Finland's roadside toilets: now accessible only by SMS

While those in London can use SMS to actually find a lavatory, folks passing through Western Finland will be required to bust out their handset in order to relieve themselves in select public restrooms. In an attempt to curb vandalism, the Finnish Road Administration has implemented a system along Highway 1 which requires restroom visitors to text "Open" (in Finnish, of course) in order to let themselves in. The idea is that folks will be less likely to lose their mind and graffiti up the place knowing that their mobile number is (at least temporarily) on file, but it remains to be seen if uprooters will simply take their defacing ways elsewhere or actually excrete in peace.

[Via Switched]

[Denver_80203 @ Feb 5th 2008 1:07PM]

Bummer if your battery is dead, eh?

[Student Driver @ Feb 5th 2008 2:08PM]

No shit? No really, you can't shit in there then.

[Tech^Cellfish @ Feb 5th 2008 4:29PM]

Well, you have gas stations

[newgalactic @ Feb 5th 2008 1:12PM]

So, should we expect an increase in urinating/pooping in public sightings?

[Ellianth @ Feb 5th 2008 2:22PM]

Just mark your territory outside the washroom door. Can't get in? No problem, shit on the steps in front of the washroom. See if anyone else uses it for the rest of the day.

[majortom @ Feb 5th 2008 1:12PM]

Man! That is the cleanest roadside bathroom I have ever seen. I wish this story and photo would be emailed to every gas station in America; not to mention state highway "rest stops".

[Magallanes @ Feb 5th 2008 2:11PM]

May be is a female lavatory.

[Grizz @ Feb 5th 2008 1:14PM]

Burners. Vandals rejoice!

[majortom @ Feb 5th 2008 1:15PM]

second thought. would this cut down on US senators from hanging out in public restrooms?

[maryland157 @ Feb 5th 2008 1:17PM]

Heck , what if you really have to go, I'd rather go in the woods then have to send a text.

[Chebwa @ Feb 5th 2008 1:32PM]

"I'd rather go in the woods then have to send a text."

...uuuhhh...

[Chebwa @ Feb 5th 2008 1:18PM]

I hope there's still a lock inside.

Wouldn't want to surprise somebody with an "open" text...

[joe23521 @ Feb 5th 2008 1:27PM]

There's still a lock, which stops the "open" message. However, "open sesame" will unlock the door no matter what.

[Blaktornado @ Feb 5th 2008 1:46PM]

Nope. Definitely not that REALLY hot chick you saw enter a minute or two earlier... yes...

...uh.

[Moorio || peacebyanymeans @ Feb 5th 2008 3:10PM]

Really hot girl or not, watching someone poop is pretty fucking gross.

[Blaktornado @ Feb 5th 2008 3:36PM]

who says she's pooping?

[Chebwa @ Feb 5th 2008 3:40PM]

Great.

I have started the worst thread in history.

[Blaktornado @ Feb 5th 2008 5:28PM]

I feel honored to have been a part of it...


I'd like to thank my Mom, my...

[Blaktornado @ Feb 5th 2008 5:28PM]

I feel honored to have been a part of it...


I'd like to thank my Mom, my...

[Myramar @ Feb 5th 2008 1:18PM]

They should install a camera that takes a snapshot every time the door opens along with an on screen stamp of the phone number used. That way, if a mirror goes missing, or an Israeli tourist happens to drop by (and unscrew the faucet, door knobs or handles like they often do in Greece and Turkey), the 'authorities' will know what went missing before and after the deed.

[Dolemite @ Feb 5th 2008 7:42PM]

Maybe I misunderstood your comment, but are you saying that jews are going around stealing Greek\Turkish plumbing supplies?

This is a joke, right?

[virtualadrian @ Feb 6th 2008 8:42AM]

You know Myr some may consider your comment insulting, I see it as entrepreneurial genius. I would have never thought of that. I mean good grief with one drive down the interstate here in the States I could open a plumbing/doorknob business. Hmmm....

[Nelson @ Feb 6th 2008 11:19AM]

Myramar never said Jews, she said Israelis. There are a lot of arabs living in Israel.

[Nick @ Feb 5th 2008 1:18PM]

this story looks unusually familiar...

[Karl HacksWell @ Feb 5th 2008 1:26PM]

Yeah I read this on Gizmodo yesterday.

[sk8rpro @ Feb 5th 2008 1:29PM]

I think this would increase vandalism on the outside if not the inside because gangsters don't know how to spell.

[Denver_80203 @ Feb 5th 2008 2:06PM]

Speaking of how to spell.. anyone know how to spell 'open' in Finland-ish? And, where the hell is the umlaut on my phone?

[ptman @ Feb 6th 2008 8:03AM]

"Open" in finnish is spelled "avaa".

[aardvark sandwich @ Feb 5th 2008 1:33PM]

Basic human rights. Available in 2 year service contract only.

[JPN @ Feb 5th 2008 2:24PM]

How is having an enclosed area, with all the bathroom accomodations, right where you want it, for free, a basic human right? Go find a bathroom.

Just because you want something, or feel entitled to it, does not make it a "basic human right".

[Pdexter @ Feb 5th 2008 3:58PM]

Well firstly 75% of phones are sold with out contract and secondly Finland has highest rate of phones per head in the world or at least was in 2006 dunno how it is now.

[jtc970 @ Feb 5th 2008 1:48PM]

you no phone, you no pee

[Karl HacksWell @ Feb 5th 2008 1:57PM]

This seriously made me LOL. Awesome comment, the best thing ive read on Engadget in years.

[mattclarkie @ Feb 5th 2008 1:50PM]

I can see the advantage, but vandals don't care, if you have a pre-paid phone which most vandals do then tracing you is hard, I have never bought a pre-paid sim with proof of identity.

Are these texts standard rate, or premium, because I could see the texts actually being a way to charge poopers for the privilege of, well pooping.

[Good_Bytes @ Feb 5th 2008 1:54PM]

How about people, like me, without a cell... Is it some cheap trick from cell-phone company to cash even more in... It's already not enough to take every single penny out of pocket, now they want your pants.... Or maybe I am just over reacting, because the all service provider in Canada sucks balls, and over charge you for everything, even for message THEY send you, and that you cannot stop. [/rant]

[js @ Feb 5th 2008 2:33PM]

Tell a Finn you don't have a cell phone: the response is either a blank stare or an offer to sell you an old one.

Considering that an SMS costs a few cents, and Finnish pay toilets usually cost at least 50 c to open, this seems to be a bargain. (No, they don't charge for the SMS, you only pay what the carrier charges.)

Besides, if you are the sort of person who can plan ahead far enough to survive without a cell phone, you can just go to the toilet at any of the gas stations on Highway 1 - no charge.

[js @ Feb 5th 2008 2:33PM]

...by the way, I have a cell phone I could sell you... :)

[sk8rpro @ Feb 5th 2008 6:08PM]

@js

Are you Finnish?

[resare @ Feb 5th 2008 1:55PM]

Is it just me or are people from Finland into public exposure. Their restroom doors are see through! Somewhere someone with fetish for public exposure or public excretion is thinking about moving to Finland.

[mattclarkie @ Feb 5th 2008 1:59PM]

WTF?

[GreezyG @ Feb 5th 2008 2:13PM]

Psst... the door is not see-thru... it's OPEN!

[DT @ Feb 5th 2008 2:01PM]

This is the shit.

LOL @ "excrete in peace"...I'm going to use this next time my wife wants me to exit the bathroom for an errand. "Honey! Can't a man excrete in peace??"

[Tush @ Feb 5th 2008 2:17PM]

Sorry people in poverty, you're going to have to hold it for a little bit longer....

You don't have anywhere else to pee/poop? Too bad.

[Chris @ Feb 5th 2008 5:06PM]

Poverty? In Finland?

[JPN @ Feb 5th 2008 2:23PM]

And how exactly does this help curb vandalism? How would someone know actually WHICH cell # was the vandal's? Say I walk in and see the bathroom trashed...it doesn't mean the person right before me did it. It could have been 5 people before me.

[james @ Feb 5th 2008 2:24PM]

for the cost of the tech, couldnt they just hire someone to monitor the place? Some states in the US have 24/7 rest area maintenance (WV is one).

[aot @ Feb 6th 2008 5:53AM]

Cheap labor is not a part of Finnish vocabulary. Just about any tehc is cheaper than a Finnish worker.

[Poolshark314 @ Feb 5th 2008 2:24PM]

next time I vandalize a bathroom, i'll make sure I open the door with my friend's phone!

[Magallanes @ Feb 5th 2008 2:29PM]

New vandalism on Finland :Remove the SMS number of public toilets.

[farfisa @ Feb 5th 2008 2:33PM]

Or the real hard core vandals will beat the shit out of someone for their phone first. Yay.