Yeah. This past winter, they passed a law in Texas making it a FELONY to get caught urinating in public not just by an officer, but by ANYONE.
To top things off, if convicted, you will be put on the sex offender registry for LIFE.
This seems very stupid,http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/images/smilies/smack.gif since I work as a Class 3 security officer and often have to pull over at the side of the highway and run off to the woods and go pee.
I didn’t know zombies had to pee!
The police department I volunteered with in Idaho used to arrest drunks for public urination. It was (and should be) a completely different thing from being charged with indecent exposure (or weenie wagging) or sexual molestation.
They do. That’s why they’re always looking for d-r-a-a-i-i-n-s.
I was once arrested for peeing in public, but the charge was Disorderly Conduct. It was dismissed.
Is there a cite for either of these statements?
Oh, God, you win. I narrowly avoided spewing coffee through my nose. I love you and want to bear your children!
Does “wide stance” count as a defense?
It’s instructive what Hollywood portrays and stupid or evil. Remember in the 90’s HMO’s were the bad guys.
In the recent movie “Horrible Bosses” one employee is portrayed as a guy who was caught peeing once upon a time at midnight in the (bar???) parking lot next to a school, and is now trapped in a job with a harrassing boss because as a registered sex offender nobody else would hire him.
In Oklahoma, the charge is “Outraging Public Decency” which seems a bit over the top since every one has to pee. Also, we’re not above charging 3 year olds with it. Link.
I’ve heard that they make these things called plastic bottles that might provide you with a better option. Just don’t litter.
I’ll second that… how about a cite for any state where public urination convictions require you register as a sex offender.
In New York, and I prseume in other states, there is a specific list of offenses which require registration, none of them are penny ante crimes like mooning someone or peeing on a tree.
Since I started surfing the SDMB, I have read some incredible, outrageous, fucked-up-beyond-belief things, but that story linked above may well take the cake.
A bit of sanity remains in the country! Hopefully the internal investigation will figure out where the problem is.
This is the first cite on the Staff Report:
David Dicks? You could not make that up.
So would a urination case go before a jury of Peers?
Remember to watch out for the police chief, he’s a dick.
I don’t wanna have kids with you but I agree, that was just beautiful.
