# Pushing Butts in the Men's Room **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 5, 2003, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushing-butts-in-the-mens-room/186396 "2003-07-05T17:11:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_of\_Sandwhich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/91b2a8/32.png) [@Earl\_of\_Sandwhich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_of_Sandwhich)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2003, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushing-butts-in-the-mens-room/186396/1 "2003-07-05T17:11:25Z")
Anyone who has ever been in a men’s room with a hand dryer has seen dryers in which the last two letters of the word “Button” on the directions have been rubbed off, leaving only the words “Push Butt.” Now I’ve been seeing these “Push Butt” signs for almost as long as I can remember, and in every place I’ve ever been. Both sides of the Mississipi, most of the continental United States. Local places, rest stops on state highways, U.S. highways, Interstates; this sort of vandalism seems to know no jursidictional limit. I would like to hear from people who remember a time before these vandals started to leave there marks in restrooms all over this country. I mean, the novelty had to have warn off awfully fast. It was as though this was the only idea anyone has ever had when it came to minor restroom vandalism. I would also like to know whether anyone here has ever witnessed the two letters being rubbed or scratched off, known anyone who has done it, or done it himself. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2003, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushing-butts-in-the-mens-room/186396/2 "2003-07-05T17:58:08Z")
Actually, I avoid those machines as much as possible. \There was a child electrocuted by one of these machines at a well known fast food restaurant in Tupelo, several years ago. That branch not only stopped operating, but the building was destroyed. \ ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2003, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushing-butts-in-the-mens-room/186396/3 "2003-07-05T18:52:54Z")
I’ve seen it. But you left out an important part: **Step 4. Wipe hands on pants.** 🙂 FISH ---
**Author:** ![bradministrator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a698b9/32.png) [@bradministrator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bradministrator)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2003, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushing-butts-in-the-mens-room/186396/4 "2003-07-05T19:27:32Z")
Don’t forget **Rub Hands Gently Under** W **arm** Air. ---
**Author:** ![japatlgt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@japatlgt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/japatlgt)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushing-butts-in-the-mens-room/186396/5 "2003-07-06T03:36:44Z")
When does the patent on those damn machines expire? I can’t believe they still install those wastes of space. Bring back the recyclable hand towels! ---
**Author:** ![Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/258eb7/32.png) [@Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wonko_The_Sane)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushing-butts-in-the-mens-room/186396/6 "2003-07-08T02:48:13Z")
I asked a lady friend of mine, and this doesn’t happen in the ladies room. And they say we’re uncivilized brutes! That’s creativity! ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushing-butts-in-the-mens-room/186396/7 "2003-07-08T02:55:41Z")
The problem with the hot-air blowers is they take forever to dry your hands. You can achieve the same effect in two and a half seconds with a couple paper towels. Of course, the paper towels make more of a mess than the air. So that’s what your pants are for. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushing-butts-in-the-mens-room/186396/8 "2003-07-08T03:19:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by friedo \* > The problem with the hot-air blowers is they take forever to dry your hands. You can achieve the same effect in two and a half seconds with a couple paper towels. I disagree. While it does take quite a bit longer, you can get a much more thorough drying out of an air blower than with paper towels. ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushing-butts-in-the-mens-room/186396/9 "2003-07-08T03:52:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wonko The Sane \* > \*\*I asked a lady friend of mine, and this doesn’t happen in the ladies room. > \*\* Sure it does! I’ve seen it! Step 3 sometimes becomes S **top** s **Automatically** , as though someone decided that, though it makes little sense, it was as close to something risque as one could get from “Stops Automatically”… ---
**Author:** ![Cruktar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d9b06d/32.png) [@Cruktar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cruktar)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushing-butts-in-the-mens-room/186396/10 "2003-07-08T06:27:23Z")
Not quite, but a friend of mine has seen the ‘C’ in “Baby Changing Station” scratched off…to read, of course, “Baby hanging Station.” Muwahaha. ---
**Author:** ![nswgru1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c4cdca/32.png) [@nswgru1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nswgru1)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushing-butts-in-the-mens-room/186396/11 "2003-07-08T15:22:31Z")
to continue a hijack: **kniz** what part of MS are you from? I remember when that happened. In fact the first pitcher of beer I ever ordered was ordered in that establishment. ---
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushing-butts-in-the-mens-room/186396/12 "2003-07-08T16:50:24Z")
My favourite bathroom grafitti to do is when the dryers have pictograms rather than words, I change the button (on the pictogram) to an ass crack with the hole in the center so it looks like the button is getting a prostate exam. Mwuahahahahah.