The pullcord kind used to be pretty common, I think. This is just that with a pedal.

and public washrooms often use the touchless sensor types.

Now. I'm guessing you only have to go back to 2000 for that to be a futuristic new thing, though, while the history of the modern flush toilet goes back to the Victorian era.

They can still have both. A foot pedal for those who want it, a standard handle for those who don't or can't. In fact, retrofitting existing handle-flush toilets to add foot pedals could make a lot of sense.

Oh shit, I guess that's true, yeah. Wheelchair bathrooms are there own thing but not every place has them, at least where I live.

Huh, so they do exist then.