The mystery of the horseshoe-shaped toilet seats in public restrooms has finally been answered. Henryk Sadura – stock.adobe.com “Open front seats and elongated toilet bowls for public ...

Open-front toilet seats — sometimes referred to as “U-shaped” or “split” seats — are almost exclusively affixed to toilets in publicly accessible bathrooms or commercial spaces.

you may find yourself pushing open the stall door with your elbows, crouching precariously above the toilet seat rather than letting your skin touch it, and flushing with your shoe. "To my ...