It is a glorious mess, and I love how well we do it. When I'm buying meat or fruit and veg by weight I ask for the amount that's less words to say. If I want a certain amount I'll ask for 'a pound' because it's less effort to say than 'five hundred grammes' but if I want twice as much I'll ask for 'a kilo' because it's less effort to think about than 'two pounds'.

I used to lodge with a Bangladeshi family and the elegance with which they could all eat a curry and rice with their hands was inspiring. So neatly done. I make more mess using cutlery (as my jumpers will bear out).

I never understood this. It's way more comfortable without them so why wear them when you don't need to?

The Italian side of my ethnicity feels sorry for that poor tortured pizza. u.u (Jokes aside, it might even taste good, but I don't think my stomach would survive this)

As a Canadian, when these types of lists are published I think everyone forgets we are not part of the United States. 75% of the "weird" stuff about the U.S. exists here too, like these gaps. I just stuff a length of toilet paper in there, not because I have anything to hide, but it's weird to make random eye contact with someone when you're pooping

We, as Americans, also hate this. It's been such a luxury going to the bathroom while visiting Europe.

It's all well and good discouraging sex and drugs. It also discourages many from using the damn toilet!! Who in the name of god wants the rest of the world to be overfamiliar when you really needed some privacy to take a s**t, lol?! Simply cannot use rest room cubicles in the US. Ever.

I can remember when you used to have to pay a nickel or dime to use the bathroom at the Emporium department store in San Francisco. I don't remember gaps, but my cousin and I would hold the door open after each other. Two on one nickel. You would be surprised at what a nickel could buy in those days. Late 40s m, early 50s

This is just not a concern of ours. Who peeks in the gap? Why would you peek in the gap? I don't even notice the gap.

I have actually had the misfortune of making full eye contact with someone outside the stall while I'm inside the stall doing my business. Close the gaps, people!

Japanese people even can turn on radio music to avoid people feel ashamed of making/hearing body sounds ...

As an American let me say we hate this just as much as any visitor would. I don't know why they build the stalls this way

I loved it when I traveled to several European countries. The full-door bathrooms gave such great privacy. There were toilet brushes in almost every stall too. I never encountered a messy bathroom. In the US, public bathrooms are messy. Half the time people don't flush and there's always toilet paper on the floor. The counters are always wet.

It’s not a privacy thing. American businesses are just cheap and that “saved” space is cash in their pockets.

Lazy contractors and restroom booth designers.

Wow - this hasn't been posted 1,000 times before on here, buzzfeed, pleated jeans, etc. As a matter of fact it wasn't posted just two days ago by some tiktok girl that pretended it was new and original.

Why are there cracks so large? Where's this?

isnt only some cm from the ground in horizontal there? i think its only in some states what you post. coz never see it in my trips.

Unless you stick your eye straight into the gap, you can’t see anything. Get over yourselves. They jam up less than those with no gaps.

It’s weird too that it’s not like this every where here but if the places that they’ve corrected for that there’s actually no indication of a toilet in use.

I can only imagine that it's to prevent junkies and homeless people using them, otherwise, just why? So perverts can check that you have the right genitals to be using the toilet?

Disgusting.

Sad and true...I'm 44 years old and I've never been able to go number 2 in a public bathroom because of this...I swear I'd rather go for a hike in the woods and go...at least there it's only the animals staring at you lol

Privacy while you go to the toilet is a luxury?

It is pretty strange that after all these years they haven't fixed that

It's really true. But my Grandma used to always say, "If they haven't seen it before, they won't know what it is."

yeah - great reason not to have unisex bathrooms.

Our employer had that gap closed in our new building restroom. Much less awkward. The difference is bending over to look for feet before trying to enter a stall.

Hilarious though because it happens in Canada too! So weird.

Privacy is overrated apparently

American, here. I, too, would like to enjoy the luxury of privacy when using a restroom. It's ridiculous.

Since I've joined Bored Panda, I've read about US public toilets a lot, and not once have I come across as to why there is a gap. Why? What's the reason behind it? Would it be nice if there's a really good reason why it's ok for other people to see you pee?

It's deliberate design to a) prevent homeless moving in, b( check if people are having orgies in there

This one of the small aspects of a larger toxicity in American culture.

Plus, Americans seem way to scared/offended of nudity for this. So this makes no sense. A nipple is a rated R or higher movie, but you can watch people go to the bathroom and no one cares. So strange.

I'm from the US and always thought this was weird and awkward--even before I traveled to other countries and discovered ceiling to floor potty privacy. However, the large gap in the photo is not typical.

Actually, we like that. That way no one is in there fooling around so the one that needed to use it the most would be available.