The Elevator Pitch
This is another one of those apps that you won’t use with any regularity but gosh darn-it when you need it it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread. I’m a big believer in having lots of apps like that on my phone.
The elevator pitch is quite simple: where’s the closest bathroom to my current position? And if you or a loved one has a disability it’s also a good thing to know if the closest bathroom can accommodate special needs.
Kudos, Swiss WC Guide. You’re on the side of the angels. And their web version is just as usable
Functionalities
When you open the app the default screen is going to be the Map, zoomed into your location with pins marking the nearest bathrooms. The pin icon also lets you know if the bathroom caters to those with disabilities or if it’s a EuroKey bathroom. EuroKey is a locking system used throughout Europe which can be opened with a universal key providing facilities to those with disabilities.
List
This screen simply shows a list of the closest facilities. The app does a good job using the iconography so you can easily see which facilities cater to which audience (general public, those with disabilities, EuroKey facilities). Selecting any individual facility takes you to a screen split between a map (with the navigation link from your current location to the bathroom) as well as links to open in a full map app or report a failure. I want to make a joke about reporting a bathroom failure but it’s really just a way to correct information about that specific location (WC type, facilities, etc.).
Add Toilet
If the apps incredibly large database of toilets is incomplete you can go through a series of screens to add a toilet to their collection.
Settings
Clicking on the More button in the bottom navigation and then Settings you can actually customize the app in really useful ways.
- General settings ensure that the app can use your phone’s GPS to locate you and also mark your bathroom needs as “Urgent” (i could not understand how this ends up changing the app experience)
- Displayed Types – you can customize what locations will show up on the map by selecting the types you need. Don’t have a EuroKey? Just unselect and you won’t be taunted by locations you can’t access.
- Route – you can disable the route function when you look at a specific location and you can also specify whether the route should be for an automobile or if you’ll be going by foot.
User Experience
The app is smart in how it starts up and gives you the most likely scenario (help me find a bathroom near where I am right now) as the first interface. You can always dive deeper and move the map around but this covers the most likely scenario. It’s good that the app allows some customization to weed out the types of bathrooms (like EuroKey) that might not be relevant for your needs.
All in all this is a fine app that does what it does with ease and speed which is exactly what you need when you are in desperate search for the closest bathrooms.
Price : Free
