# Characters dying of thirst: why do they always slop their water everywhere? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 30, 2008, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923 "2008-09-30T21:30:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923/1 "2008-09-30T21:30:24Z")
Seems like any time a character on TV or in the movies is crawling through the desert about to die from dehydration, when they finally get some small quantity of water (possibly the last they’ll see for quite some time) they drink it in such a way that over half of it spills all over the ground? Can someone shoot these directors, please? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923/2 "2008-09-30T21:34:27Z")
YES! It never fails to happen. I have NEVER seen a person in dire need of water that actually drinks it carefully! ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923/3 "2008-09-30T21:43:04Z")
Hey, some of us need bibs and sippy cups even when we’re not dying of thirst… ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923/4 "2008-09-30T21:46:20Z")
Damn straight. What really kills me though is when they’re lost in the ocean…there’s water everywhere and they don’t drink it. Idiots. Don’t they know the poem? Water, water, everywhere, so let’s all have a drink. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923/5 "2008-09-30T21:53:37Z")
> [@Kid\_A](#): > > Damn straight. > > What really kills me though is when they’re lost in the ocean…there’s water everywhere and they don’t drink it. Idiots. Don’t they know the poem? Water, water, everywhere, so let’s all have a drink. I hope you’re being sarcastic. Seawater is the worst stuff you can drink if dehydrated. The salt content will make it worse. You are better off drinking nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923/6 "2008-09-30T21:54:30Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I hope you’re being sarcastic. Considering that he’s quoting The Simpsons, I think that’s a safe bet. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923/7 "2008-09-30T21:55:25Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Considering that he’s quoting The Simpsons, I think that’s a safe bet. :smack: My problem is I take people seriously when I shouldn’t. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923/8 "2008-09-30T21:57:57Z")
Yea, Bear Griylls is dehydrating in the desert, and even he let half the urine from his snakeskin bladder runneth over. I don’t think he was serious about hydrating… ---
**Author:** ![Interconnected\_Series\_of\_Tubes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/13edae/32.png) [@Interconnected\_Series\_of\_Tubes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interconnected_Series_of_Tubes)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923/9 "2008-09-30T22:01:39Z")
Well, how else are they supposed to show you that they’re really really really really really really thirsty? :o ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923/10 "2008-09-30T22:07:43Z")
Just once, I’d like someone to have an Appalachin’ barbecue and invite Bear Grylls over for some Grilled Bear… ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923/11 "2008-09-30T22:24:05Z")
[Snake Bladder Piss takin’](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQmx5BjZoTo)… Dude got stung by a bee on the forehead, has an allergic reaction, swells up, and ends up looking like a demon… he kills a snake, eats it, and uses its skin as a canteen for his piss. I think I know where the mythology of desert demons comes from. ---
**Author:** ![malkavia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malkavia/32/5621_2.png) [@malkavia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malkavia)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923/12 "2008-09-30T22:27:44Z")
This was me watching Heroes… spoiler, just in case: :eek: Agh, why is he wasting the water?!! UR DOING IT WRONG, PARKMAN! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923/13 "2008-09-30T22:33:22Z")
> [@malkavia](#): > > This was me watching Heroes… > > spoiler, just in case: > > :eek: Agh, why is he wasting the water?!! UR DOING IT WRONG, PARKMAN! :eek: That is EXACTLY what prompted me to post this thread (yes, I’m behind, watching on TiVo). I was thinking “Shit, not you TOO?? Why can’t any of you get it right???” ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923/14 "2008-09-30T22:46:10Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > Just once, I’d like someone to have an Appalachin’ barbecue and invite Bear Grylls over for some Grilled Bear… Bear Grylls Grills Bear ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923/15 "2008-09-30T22:47:12Z")
> [@malkavia](#): > > This was me watching Heroes… > > spoiler, just in case: > > :eek: Agh, why is he wasting the water?!! UR DOING IT WRONG, PARKMAN! :eek: I’m up to S3E2 Is that in a later episode?? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Credible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@Justin\_Credible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Credible)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923/16 "2008-09-30T23:35:57Z")
I always just figured that they are so desperate to get to the water, they don’t have time to stop and drink it carefully. That, or possible loss of motor control due to their dehydration. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923/17 "2008-09-30T23:46:00Z")
> [@Justin\_Credible](#): > > I always just figured that they are so desperate to get to the water, they don’t have time to stop and drink it carefully. That, or possible loss of motor control due to their dehydration. It should take some pretty serious loss of motor control to fail at something so easy as cupping your mouth around something. It is actually _harder_ to drink by pouring from a distance. What gets me most is when the liquid has been given by another person. How peeved must that person be to see his or her precious resource poured around but not in the mouth of the person they have so kindly donated that resource to. ---
**Author:** ![bathsheba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@bathsheba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bathsheba)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923/18 "2008-10-01T00:08:46Z")
[Obligatory Chevy Chase link.](http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=tHVpJGXZ21o&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923/19 "2008-10-01T00:28:10Z")
> [@bathsheba](#): > > [Obligatory Chevy Chase link.](http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=tHVpJGXZ21o&feature=related) This is why comedy is a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923/20 "2008-10-01T00:38:49Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > Yea, Bear Griylls is dehydrating in the desert, and even he let half the urine from his snakeskin bladder runneth over. I don’t think he was serious about hydrating… He did the same with a coconut’s milk; half of it ran down his face and chest. Nice for the beefcake photos, not so nice for believability. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-dying-of-thirst-why-do-they-always-slop-their-water-everywhere/465923.md?page=2)