Scan-to-Pay Mobile Toilet

The scan-to-pay mobile toilet is a mobile toilet facility that utilizes a scan-to-pay method for use. It has emerged in some areas of Fujian, and its usage method and the controversies it has sparked are as follows:

Usage Method

When using a scan-to-pay mobile toilet, users need to scan the code to open the door first. After 5 seconds, the toilet door automatically locks. After paying 10 yuan, a page pops up on the mobile phone with two options: 'Open' and 'End Order'. Clicking 'Open' allows normal use of the toilet, and at the same time, the mobile phone screen displays a countdown timer. If the usage exceeds the time limit, users can renew the payment; they can also choose to stop midway and end the order.

Controversies Sparked

• Unfriendly to Constipation Patients: Some users claim to be constipation patients who spend a long time on the toilet. When using this type of toilet, they feel extremely anxious and helpless while watching the countdown timer while squatting. Due to their special physical condition, they stay in the toilet much longer than normal, and the time-based charging model of this toilet puts them under significant financial pressure and psychological burden.
• High Charges Spark Discontent: Some netizens believe that the 10-yuan charge per use for this type of toilet is too high and unacceptable. For most people, this charging standard exceeds their expectations for public toilet charges, making it seem not cost-effective and an unreasonable charging behavior.
• Poorly Designed Timing System: Many netizens feel that watching the clock while squatting is like a race between time and money, an experience that is both embarrassing and infuriating. As a place to meet people's basic physiological needs, the toilet's use of a time-based charging method prevents users from relaxing during use, going against the toilet's intended function. This design is open to question. However, some netizens also believe that charging for toilet use and requiring a scan to enter are understandable, but the simple method of timing based on squatting time is not appropriate.