Spitting on the ground

[Anaamika]

This (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=279107) thread reminded me of one of the most disgusting (to me) habits around - spitting on the sidewalk.

I'm putting this in the Pit because I truly think this is a vile habit, but I'd also like to hear from people who do this.

Now I'm not talking about people who have to regularly for some medical reason. Nor am I talking about people who considerately bend down really low and spit off to the side. This is usually for some reason, as well.

No, I'm talking about guys who, from head height, spit on the ground. In the middle of the pavement. Yesterday I saw someone old enough to know better spit right in the middle of a pair of sliding doors at the grocery store.

Come, on why the fuck do you do this? Were you raised in a barn? Do you not know this is disgusting? Do you think it's cool to the chicks? Because I would never date a routine ground-spitter.

And I don't think I've ever seen a female do this. Only guys. Guys who don't do this, do you find it as disgusting as I do?

[World Eater]

Come, on why the fuck do you do this? Were you raised in a barn?

Yes.

I have no idea why people do this.

[catsix]

Where should they spit?

[Anaamika]

WorldEater, you were raised in a barn? What was it like?

[Rysler]

I confess.

I'm female. I've done it, not often, but occasionally after exercising. I find it disgusting, too, but if fluid builds up in my throat, I'm going to expel, rather than choke or be uncomfortable. A quick Googling convinces me I either have asthma or heart failure, so I'm going to stop searching for a justification and simply apologize for my ogreishness.

No one is ever going to flirt with me again! :(

[Frank]

Where should they spit?
In the gutter, in the dirt, or not at all. People who habitually spit where people walk are among the most vile, despicable, and disgusting people I can think of.

[Anaamika]

In the gutter, in the dirt, or not at all. People who habitually spit where people walk are among the most vile, despicable, and disgusting people I can think of.

See, I'm not asking you people to stop spitting.

Now I'm not talking about people who have to regularly for some medical reason. Nor am I talking about people who considerately bend down really low and spit off to the side. This is usually for some reason, as well.

Just get off the goddamn sidewalk! WHY do you have to spit where i have to put my shoe?

There is always

napkins
trash cans
dirt
grass
gutters

Wherever you go.

Rysler, where are you spitting? Right in the middle of the sidewalk? Cause, yes, that's disgusting beyond belief.

[Leonard]

Normally, it doesn't bother me all that much. What I hate is when people who dip or chew tobacco (around a third of the population around here) do it. When people who dip or chew spit, it's usually a few tablespoons worth. It splashes all down the sidewalk. Fucking nasty. A few drops I can handle, but when you can damn near slip and fall in it.....

[World Eater]

WorldEater, you were raised in a barn? What was it like?

You know, I have no idea what I was responding to. :smack:

No barn raising for me, and I don't spit either.

[Rysler]

I always aim for the dirt or a trash can. What's the difference between the sidewalk and the dirt, though? I mean, huge enough to go from "acceptable" to "vile"? I think you're being a tad hysterical.

Honestly, you step on water and bacteria and ants and germs and all manner of things on the sidewalk. The blankets in hotels are coated with semen, for crying out loud. I'm not excusing the behavior, but perhaps you should just frown disparagingly at the offender and move on with your life.

If you're truly wading through a sea of phlegm, that's one thing, but some guy hocking near you, while annoying and rude, is not going to ruin the world. For me, the annoyance is really in the sound. That's a vile sound, expelling. Yuck. The result? Eh.

Unless it's a black river of regurgitated juices, of course, as Leonard has suggested.

[Kimstu]

Rysler: [...] some guy hocking near you, while annoying and rude, is not going to ruin the world.

Very, very few Pit rants are provoked by something that is actually going to ruin the world. "Annoying and rude" is usually considered quite sufficient to justify a Pitting.

Having said that, I have to confess to being another female who sometimes does a ptooie after hard exercise. (But only if nobody's near, and always in the gutter or away from where people step, and if possible I just "hold it" till I get inside to the bathroom. Please don't hate me.)

Found an interesting article, "Great Expectorations" (http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/311/7021/1685), about the decline of the accepted custom of public spitting and the possible role played by health and legal authorities anxious to restrict the spread of tuberculosis. Do you think that perhaps now that tuberculosis isn't a significant health hazard in the US, public spitting is making a comeback of sorts? Ick.

[neuroman]

I'll up you one, Elenia28. How about the guys who hock up a warm, juicy oyster right on the basketball court, with predictable results? I've seen it and felt it happen.

[Anaamika]

I'll up you one, Elenia28. How about the guys who hock up a warm, juicy oyster right on the basketball court, with predictable results? I've seen it and felt it happen.

You know neuroman, you bastard, it's 4:10 PM where I am. I don't know where you are, but it's almost time for dinner here. Yuck.

And Rysler: I don't think spitting on the ground is going to ruin the world. However, I do think a lack of common courtesy will, and this is an example of total disregard for the person behind you.
The difference between the dirt and the sidewalk? Isn't it obvious? I'm walking on the sidewalk, and it will soak into the dirt. It won't soak into the sidewalk. It will just sit there, until it evaporates or freezes.

Do you approve of people spitting their gum out on sidewalks? If not, then this isn't really that drastically different. It's rude and crude.

[Lute Skywatcher]

I spit if I have excessive sinus drainage. Usually after I've been sick or, for some reason, sometimes having just drank a soda. I don't mind seeing people spit unless it's tobacco juice. I do mind listening to hocking, which is why I try to keep my hocking confined to the bathroom.

[Lute Skywatcher]

Forgot to mention, when I do spit I always aim for where people don't usually walk.

[Eve]

I'm going to get shot someday, because whenever someone does this, no matter how big and threatening he looks, I automatically turn to him and hiss, "pig!"

I can't help it, it's a reflex action.

[Rysler]

Do you approve of people spitting their gum out on sidewalks? If not, then this isn't really that drastically different. It's rude and crude.

People should wad their gum up in paper and toss it away carefully. People should not chew gum in public. Especially not if they're soccer players (Because I'm terrified of them choking!). That being said, I probably wouldn't notice where they spit it. I'm also rather revolted by people eating outside of an appropriate setting, because it's gross and designates a lack of self-control. I just tend to look away, though, and move on.

Kimstu, true enough. I revoke my petulant response.

For some reason, spitting in the gutter seems a little icky. Gutters are dirty!

Eve, is the appropriate response to "pig!" to giggle apologetically? Because that's what I just did.

[Anaamika]

You know what? I've been thinking about this, and the people who have posted in this thread saying the problem.

The problem is the guy who's swaggering down the street. His pants are down to his ankles. He's grabbing his crotch. His whole attire screams attitude, attitude.

And then suddenly, "HAAWWK PTOOEY!"

Right in my fucking path.

I'm would take a leaf from Eve's book but with my young face I don't think any of these guys would take me seriously. Grrrr.

[Anaamika]

People should wad their gum up in paper and toss it away carefully. People should not chew gum in public. That being said, I probably wouldn't notice where they spit it. I'm also rather revolted by people eating outside of an appropriate setting, because it's gross and designates a lack of self-control. I just tend to look away, though, and move on.

For some reason, spitting in the gutter seems a little icky. Gutters are dirty!

Eve, is the appropriate response to "pig!" to giggle apologetically? Because that's what I just did.

Spitting in the gutter seems icky? Because the gutter is dirty? Well, the road is clean, so it's perfectly OK to spit there and make it dirty.

I truly do NOT understand this philosophy. And I don't have any trouble with people chewing their gum in public, just what they do with it after. Are you seriously suggesting gum-chewing should be confined to the home?

I also have to say; people can eat wherever they want. It designates a lack of self-control? How about, it shows that the person probably didn't have time to eat in the proper setting, and is trying to nourish their body anyway they can. Again, I don't have a problem as long as they're not throwing their stuff on the floor afterward.

[Rysler]

I truly do NOT understand this philosophy. And I don't have any trouble with people chewing their gum in public, just what they do with it after. Are you seriously suggesting gum-chewing should be confined to the home?

The road is clean? Since when? Cleaner than the gutter, yes, but cleaner than spit? Probably not. Spit is basically water. Stepping in water with a nicely-soled shoe does not make anyone's foot rot off. Not that spitting on the sidewalk is okay. But are you seriously suggesting spit should be confined to the areas you designate? I don't go around cruading against people for eating or chewing gum, it just aggrivates, or in some cases, worries me. I feel no need for a change in culture, simply because I'm commenting on it.

You and I have different personal preferences about what our environment should look like. We both have biological speculation on our side. When the downfall of civilization comes, we'll know who's right.

[Larry Mudd]

People who spit on the sidewalk should be publicly caned.

A few zears ago, I might have just shrugged and said, "No biggee," but the incidence of public spitting has increased amongst the zouth so much in mz area latelz, that whole areas are practicallz nonßnavigable.

Bus terminals, or the ALRT station? Forget individual "spits." There#s enough that thez join together to form actual fucking puddles.

More than one eaterz in mz neighborhood actuallz have signs posted that saz "Please -- no spitting in the doorwaz." In the fucking doorwaz.

It#s subhuman. Thez should be lined up and shot, the filthz little punks.

(previews)

Crap. Teach me to borrow the German guy's laptop.

(Go ahead an insert fascist joke here.)

[Rysler]

That's something I didn't need to know about Canada. :eek:

(And per the German, I thought you were using leetspeak to make a point about the filthiness of youth)

[Frank]

(And per the German, I thought you were using leetspeak to make a point about the filthiness of youth)
I assumed that just thinking of the filthiness of youth was giving him an uncontrollable tic in his left little finger.

[Ogre]

People should not chew gum in public. Especially not if they're soccer players (Because I'm terrified of them choking!). That being said, I probably wouldn't notice where they spit it. I'm also rather revolted by people eating outside of an appropriate setting, because it's gross and designates a lack of self-control. I just tend to look away, though, and move on.Are you serious? Am I being whooshed? No gum-chewing in public? Grossed out by eating "outside of an appropriate setting?" What the hell is an appropriate setting?

All this seems ragingly neurotic to me. Like, Woody Allen neurotic. Or Kramer.

Except for the spitting thing. I'll spit when I run, but always, always off the path. Actually, I'm trying to cure myself of that as well, since I'm really just getting rid of more badly-needed water in the process.

[scout1222]

It's interesting to see that there are several people admitting to spitting while/after they exercise.

I'm a girl, and I spit when I run. So help me, there's something about running that just leaves me sometimes with excess phlegm or saliva. If I'm running for 2 hours, there's just no way I can keep it in my mouth the whole time.

So I spit.

Now, I would NEVER EVER EVER spit under any other occasion, because I think it's gross to just walk down the street and hock a loogie. But for some reason, it's different when I'm running. More functional, I guess.

[Chefguy]

Normally, it doesn't bother me all that much. What I hate is when people who dip or chew tobacco (around a third of the population around here) do it. When people who dip or chew spit, it's usually a few tablespoons worth. It splashes all down the sidewalk. Fucking nasty. A few drops I can handle, but when you can damn near slip and fall in it.....

That's not the worst of it. It's the styrofoam coffee cups and soda cans that have been used for the purpose and left for someone else to deal with, with all the 'near misses' running down the side to pool on the surface. More than once in the military I saw someone pick up the wrong cup, thinking it was their coffee...nuff said.

[amarinth]

Having said that, I have to confess to being another female who sometimes does a ptooie after hard exercise. (But only if nobody's near, and always in the gutter or away from where people step, and if possible I just "hold it" till I get inside to the bathroom. Please don't hate me.)
Another woman who does it during hard exercise. I don't spit on people, and I try to spit to the side of the path - but if I'm in the middle of a long bike ride or long run and my mouth is full of saliva, I'm going to spit it out.

[SteveG1]

I've been known to spit occasionally. If you have a bad head cold or chest cold, you build up a amazing amount of fluid and congestion it has to go somewhere. I shoot it into the street or a trashcan.

[BoBettie]

I just ranted aloud to myself TODAY about this. I moved 2 years ago to NC, spitting capitol of the PLANET. Jesus wept, everyone and their brother (and sister, and mother) hocks loogies or tobacco everywhere you go. It is absolutely gagging to watch and listen to. Some day I may have loogie rage and just run up on someone screaming "STOP IT! STOP IT STOP IT STOPITSTOPITSTOPIT!!!!! NO MORE!!!"

Gah, it's just so fucking GROSS. I"m not saying walk around swallowing your phlegm, but man- to habitually spit or use tobacco without a cup or can (which is still gross, but better) is just nasty.

[SteveG1]

Ever notice, they can fling more spit in one shot than any normal person ever had cumulatively in their entire life? Very impressive. But now I have an image stuck in my head of someone's toothless grandmother spewing like in the Exorcist. I hate you all for this :D

[Shakes]

No one is ever going to flirt with me again!

Hey baby! How you doing? ;)

[Elysian]

Oh, I am SO glad that you pitted this. At the university guys do this all day long. On cold days you can see PUDDLES OF FROZEN LOOGIES on the sidewalk. I have a rolling laptop bag, and the last thing I want is your spit and expelled snot on the bottom of my bag. I'm walking on the sidewalk to get away from the dirt, please spit on the dirt! Damn!

If I know the person, I will say, "That is so sexy, I so want to do you now." I've embarrassed more people that way. They deserve it, the disgusting cows.

[Ephemera]

I don't make a habit of spitting but I do it when I feel the need and had no idea that it bothered anyone.

Knowing won't stop me either. There's a hell of a lot worse that you can step on on a sidewalk than a bit of saliva.

[roger thornhill]

Spitting cops you a US200 dollar fine in Hong Kong now, along with littering, not clearing up dog mess and posting fliers illegally. Came in after SARS, generally welcomed and seems to have had an effect.

[Shagnasty]

I don't think spitting on the sidewalk is all that OK. However, I know a few guys, and one girl that can hock a loogie straight up in the air and catch it in their mouth. Now thats cool and it doesn't get the sidewalk or even the grass dirty.

I have had stomach problems in the last year and have spontaneously vomited on several busy sidewalks and inside a subway station. People do tend to give looks of disgust then but I don't really blame them.

[Ashes, Ashes]

I live near the Mexican border and our health department people are frantic to get people to stop spitting all over the damned place because tuberculosis is a big problem. Never mind that it's revolting beyond belief, no matter where you do it.

A quiet ptooie in a tissue or trash can I can understand, even the gutter in an emergency. But not in the grass, because some people would like to sit and talk or eat their lunch there and it's not nice to put your hand down in somebody's spittle.

[CanvasShoes]

In the gutter, in the dirt, or not at all. People who habitually spit where people walk are among the most vile, despicable, and disgusting people I can think of.
EXACTLY!!! And thank you for such a timely thread. This one is for YOU, young 20 something smoking drizzling spit on the sidewalk punkbrat at the bus stop in front of the Sears Mall Carrs today at about 5:15 pm.

YUKKOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! This little idiot was sitting on the bench smoking and in between drags he was leaning over and not just spitting, but PLAYING with his own spit, letting it drizzle and elongate all out, watching it......seeing how long he could let it get before it hit the ground. And that was the polite stuff. I made the mistake of looking over toward him and caught him twice, after that I made sure I faced the other way until the bus arrived.

Sorry, I'll stop now before the entire Pit makes a beeline for their bathrooms to lose their lunches.

It IS possible to hold your spit for that few extra nanoseconds, if you MUST really and truly spit, until you're off the sidewalk, or out of the oncoming foot traffic. YUCK, give me Chefguy's toothbrush man any day!!!

[CanvasShoes]

That's not the worst of it. It's the styrofoam coffee cups and soda cans that have been used for the purpose and left for someone else to deal with, with all the 'near misses' running down the side to pool on the surface. More than once in the military I saw someone pick up the wrong cup, thinking it was their coffee...nuff said.
OHGODOHGODOHGOD, you REAaaaaaaaaaaallly could have left off the "pick up the wrong cup" part of that...

ARRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHH

[scout1222]

I have had stomach problems in the last year and have spontaneously vomited on several busy sidewalks and inside a subway station.

Man, I think that takes the cake!

Spontaneous vomit. :eek:

[OneChance]

I'm a guy and I don't understand all the spitting. I tell ya, I'd rather swallow it than spit it out which causes it to make way too much contact with my tongue. And what's with the people who pinch one nostril closed, then strongly blow with the other, causing a huge green glob of snot to go shooting outward, which is usually followed up with a hand coming up and wiping off the extra bits that didn't make it all the way out? That is by far more disgusting then spitting. The people I know who do that or spit are usually the same ones who don't flush or wash up after using the bathroom.

[calm kiwi]

I'm not a sports type but why do athletes spit?

Not the get rid of a lugey spit (which is gross and they should be smacked) but the just spit spit? You see it all the time in football, in athletics (all through the olympics) etc. Why do they do it? Have they lost the ability to swallow? Does competeive sport overload your spit production?

I have yet to see a female netballer or even those half naked beach volley ballers spit and they run as much as male athletes.

Is it some manly man thing?

[Iris]

I have yet to see a female netballer or even those half naked beach volley ballers spit and they run as much as male athletes.

Is it some manly man thing?

I don't think it's necessarily a manly thing. I'm a woman and I will occassionally spit on the ground while I'm outside running. In fact, most of the men and women on my cross country & track teams in college would spit while running. I don't know what is about running that causes spitting. Perhaps it is an increase in saliva production. Sometimes it can be difficult to swallow while running, especially if you're running really fast and out of breath. Before you all tell me how disgusting I am, please note that I don't spit in the middle of the sidewalk - but on the grass. I can think of far more disgusting things that people leave on the ground than a little spit.

[clayton_e]

I don't go around cruading against people for eating or chewing gum, it just aggrivates, or in some cases, worries me
(bolding mine)

I'm sorry if this was a while back in the thread, and I'm sorry if I'm missing something, but... huh? :confused:

[Colophon]

I have never understood why people feel the need to spit, unless their running a marathon or something in which case I can understand it. Saliva is meant to be swallowed, goddammit!

[Leonard]

That's not the worst of it. It's the styrofoam coffee cups and soda cans that have been used for the purpose and left for someone else to deal with, with all the 'near misses' running down the side to pool on the surface. More than once in the military I saw someone pick up the wrong cup, thinking it was their coffee...nuff said.
Heh, heh, yep, I've seen that, too. And the projectile vomit that follows...

[don't ask]

I'm not a sports type but why do athletes spit?

Not the get rid of a lugey spit (which is gross and they should be smacked) but the just spit spit? You see it all the time in football, in athletics (all through the olympics) etc. Why do they do it? Have they lost the ability to swallow? Does competeive sport overload your spit production?

I have yet to see a female netballer or even those half naked beach volley ballers spit and they run as much as male athletes.

Is it some manly man thing?

What a great question.

I am hardly a delicate flower, but I wouldn't spit in front of others (except after say ingesting a fly while dining al fresco) and wouldn't spit on the sidewalk for a bet, but I have spit many times on the sports field and can't now work out why.

I think it must have something to do with being out of breath. I know when I do it it is done without thought and the rest of the time I just swallow it like evryone does all day long.

Baffling.

[Tir Tinuviel]

This reminded me of an urban legend that was going round when I was at school.

Apparently if you went to -insert neighbourhood- and spat on the groud, if one of the "hoods" stepping in it they'd hunt you down and kill you!

That'd make an interesting CSI.

:D