# Spitting in urinals -- an unknown compulsion? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 4, 2004, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spitting-in-urinals-an-unknown-compulsion/267565 "2004-10-04T23:32:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spitting-in-urinals-an-unknown-compulsion/267565/1 "2004-10-04T23:32:51Z")
Unfortunately, I’m not able to search the forums to see if this question has already been asked… Anyway, along the lines of the “piss shiver” previously made famous by Cecil, what’s up with spitting in urinals? I have no urge to spit at any other time, but everytime I approach a urinal to do my business, I have a very strong urge to spit in it. This seems to be a much-more-widespread phenomenon than I imagined. I’ve noticed that MANY men spit into the urinal – my unscientific survey suggests over 50% of men do. And I’m not talking day laborers; it seems to be just as common in professionals. So what’s up with this? Do we (men) have some sort of primal instinct to do this? (Seems unlikely.) Is this learned behavior? But if it is learned, where did we learn it from? No one teaches their kid to spit in the urinal before they go. So why do so many men do this? J. ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spitting-in-urinals-an-unknown-compulsion/267565/2 "2004-10-05T00:17:52Z")
As someone who has wondered about this too (having seen it done by some surprisingly high-powered financial types) I think it’s merely one of two things: 1. Hey, I gotta spit. I may as well here. Or, here’s a place I can spit. Why don’t I? 2. Screw it, I will do whatever manner of normally unacceptable behavior I would like to. This is usually followed by a fart. Probably #1 though. Heh. #1. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spitting-in-urinals-an-unknown-compulsion/267565/3 "2004-10-05T01:54:24Z")
> [@jharvey963](#): > > So why do so many men do this? J. It is a primeval compunction. Would you prefer we spit on the floor or on your shoe? ---
**Author:** ![Cardboard\_BOX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@Cardboard\_BOX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardboard_BOX)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spitting-in-urinals-an-unknown-compulsion/267565/4 "2004-10-05T03:38:47Z")
The many ceremonies which come before and after the kinky session with the porcelian goddess, when will we ever figure them out? ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spitting-in-urinals-an-unknown-compulsion/267565/5 "2004-10-05T03:45:05Z")
> [@jharvey963](#): > > Anyway, along the lines of the “piss shiver” previously made famous by Cecil Anyone got a link for this? What’s a piss shiver, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spitting-in-urinals-an-unknown-compulsion/267565/6 "2004-10-05T04:06:12Z")
[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4\_225.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_225.html) ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spitting-in-urinals-an-unknown-compulsion/267565/7 "2004-10-05T12:09:14Z")
> [@roger thornhill](#): > > Anyone got a link for this? What’s a piss shiver, anyway? I thought _everyone_ knew the piss shiver :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spitting-in-urinals-an-unknown-compulsion/267565/8 "2004-10-05T13:06:20Z")
[http://www.newscientist.com/opinion/opfeedback.jsp?id=ns237499#24](http://www.newscientist.com/opinion/opfeedback.jsp?id=ns237499#24) “In the pre-plumbing past, men would urinate into weedy areas near trees. There was always a danger that venomous snakes might be lurking in these areas and could attack the urinator, possibly in a very sensitive spot. The pre-urination spit evolved to allow the urinator to flush out any snakes while his sensitive areas are still protected by his clothing.” ---
**Author:** ![fezpp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fezpp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fezpp)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spitting-in-urinals-an-unknown-compulsion/267565/9 "2004-10-05T14:58:58Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > “In the pre-plumbing past, men would urinate into weedy areas near trees. There was always a danger that venomous snakes might be lurking in these areas and could attack the urinator, possibly in a very sensitive spot. The pre-urination spit evolved to allow the urinator to flush out any snakes while his sensitive areas are still protected by his clothing.” It’s worth noting that this quote is actually part of a reader competition rather than a scientifically based opinion. I thought it triggered the BS meter! ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spitting-in-urinals-an-unknown-compulsion/267565/10 "2004-10-05T16:26:32Z")
Yeah, I should have elaborated a bit on that. Especially since I’m the guy who pulled that one of his ass, and won me some whisky for them choosing my entry! ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spitting-in-urinals-an-unknown-compulsion/267565/11 "2004-10-06T01:46:51Z")
> [@+MDI](#): > > I thought _everyone_ knew the piss shiver :eek: Lived all these years and never experienced this phenomenon. My wife’s always said I have a feminine side, so I’m going to pin it on that. ---
**Author:** ![Rikster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9a140/32.png) [@Rikster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rikster)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spitting-in-urinals-an-unknown-compulsion/267565/12 "2004-10-06T03:01:51Z")
I think it is more that just a urinal thing, I seem to have an urge to spit in all bodies of water from a puddle to the ocean. Forget trying to stand on a bridge and look over a stream or river, I can’t help it I just feel compelled to spit. There must be something to it or maybe I just like watching ripples ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spitting-in-urinals-an-unknown-compulsion/267565/13 "2004-10-06T03:05:42Z")
> [@jharvey963](#): > > Unfortunately, I’m not able to search the forums to see if this question has already been asked… > > . . .I have a very strong urge to spit in it. I posted this question quite some time back, because I noticed it too but I never had the urge myself (unless I have some serious post nasal drip and really have a physiological need to eject some stuff, although the need is no stronger around a urinal than anywhere else). ---
**Author:** ![igloorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@igloorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/igloorex)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spitting-in-urinals-an-unknown-compulsion/267565/14 "2004-10-06T03:25:35Z")
perhaps TMI, but I’ve been known to spit in the urinal when I step up to the plate and realize that I’m not quite ready to piss. So feeling sort of stupid standing there with my crank in my hand and not pissing, I spit to pass the 5-10 seconds it takes for the piss to start flowing. could very well just be me. ---
**Author:** ![FlightlessBird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cdc98d/32.png) [@FlightlessBird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlightlessBird)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spitting-in-urinals-an-unknown-compulsion/267565/15 "2005-04-05T18:54:38Z")
I was going to start another thread, but figured it was better form to just bump this one. I agree with a lot of what was said, but I think I have to add to the discussion the private area of urinals. Private from women. I don’t think I would spit if women were around. I have no problem spitting in front of men. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spitting-in-urinals-an-unknown-compulsion/267565/16 "2005-04-05T20:13:04Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > Yeah, I should have elaborated a bit on that. Especially since I’m the guy who pulled that one of his ass, and won me some whisky for them choosing my entry! Hey, nice one dude - I remember reading that and thinking it was a cool suggestion 🙂