# Public toilet seats - why the gap in front? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 5, 2004, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900 "2004-01-05T23:27:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900/1 "2004-01-05T23:27:52Z")
At the hardware store the other day, I noticed the horseshoe-shaped toilet seats are being sold as “institutional”, whereas the circular ones are presumably marketed as residential. Why would one be preferred over the other? What’s the point of the gap in front? ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900/2 "2004-01-05T23:34:37Z")
Some guy named Cecil has a clue: [Why are public toilet seats always “U” shaped?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_006.html) ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900/3 "2004-01-05T23:35:19Z")
Well it seems to me if I’m standing up and neglect to put the seat up, some of the dribble will make it through the crack, rather than on the seat. And if I’m sitting at home, my peter tends to rub the front of the seat. I woldn’t tolerate that in a public bathroom ---
**Author:** ![tFr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6bbea6/32.png) [@tFr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tFr)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900/4 "2004-01-05T23:36:57Z")
Probably to make whoever has bad aim not spill so much on the toilet seat. ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900/5 "2004-01-05T23:39:59Z")
Color me embarassed. I spent half an hour searching the message boards and forgot to check Cecil’s archives. And having read it now, I am ashamed to be associated by gender with any moron who leaves the seat down when taking a leak. Pigs. ---
**Author:** ![tFr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6bbea6/32.png) [@tFr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tFr)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900/6 "2004-01-05T23:41:51Z")
Darn, I figured it out myself, and my post came out late. Sucks to be me. Well, I’m glad you know the reason now. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900/7 "2004-01-06T00:05:55Z")
I always heard it was so bars wouldn’t get sued when the lid fell on a barfing drunk, breaking his neck. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900/8 "2004-01-06T00:18:41Z")
“breaking his neck”? You must have dang heavy toilet seats up there in Alaska! ---
**Author:** ![netscape\_6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8c91f0/32.png) [@netscape\_6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/netscape_6)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900/9 "2004-01-06T13:59:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by [t-bonham@scc.net](mailto:t-bonham@scc.net) \* > \*\*“breaking his neck”? > > You must have dang heavy toilet seats up there in Alaska! \*\* all the ice from off target pee freezing on them. ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900/10 "2004-01-06T17:47:28Z")
I just have to point out that these are also used in _women’s_ public restrooms. So it’s clearly entered the realm of tradition. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900/11 "2004-01-06T18:09:22Z")
The gap is there because when you’re sitting down to do your business (I assume most of you men will, like me, urinate while defecating) and then you stand up when you’re finished, your genitalia passes over the front of the rim. If you’re like me, there is often an “afterthought” dribble as you stand up. The gap in the front of the seat allows that dribble to continue into the bowl, or onto the rim, rather than onto the seat itself. > [@](#): > > And if I’m sitting at home, my peter tends to rub the front of the seat. I woldn’t tolerate that in a public bathroom This issue is addressed more by the elongated shape of the bowl than by the gap in the seat. ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900/12 "2004-01-06T20:35:38Z")
It’s there so that in a pinch it can double as an ox harness. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyNMellow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@CrazyNMellow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyNMellow)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900/13 "2004-01-06T22:48:53Z")
Funny that this is all centered around men. Women do not have to have specially designed toilet seats to meet their “special needs.” (Kind of like the “special class.”) We learned to pee efficiently and effectively. Funny that men create a new toilet seat rather than correcting their peeing inabilities. Just a thought. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900/14 "2004-01-06T23:16:47Z")
… Because when you raise the seat it looks like a horseshoe, and everyone knows horeshoes must have the “points up” so the luck doesn’t leak out … 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900/15 "2004-01-06T23:22:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CrazyNMellow \* > \*\*Funny that this is all centered around men. Women do not have to have specially designed toilet seats to meet their “special needs.” (Kind of like the “special class.”) We learned to pee efficiently and effectively. \*\* So have you learned to menstruate efficiently and neatly, yet? ---
**Author:** ![ks\_cr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@ks\_cr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ks_cr)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900/16 "2011-04-18T10:24:16Z")
I have a related but slightly different question in my mind, bugging me from quite sometime. Now I see this old thread, thought of adding my question here! Male penis does touch the front cover in most of the residential toilets and I always felt it to be disgusting. Someone in the thread just mentioned elongated seats are the solution for that. I am wondering why anyone would manufacture non-elongated ones at all in the first place unless the place is really cramped and owner of the place cannot afford 2-3 inches more space and better hygiene. Also, why only elongated seats should be a solution for this issue? What is the issue if there are split toilet seat covers even at our homes? I just don’t get it as I don’t see any drawbacks in making such design more or less universal, without limiting it to just public restrooms. ---
**Author:** ![ColdPhoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@ColdPhoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColdPhoenix)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900/17 "2011-04-18T10:46:12Z")
> [@CrazyNMellow](#): > > Funny that this is all centered around men. Women do not have to have specially designed toilet seats to meet their “special needs.” (Kind of like the “special class.”) We learned to pee efficiently and effectively. Funny that men create a new toilet seat rather than correcting their peeing inabilities. Just a thought. I think they’ve given up on women. A lot of them tend to squat and spray it all around the seat. Even removing a bit from the front isn’t going to help with that golden shower. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900/18 "2011-04-18T11:54:36Z")
> [@CrazyNMellow](#): > > Funny that this is all centered around men. Women do not have to have specially designed toilet seats to meet their “special needs.” (Kind of like the “special class.”) We learned to pee efficiently and effectively. Funny that men create a new toilet seat rather than correcting their peeing inabilities. Just a thought. Who said that U shaped seats are only in mens washrooms? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900/19 "2011-04-18T12:02:29Z")
The stop gap in front is for visual verification that you have stopped peeing. It should result in cleaner bathrooms, but people don’t use it. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900/20 "2011-04-18T14:18:48Z")
They aren’t used in the vast majority of UK toilets. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-toilet-seats-why-the-gap-in-front/222900.md?page=2)