— by Ed Sutton —
Summer is most certainly here and has been for several weeks. Parking is difficult, lines for coffee are nearly endless, and making a left turn is a challenge. So, what else is new; this happens every year.
Our local businesses and the jobs that they provide are dependent on the visitors who come here each season. Those of us working in service jobs begin to stress out and by late August everyone’s fuse is really short. I point out these obvious realities because a friend, today, asked for my ear to vent frustration over an incident in her store with a visitor.
The incident involved the use of a public restroom. The customer evidently overstayed his welcome and words were exchanged with much gesticulation and yelling. The business employee was very upset.
So, how do we, living and working in our community, convey to those visitors the “rules of conduct” here in Eastsound? Too be fair, travel is stressful for the visitor, too. After some thought, I suggest that the answer is more information, more signage.
For example, better signs that identify the location of the public restrooms at the Village Green. Might we need another such restroom? Too, for those businesses such as “sit-down” restaurants required to have bathroom facilities, better signage within each store as to conditions of use could be helpful ( please limit your use, please clean-up after your use, please be considerate of the next user, and so forth).
There is, of course, no excuse for rudeness, so it is incumbent on the visitor to be respectful and considerate of our neighbors who strive to serve them. AND, it is is also incumbent on each of us to serve them to our best ability. With an endless wave of visitors, there will always be those who are less versed in the etiquette of manners, so a periodic confrontation is almost inevitable. Employees should be trained to deal with these situations.
To summarize: 1) Signs, “where is the public restroom”; 2)Rules, “Please be considerate”, “Clean up”, “Be courteous, everyone”; 3) Training, “Be prepared for an encounter”. If we advise the visitor as to our expectations, like traffic signs, then the incidents can be minimized. Remember, we all are visitors, travelers, going somewhere, sometime. My next trip is to Boston.
As always, Ed is the calm voice of reason.
How about this?
aps and gps locations of say of public bathrooms, market, postoffice.
since so many of us are already glued to our phones and forget to look at our surroundings . Many times all i hear is why is it i don’t i get decent reception hear? Maybe i am a little slow but my mom taught me to bring my manners with me and my dad to be aware of my surroundings, so thanks mom,dad. I guess it’s how your raised, perhaps??
thanks.
scott gianola
Everything but more signs, please. We’re always ready to help visitors find the way.
Perhaps they know where the public toilets are, but just can’t bring themselves to use them? I understand that the prison surplus sale offered good deals, but couldn’t we offer better to our guests?
Our public restroom actually is a sign.. Of what we as a community think about available restrooms to our people in need.
Are we as a community happy or better yet, proud of our investment of servicing our community’s needs? It’s one thing to care but quite something more to engage in facilitating a healthy resolve.
Our little business here in town has been used many, many times as a public restroom. I’m talking about not just when we are open but when staff is present cleaning and doing kitchen prep and closed signs are up.. People are desperate for a restroom and are asking a closed business if we would open up so they can use our facility. Every time it has been used it has been left clean, why, because they are grateful! So how can we as a community elevate our community needs, smile and say, WELCOME. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but it sure has helped many young and not so young people in need.
Maybe some day I may need a restroom, or my grandchildren! May a door be opened.
Thanks for listening.
Random Howse.
Clyde, well said! Always welcome people.