Mobile Toilets in Huizhou Scenic Areas

The situation of mobile toilets in Huizhou scenic areas (Huizhou West Lake Scenic Area) is exemplified by the 'tide toilets,' whose design has sparked controversy and undergone optimization adjustments.

Initial Design and Issues of Tide Toilets

Originally, the 'tide toilets' at Huizhou West Lake Scenic Area featured manually adjustable signs at the entrance. The intention behind this design was to flexibly adjust the number of male and female toilet stalls during peak visitor hours, increasing the number of female stalls to alleviate the problem of long queues for women. For instance, during holidays and other busy periods, some male stalls could be temporarily converted to female stalls based on actual conditions, improving toilet efficiency. However, this design had significant drawbacks. Due to the low threshold for modification, visitors could freely adjust the signs, potentially leading to confusion between male and female toilet areas. For example, an area originally marked as female might be mistakenly switched to male, causing great inconvenience to visitors and even posing privacy risks, particularly for female visitors.

Optimized Design Solution

After receiving feedback from visitors, the scenic area optimized the sign design for the 'tide toilets.' The adjustable signs were replaced with fixed slot-type door plates. These door plates are normally kept by staff and are only replaced with male or female signs by staff when the 'tide toilets' are in use, based on actual conditions. This design effectively prevents visitors from freely adjusting the signs, ensuring clear demarcation between male and female toilet areas and enhancing the safety and orderliness of toilet use.

Practical Effects of Tide Toilets

The scenic area has installed three 'tide toilets.' By flexibly adjusting the number of stalls, these toilets have effectively alleviated the problem of difficult toilet access for women. Additionally, the scenic area has implemented multiple measures to improve the issue of long queues for women during holidays, further enhancing visitors' toilet experiences and providing a more convenient and comfortable tourism environment.