# Racing the flush **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 2, 2003, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-the-flush/185697 "2003-07-02T01:52:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-the-flush/185697/1 "2003-07-02T01:52:26Z")
Okay, I know I’m not the only one who does it. You know, you take a leak but before you’re done, you flush the toilet in anticipation of the cesation of urination? How often do you win? ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-the-flush/185697/2 "2003-07-02T03:31:08Z")
Never. Not once has that bastard flush let me win. And I try every time. At this point, I don’t even think about it, just all of a sudden I’ve pushed the little lever down and he’s off to the races. I would estimate that on average I cross the finish line right around the time the second wave of water is in position and has stopped flowing back in. ---
**Author:** ![Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirror_Image_egamI_rorriM)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-the-flush/185697/3 "2003-07-02T03:40:23Z")
This must be a guy thing. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-the-flush/185697/4 "2003-07-02T04:18:16Z")
Well, DUH…flushing the toilet (and the resultant sound of water) will reactivate the urge to pee again. There’s always just a ‘bit’ more in your bladder that wants to be released…and hearing a flushing dunny will do it every time, no worries. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-the-flush/185697/5 "2003-07-02T04:25:46Z")
…I, for one, can say the thought of this has never, _ever_ passed my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-the-flush/185697/6 "2003-07-02T04:47:23Z")
Or had “swordfights” if you grew up with brothers. Or praticed your marksmanship if you had a dad who tossed his cigarette butts in the toilet. ---
**Author:** ![wnereus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7bcc69/32.png) [@wnereus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wnereus)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-the-flush/185697/7 "2003-07-02T04:51:02Z")
…It’s at times like this that I feel like an alien sent here to study human life. Ah well. It’s better than cow duty. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-the-flush/185697/8 "2003-07-02T06:02:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by wnereus \* > \*\*…It’s at times like this that I feel like an alien … \*\* Yeah, but you can never find one when you feel like one. ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-the-flush/185697/9 "2003-07-02T06:23:37Z")
I used to do this a lot, now only once in a while but when I do, not only do I finish the pee, I finish washing and drying my hands and am out the door before the little backwash. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-the-flush/185697/10 "2003-07-02T16:01:00Z")
It depends a lot on how familiar you are with the particular receptacle. I know my potty’s flush cycle down to a tee and can usually win. But if I try it on an unfamiliar toilet, all hell breaks lose. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-the-flush/185697/11 "2003-07-02T16:07:28Z")
I’m always the bridesmaid, never the bride. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-the-flush/185697/12 "2003-07-02T19:06:14Z")
I once frequented a bar that would always dump shave-ice in the bottom of the urinals, trying to melt it all before running your bladder dry was great fun! ---
**Author:** ![troub](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troub/32/14802_2.png) [@troub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troub)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-the-flush/185697/13 "2003-07-02T19:59:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GargoyleWB \* > **I once frequented a bar that would always dump shave-ice in the bottom of the urinals. . .** I guess that’s how they kept the beer cold. . . ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-the-flush/185697/14 "2003-07-03T01:19:24Z")
It gets harder to time it right as you get older. Sank more than one enemy cigarette butt, though. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-the-flush/185697/15 "2003-07-03T11:50:51Z")
_Why_ in the name of God, do guys do this? It’s really rather disgusting, since I’ve never known an man to re-flush when he loses, and since the swirling combined with the splashing just throws little droplets of urine all over the wall and surrounding floor. Why do men feel the need to be so damn gross, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-the-flush/185697/16 "2003-07-03T12:06:42Z")
I have just introduced my son to racing the flush. I am so glad I had at least one thing to pass down to him. ---
**Author:** ![Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-the-flush/185697/17 "2003-07-03T21:49:09Z")
Y’know, in all my years, it never even occurred to me to _try_ to race the flush. Playing “Sink the Buttsmarck?” With a family of smokers, it’s an inevitable pasttime. I will even admit to removing mineral deposits (from hard water) from the sides of the bowl, with an eye for bilateral symmetry. But I’ve never, ever, Raced The Flush. ---
**Author:** ![SnugTheJoiner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@SnugTheJoiner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnugTheJoiner)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-the-flush/185697/18 "2003-07-04T01:34:44Z")
Guys really do this? But I’m a guy. I’ve never done it. I’ve never even heard of it! I’m floored. Really. I can’t get my head around it. I have to go lie down with a cool cloth on my forehead now.