Why do Americans do... Toilet Stalls

I am on holiday in the US right now. I have been to San Francisco and now I'm in Seattle.

Everywhere I go I find myself posing the same question... Why are American toilet stalls designed the way they are?

What do I mean by this?

• I mean that there is a 1-2cm gap on either side of the toilet door which anyone can see through.


• I mean that the stall walls are modelled on Wild West Saloon doors and are at least one foot from the floor and less than 6 feet in height. This means you can always see more of the people on either side of you than you want to. It also means that if you are 6foot tall you can easily see into the stalls on either side.


• I mean that there is always a gap if 2-3cm between the stall dividing wall and the back wall itself.


• I mean that there is no 'vacant / engaged' sign on the door locks, so you are encouraged to peer into the stalls to see whether they are taken or not.

Do the Americans not value a sense of privacy when they are in their rest rooms?

Why do Americans do toilet stalls like this?