# 2 streams of urine at once? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 26, 2005, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-streams-of-urine-at-once/314197 "2005-07-26T11:51:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Thin\_Lizzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9a140/32.png) [@Thin\_Lizzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thin_Lizzy)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-streams-of-urine-at-once/314197/1 "2005-07-26T11:51:06Z")
Why is that when you first start to urinate, it is like 2 streams are coming out that merge and become one stream? And some times after sex, the streams don’t merge and you are peeing on both sides of the toilet bowl? ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-streams-of-urine-at-once/314197/2 "2005-07-26T11:52:54Z")
It’s just because the meatus (the urethral opening) is a funny shape. The phenomenon is known as “the adder’s tongue”, as in “Sorry for the mark on the carpet, love. I had the adder’s tongue this morning.” ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-streams-of-urine-at-once/314197/3 "2005-07-26T12:43:58Z")
We always called it the ‘V’ Stream. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![fubbleskag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fubbleskag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fubbleskag)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-streams-of-urine-at-once/314197/4 "2005-07-26T13:42:32Z")
“Don’t cross the streams!” ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-streams-of-urine-at-once/314197/5 "2005-07-26T14:18:19Z")
Arggh… a rare Ghostbusters movie reference… I wish I had thought of it! ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-streams-of-urine-at-once/314197/6 "2005-07-26T16:57:00Z")
As **Malacandra** noted, it is due to the urethra not having the perfect circumference of a straw. When you first begin, the penis has probably been folded up in your clothing and is “out of shape” to serve as a pipe. It is not too dissimilar to putting your thumb over the end of a garden hose, changing the shape and force of the flow. As you begin to urinate, the force of the stream pushes out on the side walls and the stream is no longer distorted by the shape of the channel. After a sexual emission, there is liable to be some residual semen in the channel that will deflect the urine until the semen has been flushed out. ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-streams-of-urine-at-once/314197/7 "2005-07-26T17:05:03Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > As **Malacandra** noted, it is due to the urethra not having the perfect circumference of a straw. When you first begin, the penis has probably been folded up in your clothing and is “out of shape” to serve as a pipe. It is not too dissimilar to putting your thumb over the end of a garden hose, changing the shape and force of the flow. As you begin to urinate, the force of the stream pushes out on the side walls and the stream is no longer distorted by the shape of the channel. All I know is it’s cool cuz when it happens I like t’ pretend I’m uh aliyun. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-streams-of-urine-at-once/314197/8 "2005-07-26T17:11:47Z")
And this, ladies and gentlemen (well, mostly gentlemen), is why I always sit down to pee. ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-streams-of-urine-at-once/314197/9 "2005-07-26T17:29:15Z")
Try being uncircumsized. I can get three, four or five streams going depending on how the foreskin is sitting. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-streams-of-urine-at-once/314197/10 "2005-07-26T17:45:45Z")
> [@Amp](#): > > Try being uncircumsized. Uh, no matter how hard I try… ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-streams-of-urine-at-once/314197/11 "2005-07-26T17:48:19Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > Uh, no matter how hard I try… [Never give up](http://www.norm.org/)! ---
**Author:** ![fubbleskag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fubbleskag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fubbleskag)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-streams-of-urine-at-once/314197/12 "2005-07-26T17:48:21Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > Uh, no matter how hard I try… note to self: do not visualize **Biffy** attempting this. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-streams-of-urine-at-once/314197/13 "2005-07-26T17:59:30Z")
That’s what the three seashells are for, they are handy little deflector plates in case multiple streams occur. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-streams-of-urine-at-once/314197/14 "2005-07-26T18:01:16Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > After a sexual emission, there is liable to be some residual semen in the channel that will deflect the urine until the semen has been flushed out. “Honey, the man is here to flush out the semen…”. ---
**Author:** ![EarthStone777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ab992/32.png) [@EarthStone777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EarthStone777)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-streams-of-urine-at-once/314197/15 "2005-07-26T21:28:49Z")
And women always complain we can’t hit the bowl… "How tough can it be to hit a foot and a half wide target?’ … Try aiming with two streams that are 90 degrees apart! Thanks for the OP. I always assumed it happened to me because I’m not circumsized and figured those of you who were would never have to put up with this problem. **Amp** , 4 or 5?!? The most I’ve had were 3 and they merged much faster than 2 do. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-streams-of-urine-at-once/314197/16 "2005-07-26T21:51:40Z")
Urethra?? Bah. When this happens after sex I’ve usually found it’s due to a stray hair, formerly the property of my true love, strategically positioned across the opening. ---
**Author:** ![Thin\_Lizzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9a140/32.png) [@Thin\_Lizzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thin_Lizzy)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-streams-of-urine-at-once/314197/17 "2005-07-26T21:59:26Z")
> [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > Urethra?? Bah. > > When this happens after sex I’ve usually found it’s due to a stray hair, formerly the property of my true love, strategically positioned across the opening. :lol: So does this happen to women too?