# Proper urinal etiquette - Follow-up
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [July 20, 2010, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337 "2010-07-20T11:57:15Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2010, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337/1 "2010-07-20T11:57:15Z")
The previous thread got me thinking about guys walking into the men’s room to discover all urinals occupied and have to use a toilet.
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### Author:  [@Blut\_Aus\_Nord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blut_Aus_Nord)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2010, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337/2 "2010-07-20T12:25:12Z")
If it’s a moderately well-kept restroom, right into the bowl, don’t care about sound.
If it’s an absolutely disgusting restroom, I take many amusing liberties with the trajectory of my stream.
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### Author:  [@kidneyfailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidneyfailure)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2010, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337/3 "2010-07-20T12:50:52Z")
Straight into the bowl, potentially-embarassing sounds be damned.
If there is a hair, cigarette butt, or anything stuck to the inside or the urinal or floating around in the water, I’ll amuse myself by trying to move it with my urine stream. I’m sure I’m not the only one who does this.
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### Author:  [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2010, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337/4 "2010-07-20T13:13:57Z")
In a public men’s room I will aim for the water and let 'er rip as if to say, “nope, no shy bladder here.”
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### Author:  [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2010, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337/5 "2010-07-20T13:28:55Z")
I pee in big circles like Lloyd Christmas in **Dumb and Dumber** (truck stop scene).
SPLOOSH-tinkle-tinkle-tinkle-SPLOOSH-tinkle-tinkle-tinkle-SPLOOSH- Etc.
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### Author:  [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2010, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337/6 "2010-07-20T13:42:29Z")
> [@kidneyfailure](#):
>
> If there is a hair, cigarette butt, or anything stuck to the inside or the urinal or floating around in the water, I’ll amuse myself by trying to move it with my urine stream. I’m sure I’m not the only one who does this.
You aren’t.
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### Author:  [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2010, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337/7 "2010-07-20T13:50:49Z")
I’ll pee along the side of the bowl (unless, like others, there’s a cigarette I can knock around). But it’s not because I’m shy. It’s because I’m not really in the mood for any potential splashback that may occur. It’s rare, but it does happen.
As for your poll choices…yeah, who does the third? Why not add in a fourth one “I’m so shy, I pee into my mouth and spit it into the sink when no one’s looking.”?
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### Author:  [@Daniel\_Shug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daniel_Shug)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337/8 "2010-07-20T13:51:16Z")
Can someone PLEASE tell me what’s going on with the toilet pissers?
Where I work, there are three urinals, and two stalls. If all urinals are occupied, I can understand using the stall, but what’s going on with the guys who will automatically skip perfectly good, empty urinals, and head right for the stalls to piss? It’s not like they’re shy about the sound, they’re aiming right for the middle of the pool. Is it a religious thing I’m not aware of? 😕
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### Author:  [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337/9 "2010-07-20T13:58:39Z")
> [@Daniel\_Shug](#):
>
> Can someone PLEASE tell me what’s going on with the toilet pissers?
>
> Where I work, there are three urinals, and two stalls. If all urinals are occupied, I can understand using the stall, but what’s going on with the guys who will automatically skip perfectly good, empty urinals, and head right for the stalls to piss? It’s not like they’re shy about the sound, they’re aiming right for the middle of the pool. Is it a religious thing I’m not aware of? 😕
They’re likely observing the corollary of proper urinal etiquette I outlined in the first thread:
> [@](#):
>
> I assume that, for small restrooms, a corollary to these rules is “If there are two urinals with one occupied, but a stall that’s empty, use the stall…even though you only have to pee.” I do this.
Those who do this could be heading off their own potential case of bashful bladder, or they could simply be taking into consideration those who got to the urinals first, who might be discomfited by the presence of someone standing right next to them.
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### Author:  [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337/10 "2010-07-20T14:09:14Z")
> [@Daniel\_Shug](#):
>
> Can someone PLEASE tell me what’s going on with the toilet pissers?
>
> Where I work, there are three urinals, and two stalls. If all urinals are occupied, I can understand using the stall, but what’s going on with the guys who will automatically skip perfectly good, empty urinals, and head right for the stalls to piss? It’s not like they’re shy about the sound, they’re aiming right for the middle of the pool. Is it a religious thing I’m not aware of? 😕
[Paruresis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paruresis) (that is hard to spell!)
Or some people like having a hook to hang up their bags. Some might want some TP for some reason. I don’t think most pee shy people even care about the sound (unless they’re [Japanese women](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toilets_in_Japan#The_Sound_Princess)). Who cares why people use the toilet?
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337/11 "2010-07-20T15:02:24Z")
#1: It assures me it’s going in the right spot, and won’t accidentally spill out. Works when you’re sitting, too, actually.
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### Author:  [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337/12 "2010-07-20T15:30:09Z")
I always aim for the side, but it has nothing to do with being shy; it’s just to avoid splashing. I do the same at home where, if there is splashing, I have to clean the rim of the bowl.
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### Author:  [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337/13 "2010-07-20T17:28:05Z")
> [@Enderw24](#):
>
> I’ll pee along the side of the bowl (unless, like others, there’s a cigarette I can knock around). But it’s not because I’m shy. It’s because I’m not really in the mood for any potential splashback that may occur. It’s rare, but it does happen.
Same here. I don’t even like splashback from my own toilet.
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### Author:  [@BobArrgh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobArrgh)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337/14 "2010-07-20T18:10:20Z")
I hate to nitpick, but a cow peeing on a flat rock does not sound anything at all like a full stream hitting a shallow body of water.
Just sayin’.
Also, to answer the poll, I prefer to wash the insides of the bowl.
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### Author:  [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337/15 "2010-07-20T18:31:48Z")
I shoot for the water, and if possible play hunt the cigarette butt, the best game you can play while peeing. Extra points if you could actually destroy the butt during the course of a single pee.
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### Author:  [@Daniel\_Shug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daniel_Shug)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337/16 "2010-07-20T19:47:33Z")
“[Paruresis - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paruresis)”]Paruresis (that is hard to spell!)
This is why I haven’t actually asked one of the men when I see this. While I’m simply curious, I don’t want to call attention to something they may be embarassed about.
**Who cares why people use the toilet?[/**
Well, honestly, it really comes down to this. Does it matter in the light of Eternity? Of course not. I’ve simply seen it more and more frequently, and since I don’t understand it, my 😕 just increases until it’s like a bug in my brain.
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### Author:  [@Loisseau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loisseau)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2010, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337/17 "2010-07-20T20:26:23Z")
To minimize splash, aim for the side.
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### Author:  [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337/18 "2010-07-20T21:55:56Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#):
>
> [Paruresis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paruresis) (that is hard to spell!)
>
> Or some people like having a hook to hang up their bags. Some might want some TP for some reason. I don’t think most pee shy people even care about the sound (unless they’re [Japanese women](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toilets_in_Japan#The_Sound_Princess)). Who cares why people use the toilet?
Also, urinals stink to high heaven and have yellow puddles in front of them.
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### Author:  [@Neptunian\_Slug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neptunian_Slug)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2010, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337/19 "2010-07-21T03:03:08Z")
> [@Daniel\_Shug](#):
>
> Can someone PLEASE tell me what’s going on with the toilet pissers?
>
> Where I work, there are three urinals, and two stalls. If all urinals are occupied, I can understand using the stall, but what’s going on with the guys who will automatically skip perfectly good, empty urinals, and head right for the stalls to piss? It’s not like they’re shy about the sound, they’re aiming right for the middle of the pool. Is it a religious thing I’m not aware of? 😕
When we go to ball games, my friend will invariably head to the stall in the bathroom even when there is a urinal. He told me that he has always felt uncomfortable with an audience. I didn’t really want to follow up. I think it’s because I always end up getting out first so I am stuck buying the beer before we head back to the seats.
Personally if there isn’t an available urinal, I will wait rather than go to the stall. I hate the splashback.
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### Author:  [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2010, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-urinal-etiquette-follow-up/547337/20 "2010-07-21T04:35:57Z")
> [@Neptunian\_Slug](#):
>
> When we go to ball games, my friend will invariably head to the stall in the bathroom even when there is a urinal. He told me that he has always felt uncomfortable with an audience.
I was hoping to get out of it, but now I’m gonna have to tell this story.
In the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium, home of the Indians from the 1930s through 1993, the men’s loo had communal urinal troughs rather than individual urinals.
Years ago, I participated in the the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program, and I had taken my “little brother,” who was maybe 9 or so at the time, to an Indians game.
We went to the can and he stood nearby as I prepared to do my thing. I’m not normally afflicted with bashful bladder, and had used these particular facilities many times in the past without incident. But on this occasion, I froze up and could not make anything happen.
My embarrassment was compounded when my little brother, in a loud voice, said “What’s the matter, don’t you have to pee?”
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