Official Straight Dope Poll: Women, do you Sit or Hover?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Cecil and I were chatting last night about research topics and we found an interesting question regarding the public toilet habits of women. Namely, there seems to be some surprising numbers on how many women will hover over a toilet seat on a regular basis versus how many will sit - with or without a seat cover.

So, ladies, we’d like to know what you normally do in public toilets. If you have some special technique or style, or some sort of horror story which changed you from a “Sitting Susan” to a "Hovering Helen, please elaborate.

Before answering please note that we know this is an unscientific poll, so please do not post telling me such.

2

Women who hover in public toilets should be shot and pissed on. Well, if they can do it without leaving a mess, I don’t care, but the ones who leave a wet seat behind, line 'em up out back.

3

Sit, no cover. Why bother doing it the hard way?

4

Normally I hover and I do not make a mess. I really don’t even understand how people get pee all over the damn place anyway. I would never voluntarily sit on a public toilet, it’s been ingrained in me since I was little to not do that. When I’m drunk, however, this all goes out the window.

5

I had an ex who staunchly insisted that I hover. FTR, I never did and never do.

I think he misunderstood how much of our private area comes in direct contact with the seat…

6

People who hover and kick the flusher instead of touching it are germaphobes. And germaphobes are weird, man.

7

Ugh, the ones that hover are the worst. As has been mentioned, clean up your damn tinkle sprinkles. Because if you don’t, and I walk in immediately after you, I WILL say something. I just don’t understand people who hover. The damn door handles have more germs on them than the toilets. Seriously, even if there were germs on the seat, what are they going to do? Magically work their way down from your ass cheeks to your nether regions and infest you with all sorts of nasty diseases? Doesn’t work that way. Just sit on the damn seat.

8

I’m with the “line em up” sentiment when it comes to those sprinklin’ bitches. If I can’t find another dry seat, in that case I’ll hover. When I was younger and went to trashier clubs and bars, I hovered because the seats were always wet. But it’s not my preference. There’s pretty much nothing to “catch” from a terlet and I’ll sit, thanks.

9

I voted “Other,” because for me it depends on whether I have to go #1 or #2. If it’s #1, I hover. If #2, I stand on the toilet seat and let 'er drop. Of course, if it’s both, I usually just go in the sink.

10

Sit, no cover. Grab a chunk of paper to wipe down the seat first if necessary (then flush the paper with the rest of the flushables, not leave it lying around, obviously). I don’t think I could physically relax enough to pee if I was hovering!

11

I’ll point out that I’ve been in public bathrooms where there is no lid, as the custom appears to be to hover. I just find another bathroom in the vicinity.

I sometimes do clean the seat with a toilet paper before sitting down. And I also clean if there are sprinkles (from me or from the flush).

12

In the complete reverse of this, my mother taught me that it was very impolite to hover.

13

I would not have imagined that people were taught to do this. I thought they just figured it out on their own

14

Sit on the damn seat, or else leave no evidence of your odd vice of hovering.

I sit unless the seat is visibility soiled, in which case I find a different toilet. WTF is it with people who wrap the damn seat in more layers than an Egyptian mummy? And if you must do that, flush the damn creation afterward. If YOU won’t touch it, Princess, neither does anyone else want to. Seriously, how do these bitches wash themselves if they’re that afraid of their own ass cooties they won’t dispose of their own seat covers?

15

Unless it’s a filthy seat, I sit. Actually, if it is a filthy seat, I go find another toilet. I hover only as a last resort because it’s awkward and uncomfortable. I don’t have open sores on my ass and I’m not going to be catching Toilet-AIDS if I park it to pee.

16

Sit, unless it’s dire.

Uuugh but you know when the seat shifts when you sit down and your bum touches the cold, wet side of the toilet? :eek:

In my student halls, there were girls who hovered to poo. How do you even do that? I don’t think my muscles work that way. Squat maybe, but not hover. And go on, ask me how I know…

17

ISTM that women would be better served with “hole in the floor” type squat toilets similar to those found in some parts of Asia and other parts of the world. At least just for urinals, anyway - they could still have conventional turdlets, as well.

18

^^^ And I don’t mean “hole in the floor” literally, of course. There would still be a fixture, it would just be lower and smaller, and designed for squatting over without contact.

Just doesn’t seem fair that men have dedicated, no-contact urine receptacles, and women don’t.

19

If you had my arthritic knees you would not suggest this. The squat part is not all that bad but the get-back-up part is damn near impossible.

20

Well, just like in men’s restrooms, there would be the two types of toilets. You could still use a standard toilet for #1, if you want/need to.