# A Rather Un-Pit-Worthy Pet Peeve.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [August 11, 2004, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346 "2004-08-11T13:30:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2004, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346/1 "2004-08-11T13:30:21Z")
OK, so am I the only one who hates it when I’m in a public restroom with _several_ stalls and, despite the fact that mine is the _only_ occupied stall, the next person to come in takes the stall right next to mine?
I mean, there are five other stalls to choose from, here!
I know it’s not always possible to avoid expelling waste right next to another person, but am I the only one who actually makes an effort to create a “buffer zone” of at least one stall when it _is_ possible?
I suppose it’s possible that this person (who shall be known only as “Black Sandals”) has a _favorite_ stall, and I unwittingly chose to use the one right next to it, but I still had to stifle an urge to kick old BS right in the ankle when she came and sat down in the stall next to mine.
Thanks for listening.
I think I could use some more coffee.
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### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2004, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346/2 "2004-08-11T13:36:58Z")
Oh me too. I am not generous to start with, and that is not a time I’d like to be _neighborly_.
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### Author:  [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2004, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346/3 "2004-08-11T13:40:40Z")
Yes, this relates to the same sort of inconsiderate behavior I pitted [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=268988), recently.
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### Author:  [@Kymodoce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kymodoce)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2004, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346/4 "2004-08-11T13:45:35Z")
Hmmm… you should try this in urinals. It’s always a little worrying that they should choose to stand almost touching my shoulder when there are 20 other urinals to choose from.
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2004, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346/5 "2004-08-11T13:46:57Z")
> [@](#):
>
> I know it’s not always possible to avoid expelling waste right next to another person…
**Skip’s** one lucky guy.
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### Author:  [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2004, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346/6 "2004-08-11T14:06:21Z")
> [@lieu](#):
>
> **Skip’s** one lucky guy.
He created his own luck by moving me into a house with only one bathroom. 😉
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2004, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346/7 "2004-08-11T14:09:52Z")
[Harvey Korman]
_Kinky._
[/Harvey Korman]
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### Author:  [@Sir\_Doris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Doris)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2004, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346/8 "2004-08-11T14:26:29Z")
I think it’s certainly good ettiquette to leave an empty stall as a buffer. Exceptions being if the only clean stalls are next to an occupied one.
As **Kymodoce** , we’re lucky to have partitions between us. I understand some men can be unable to pee if someone stands beside them\*
\*An experiment carried out by one of my friends
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### Author:  [@Grant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grant)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2004, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346/9 "2004-08-11T14:51:00Z")
Yeah It’s called stage fright and it is fairly common. I can only remember it happening to me once. I was at a football game somewhere and it was crowded. Had to stand in line for 5 minutes before it was finally my turn and all they had to pee in was a long “pig trough”. It was just the length of the wall and guys were standing literally shoulder to shoulder peeing. I had to pee so bad it hurt so I unzipped pulled it out and nothing. Not a drop. :eek: Closed my eyes and listened to the water. Nothin’ doin’. I started to feel bad for the guy behind me. He’s been waiting patiently and here I am up here not peeing. More pressure on me great. I zipped up and walked off but I still had to pee so I got in line for one of the stalls thinking who designs this things. A pig trough to pee in. $100 million for a stadium and you can’t put in urinals. :dubious:
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### Author:  [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2004, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346/10 "2004-08-11T15:14:33Z")
Where the hell did the whole urinal thing come from?
Why can’t mens public loos be “normal” ie: toilets in cubicles! Is the urinal some weird penis comparing arena?
Men! Take it to a cubicle! We females never thought peeing in a row was a good thing (hence the OP) can’t you lot just give it up?
Ok I don’t care really. It’s just one of those “why females are better” things.😃
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### Author:  [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2004, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346/11 "2004-08-11T15:23:45Z")
This is one of the very few times I’ve disagreed with [Miss Manners](http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&contentId=A2560-2004Apr10¬Found=true)… they need to pick a different stall.
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2004, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346/12 "2004-08-11T15:34:32Z")
It is not going to be me standing next to you at the urinal. Have you ever played the [urinal selection](http://www.flasharcade.com/game.cgi?urinal) game? I got 100% on the first try. I think that some people have a flawed gene or something that makes this particular skill incomprehensible to them.
Ladies, you can play it too. This skill translates fairly well to toilet stalls as well.
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### Author:  [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2004, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346/13 "2004-08-11T15:37:39Z")
I’ve had that happen to me in the stalls, and at the urinals. Very unmanly behavior … I don’t know why folks do that.
There have been times when I’m on a nearly empty bus or subway car, when a passenger (usually of the same sex) gets on oard, and sits RIGHT NEXT TO ME. There’s 60 to 80 seats they can choose from … why pick the one next to mine?
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### Author:  [@Rock\_n\_Roach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rock_n_Roach)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2004, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346/14 "2004-08-11T16:05:11Z")
I’ll use the stall which I “think” would be the least used unless of course it’s disgusting in which case I’ll choose another. But if my fist choice happens to be next to you, well then, so be it.
So that was probably me next to you.
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### Author:  [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2004, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346/15 "2004-08-11T16:11:11Z")
> [@Rock n Roach](#):
>
> I’ll use the stall which I “think” would be the least used unless of course it’s disgusting in which case I’ll choose another. But if my fist choice happens to be next to you, well then, so be it.
>
> So that was probably me next to you.
Nice shoes.
But maybe next time, if you could try to control the flatulence . . .
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### Author:  [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2004, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346/16 "2004-08-11T16:24:06Z")
I’m one of those guys who gets “stage fright.” I don’t care how badly I have to piss, it’s not going to happen if someone is standing right next to me. I mean, Jeez: out of the 8 urinals in the men’s room, who oh why do you feel that it is necessary to come over and be my buddy _now_? :mad:
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### Author:  [@Siddhartha\_Vicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siddhartha_Vicious)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2004, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346/17 "2004-08-11T16:28:04Z")
I’m with you **auntie em**. I’m sorry if you are feeling lonely, and want to pair up, but, for the love of God, you don’t have to use the stall right next to me.
Seems like anytime I use a stall, someone always parks in the one next to mine. Not only that, but I tend to always attract the most constipated, vocal people. Hard to concentrate on the task at hand when you are constantly listening to someone else grunting and straining, with the occasional wet fart thrown in.
I’m a shy person in the bathroom, and I always try to be as quiet as a church mouse. Maybe I’m secretly jealous of my bathroom-mates who can go with such a carefree attitude.
I’ve taken steps to avoid those sorts of situations by shitting in the urinal.
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### Author:  [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2004, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346/18 "2004-08-11T16:51:29Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#):
>
> Why can’t mens public loos be “normal” ie: toilets in cubicles! Is the urinal some weird penis comparing arena?
>
> Men! Take it to a cubicle! We females never thought peeing in a row was a good thing (hence the OP) can’t you lot just give it up?
C’mon, you can’t be serious. Have you _seen_ a public mens room?
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### Author:  [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2004, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346/19 "2004-08-14T02:53:57Z")
I dunno, picking the stall next to mine doesn’t bother me as much as someone trying to continue or start a conversation with me when I’m trying concentrate on the bidness at hand. Usually I wait to go until I can’t wait anymore and that takes my undivided attention. Can’t people wait till you’re out of the stall to talk to you? Sheesh!
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### Author:  [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2004, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-un-pit-worthy-pet-peeve/259346/20 "2004-08-14T03:26:50Z")
Sheesh! I thought I was the only female that felt the way **auntie em** does. I just hate when people gotta plunk down in the stall right next to mine, never mind that there several empty stalls to choose from.
Oh, and the talking thing. I don’t get that either. Truly, I don’t even like to use public restrooms, so like another poster here, I will wait until the last possible minute to use the bathroom. I definitely don’t want ANYONE talking to me while I’m taking care of my bodily functions. It just grosses me out, I can’t explain it.
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