Do you recognize and follow bathroom etiquette when you are in a public facility, or is this something made up entirely by me?

We are all aware of dinner etiquette. Ok, so we may not be ready for dinner with the Queen of England, but we know not to put our elbows on the table!

I imagine there is a proper etiquette for nearly everything – business etiquette, phone etiquette, driving etiquette… You understand what I’m saying. So why do I consistently encounter violators of bathroom etiquette?!

Now, I realize that we are all different in what should or should not be proper for a public restroom. No offense, men, but I hope to never learn what is proper in your case. For women, there are is one primary rule (to me).

If at all possible, do not… I repeat, do NOT sit in the stall next to another person.

Why would you want to?!

I was a victim of poor etiquette today. I was all alone in a bathroom of TEN stalls when the offender entered. There were seven empty stalls waiting patiently for her with their doors wide open. She bypassed every last one of them to sit in the stall directly to my right. Seven missed opportunities to demonstrate proper bathroom etiquette.

As the tips of her black, faux leather heels with cream colored stitching came into my view, I could hear her breathing… Suddenly, I had to go. I had to get the heck out of that stall and quickly!

As I washed my hands and bolted to my desk, I couldn’t help but wonder, did I make up bathroom etiquette?

Please tell me it’s a real thing!