Late in the summer, we took my dad to a local folk music festival, not quite sure what we’d encounter bathroom-wise at a park with no permanent amenities where a large crowd was expected. Hedging our bet, we took along a male urinal (the standard urine bottle available at any drugstore), which worked out just fine.
When the time came, we pushed the chair off along a path in the trees, and each of us stood at one end of the trail to prevent any stray hikers from happening upon Dad. He had privacy, no one’s sensibilities were offended, and we tossed the capped bottle and the used sanitary handwipes back into the plastic bag we’d brought them in.
Were there “accessible” bathrooms? Sure — port-a-potties, with a nice six-inch step leading up. No idea what the amenities were once inside, because no way a wheelchair was going to get there. The urinal worked just great, and was even better because dad is used to using it.
There are other alternatives, though. Long-distance private pilots have used the littlejohn (32 oz. capacity) forever, and, because the issues are different for women, there’s an adapter, the Lady J, which snaps on for the femmes among us.
Another alternative for women is the Feminal Female Urinal, but it lacks a cap, rendering it somewhat pointless for outings, unless there is certain disposal available nearby.
However, both men and women — nay, even children and the motion-sick — might be thrilled to find Travel John’s Disposable Urinals at My Pilot Store. There’s a good description of how they work on the website. They’re good for a couple of uses per urinal, and solidify the liquid immediately.
My mother-in-law found these in a K-Mart in Michigan; I couldn’t find them at K-Mart here on the east coast until I accidentally spotted them in camping supplies (not in the pharmacy, where I’d been looking).
Women might want to practice at home first, and a light lap robe or throw or shawl might be handy to preserve modesty. They come wrapped up neatly in a small and discreet package.
You able-bodied sorts might want to throw a couple in the glove box against the next 5 mile back-up on the way to the shore . . . could cut the misery level quite a bit!
Female Feminal Urinal at Allegro Medical