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.
picker
November 11, 2012, 11:47pm
22
I didn’t know zombies had to pee!
Chefguy
November 12, 2012, 12:21am
23
pkbites:
The municipalities for both the department I retired from and the one I work for now part-time have specific ordinances against urinating in public. The report template includes observations that the persons genitals were exposed, the person was in a certain position, the person did not appear to be sexual gratifying him/herself, and the observation of fluid streaming or remaining. (this is a generic explanation of whats on the report form. It’s a little more complex than this).
This is an ordinance violation punishable by a citation with a fine. It’s not a crime and jail time cannot be sentenced. Conviction does not make one a sex offender.
Doing the math I’m confident I’ve nabbed at least 1000 pissers in my career. I shit you not. (shitting in public is a different charge!:D)
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.
ZenBeam
November 12, 2012, 1:16am
26
Aliel_The_Heretic:
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.
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?
md2000
November 12, 2012, 3:51pm
29
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.
dracoi
November 12, 2012, 8:01pm
31
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.
rbroome
November 13, 2012, 2:45am
34
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:
Angelo, Linda. “Flint Police Chief David Dicks’ Crackdown on Saggy Pants has the World Talking; What’s Your View?” Mlive.com , July 16, 2008:
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.
zoid
November 13, 2012, 9:54pm
38
I don’t wanna have kids with you but I agree, that was just beautiful.