Why do American gas stations' bathrooms apparently use these huge keys?

9/18/2021 6:25:50 PM

One of the reasons they have a big "thing" attached to the key is so you don’t lose it. With something as big as a small cat, it would be hard to lose. Another reason is to prevent theft of the key. You can’t shove a key attached to some big "thing" into your pocket so you will be forced to carry the key. And when someone sees you carrying a key attached to the "thing", they will know immediately that you were the person that stole the bathroom keys.

Also, I wrote "thing" because I didn’t know what the metal thing was.

9/18/2021 5:55:17 AM

We used a 1970 Pontiac 350 alternator adjustment bracket for the bathroom key return device. Just large enough to prevent disappearance by accidental pocket storage but light enough to be easy to carry.

Our restrooms were clean enough to eat off the floors being a "Full Service Station" with 24 employees, so customers would remark that our restrooms were cleaner that their bathrooms at home.

The station down the street had a 10 pound disc brake rotor attached to a chain to his key, however you did not want to use that restroom unless there was no other choice, it was a pig sty, as was the rest of the station.

9/18/2021 5:07:13 AM

The episode was a more a joke than need be. Gas stations that offer restrooms, often incorporated the key with a huge weight or silly object. One to deter theft of key. Also key is property of station so prevent it being lost by being easily distinguished so you don’t accidentally take it with you when you leave. Modern gas stations avoid this, often having open rest rooms which shut with those rolling screens you see at malls.

9/17/2021 10:09:24 PM

With objects such as keys or pens that people can easily absentmindedly forget they are holding and walk off with, something is often attached to them to make that more difficult. This being a cartoon, this is exaggerated both for comic effect and because smaller details are harder to draw.

9/17/2021 7:29:15 PM

These are very common in the US, I’ve usually seen them as a large wooden block, roughly 1"x3"x12". Note, the one in the Beavis & Butthead clip posted looks like an old muffler, probably as a gag; I’ve never seen a real one made of a muffler. Also, at least the ones I’ve used, you generally take the key in with you, because, as you say, someone could come along and steal it. These restrooms do often have deadbolts inside too (and sometimes they don’t. Hard drug use in gas station restrooms isn’t uncommon and emergency services will need to get in if someone ODs in there).

Also, this kind of key is less common than it was in the 20th century, as most newer stations are built with bigger restrooms to accommodate multiple people at once, rather than the single-occupancy ones this kind of key is for.

9/17/2021 9:57:53 AM

So that people don’t forget them in their pocket and leave the gas station with the key.

Credit:stackoverflow.com‘

About me

Hello,My name is Aparna Patel,I’m a Travel Blogger and Photographer who travel the world full-time with my hubby.I like to share my travel experience.

Search Posts

Latest posts

Popular posts