Whats all this hullabaLOO about?

How about a loo that pretty much does everything itself except maybe clean your behind? The AJC reports about the Space age toilets at Five Points station on the Atlanta Marta (Metro Atlanta Rapid Transport Authority if I remember right).

These things withdraw into the wall after use for an automatic wash & dry session. The toilets welcome you in a female voice, inform you that it was disinfected after last use and even bid you goodbye when you are done. Here is the best part though - the doors automatically open after 20 minutes with a warning sign after 17!! The paper quotes the authorities as saying they will soon reduce the duration to 10 minutes. If they do, I am sure quite a few people (including some my dear friends here) will be caught with their pants down !!

The German engineered (but of course!) toilets cost 1.1 Million quid for twelve toilets but apparently still end up saving some maintence costs!! Makes you wonder how much the people who presently clean the loos earn!

The article says these things are popular in Europe but are just beginning to be used in the US. The Marta is supposedly the first transit system in the US to install them. Read this AJC article for a detailed description of the Loos and the first day experiences of users!