The deadly truth about a world built for men – from stab vests to car crashes

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/feb/23/truth-world-built-for-men-car-crashes

 

Not particularly deadly but inconvenient. 6 foot tall plumber installs shower for 5 foot 2 inch woman. Can't be moved as he's drilled into the newly installed expensive tiles. Theoretically the shower head is movable up and down, but even the lowest possible placing is too high for woman to stand under comfortably. Even worse when sitting on shower stool.

Have to unhook shower head from holder and spray body while holding it - knackering. And also awkward as really need 2 hands just to get the shower cream out of container (pump action) so where do you put the shower head while getting the cream?

Liable to spray water all over bathroom despite glass shower screen if you put it down. So it's grab between knees to free both hands. So by time finished shower have sore arms from holding spray for rinsing and sore thighs from grasping shower head to get cream!

So this is why I usually bath at home!

 

@ladycatlover - I've had arguments around similar issues with my husband - mirrors too high, coat hooks too high, 'standard' (yes there is such a thing) wall cupboard positioning too high etc. He's been married to me for nearly 30 years he should be used to how tall I am by now!

 

I'm male, only 5'7" these days, and I've never seen/had a shower I didn't have to crouch under i.e. one I could stand up in.

Odd, that 'standard' seems to be so non standard, I'd suspect that a mistake was made and the fitter didn't want to pay for new tiles/work, so claimed it was at a 'standard' height.

Or maybe I'm just a git

 

This opens a can of worms.

Children are never considered.
There's very little in the world made with any thought to any group outside the 6' tall male.

Except maybe airline seats. Those are made for child size people.

 

I have a low profile shower with a stool so bought a specially long shower rail. Had to go to the hospital and came back to find installer didn't have a part so decided to get on with things by putting up the rail without consulting me. Yup, if any 8 foot men need a shower we are always available. Had to get a stick on shower head holder from Home Bargains so I can reach. "Luckily" I can't manage myself any more so don't need it but really!

Oh and the thing about men too.

 

Everything is slightly too short for me at 5.11. What a load of nonsense

 

And bus seats.

 

I've heard the antler story before, and I must say: OP is a fabulous writer. What a great opening.

 

My wife hung up our full-length mirror, with the result that when I look into it the top of my head is missing. I bang my head on the extractor fan when leaning over the cooker ... guess who told the people who installed it how high that should be? Every time I get into the shower I have to slide the shower head up so I don't have to stoop under it. When I use the kitchen sink I have to lean forwards in a stooping position which makes my back ache. The only time I get a break from banging my head or stooping until my back aches is when I leave the house - now that is to be taken away from me?

 

I know your pain @TiredSam, 190cm (6ft 3") here.

In my case the (average male height) plumber had to take out the nice new shower tray, redo all the pipework and lower it, because when I stepped up into the shower my hair was brushing the low ceiling and there was literally no room for the shower head

To make matters worse I now have inflammatory arthritis in my thoracic spine, which makes all those little leaning forwards actions we do every day really great fun...

 

now i know why 'voice recognition software' in telephone call centres, literally cannot hear what i am clearly saying. sigh.

 

Mr Pants is exactly one head taller than me. We hang all our mirrors so that the upper half is for him, and the lower half is for me. They never fit with anything else in the room, but at least we know what we look like.