Tag: urinal etiquette

Charting the social acceptability of peeing in public

This is no laughing matter. It’s serious sociology people. Get with the program.

So, because you all need to think more deeply about your innate desire to pee in public, here’s a graph representing the social acceptability of said action (or other peeing related actions) and the outcomes of such pressure on your bladder. This social pressure creates real pressure.

From the artist/sociologist:

This was something I used to help me think through the two main axes that determine peeing behavior – biological and social control. Urination is a biological function that has been subjected to a great degree of social control. Unfortunately, urban design has not kept pace with the demand for clean, easily accessible public restrooms for humans. And there has been no attempt to create any kind of system to deal with canine urine. In most cities it is illegal for humans to pee in public but both legal and widely accepted for dogs to pee where ever they like (in New York, they cannot pee on the grass in parks).

Thou shalt not urinate sitting down

That’s right. If you’re a Christian man stand up and be counted… the urinal is the new circumcision…

Speaking of urinals… funny story. I was at the football a couple of weeks ago, and I had a beer. Football beer in plastic cups gives me the hiccups. Two beers consumed within the space of a game gives me the need to use the facilities. So I did. I took my place at the (incredibly efficient Suncorp Stadium) urinal and the guy next to me hiccuped. A millisecond later I hiccuped too. I hope he didn’t think I was mocking him. I’d hate for someone to turn around mid stream at a urinal thinking they had been mocked…

Oh, and if you’re a girl – don’t wear pants – it’s skirts and dresses only. That’s how it was in Biblical times.