer it if they couldn't see me... but I dont want to stand next to other naked strangers having a shower.. I'm not convinced its hygienic and I think cleansing is a very personal thing to do... you wouldn't cut your toenails while sat the on the bus on your way to work for example...

So why do we put up with it and why don't leisure and sports facilities do away with communal showers ? In a world where people are supposed to be so conscious of their body image, surely its a subtle marketing opportunity.. one of the reasons I decided to go to a David Lloyd fitness centre was the privacy of facilities, particularly private showers.

[Buenchico]

With the possible exception of foot infections (e.g. athlete's foot), I can't see that there can be any significant hygiene risks from showering next to somebody else. (The risk of something like athlete's foot would still be present even if you followed a sufferer into a private shower area anyway).

As a naturist I don't care about people seeing me naked anywhere and I fail to see why others should do so.

While many 'council' leisure facilities are actually run by private firms these days, it's still the council that has to pay for structural alterations to the building. Installing private showers would be expensive. While it might meet with the approval of some users, it would no doubt cause a furore among Council Tax payers who would no doubt say that the money could be put to better use. Such major changes to the facilities tend to only come about when major structural changes are needed anyway.

Incidentally, while there are certainly fewer laundrettes than there used to be, the guy who runs the one I use said recently that he could hardly keep pace with the rush. His trade seems to have increased greatly over the pasty couple of years.

Also, there's a long waiting list (sometimes around 10 years or more) for allotments in most parts of the country. Many councils are desperately trying to find somewhere to put new allotments.

Lastly, I still seem able to find plenty of B&Bs with shared bathrooms. (I stayed in one, in Luton, a couple of weeks ago). I'd much rather pay �25 per night for a (beautifully clean) cheap B&B, like that one, than pay twice that for en-suite facilities.

Chris

[joggerjayne]

I can't see anything wrong with communal showers.

I've been trying to get into the communal showers at Brighton FC for years, but apparently you have to be in the team.

=0(

[Ethel]

Far more unhygienic at the gym are the sweaty herberts who don't wipe the equipment down after use.

From an older (much older) female perspective, it never bothered me to use communal facilities at my club and I believe it would do a lot of younger girls to see that women don't necessarily have the bodies of page 3 girls.

I think communal showers are probably much more hygienic as they must be easier to clean than lots of individual cubicles, and users don't get the chance to leave their used razor blades, empty bottles and worse behind

[SpikieMikie]

You're not convincing me... does no-one put a premium on privacy?

Hi Ethel.. I understand your sentiment about page 3 girls, but I personally try intentionally not to notice anyone in the changing room for that reason - I don't want to see other people naked and I'm not going to look at a 75 yr old bloke and think I'm glad I'm 28... because I'm not going to look at a 75 yr old bloke in the same way I'm not going to look at anyone else.

[shaneystar2]

I'm not keen on baring all to all and sundry either .
I much prefer to do my ablutions in private .
I used to hate them at school and I wouldn't dream of using a communal shower anywhere ever !
It's the same with shops where you try on clothes in one huge changing room.. ..no thanks ! I prefer not to have strangers sweaty armpits and manky feet right in my face .

[jno]

well, if you'd stop lying down for a quick kip, shaney, their feet wouldn't be anywhere near your face. I am not fussed who sees me (though sometimes the great waves of laughter can be a bit deafening) but yes, there are clearly plenty of people - not just the aged - who like their privacy and I would have thought that providing for them would be the default position, not the exception.

[Ronny44]

I agree with you and shaneystar2,

I am no prude but I like my privacy whether in the pool, gym changing rooms or trying a pair of trouser's on at a store.

[shaneystar2]

Haha .. it's very tiring all that clothes shopping Jno ....but I wake up as I near the designer handbag department :))

[Ethel]

SpikieMikie - I think you got the wrong end of the stick with my comments.

I meant people of all ages come in all shapes and sizes and have flaws.

[R1Geezer]

sound like Bandit country to me!

[indieanna86]

The gym I go to (Fitness First) thankfully has shower cubicles, rather than communal ones, but I still wait until I get home to shower! And women still seem to like walking around starkers, even though they don't have to. I'm glad that they are that comfortable with their body, but still, I'd rather not see all their bits and bobs if I can help it! Likewise, I'm very happy with my body, but I don't want total strangers to see it!

So in short, I agree : )

[R1Geezer]

I can't see any problem with women walking about starkers, welcome in my Gym changing room any day girls!