# U-Shaped Toilet Seats **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [June 22, 2007, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-shaped-toilet-seats/408978 "2007-06-22T11:31:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gentleguyofpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@gentleguyofpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gentleguyofpa)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-shaped-toilet-seats/408978/1 "2007-06-22T11:31:21Z")
While I can’t comment about ALL men, there are quite a few men who are piggish when it comes to both public and private (in-home) toilet seats. To my recollection, U-Shaped toilet seats were given a quick boot in the seat of the pants during the early 1970s as a result of OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) mandating that businesses MUST have split seat toilets. \ Our government spending our money creating really interesting requirements for businesses. I also seem to recall that in time, OSHA backed off about the women’s seats and allowed the more-traditional whole ring. Ah, the useless things that clutter one’s memories. Blessings, Robert Beck \>\<\> ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-shaped-toilet-seats/408978/2 "2007-06-22T11:36:25Z")
Welcome to the boards, **gentleguyofpa**. When commenting on one of Cecil’s columns, a link to the original column is appreciated: [Why are public toilet seats always “U” shaped?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_006.html) ---
**Author:** ![franx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@franx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/franx)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-shaped-toilet-seats/408978/3 "2007-06-22T12:36:11Z")
So men are pigs? Well, women get up dripping all over the front of the ring! I’m married and I know. ---
**Author:** ![trojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@trojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trojo)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-shaped-toilet-seats/408978/4 "2007-06-25T18:13:17Z")
[QUOTE=franx] So men are pigs? Well, women get up dripping all over the front of the ring! I’m married and I know. [/QUOTE] I used to work as a cashier in a bookstore when I was in college, and I had the responsibility of cleaning up the store’s public restrooms every night after closing. My experience was that vast numbers of people of both genders have disgusting bathroom habits, but that women actually have worse aim than men, which I always thought was strange given that they are operating at point-blank range so to speak. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-shaped-toilet-seats/408978/5 "2007-06-25T18:30:31Z")
[QUOTE=trojo] I used to work as a cashier in a bookstore when I was in college, and I had the responsibility of cleaning up the store’s public restrooms every night after closing. My experience was that vast numbers of people of both genders have disgusting bathroom habits, but that women actually have worse aim than men, which I always thought was strange given that they are operating at point-blank range so to speak. [/QUOTE] You have confirmed what many in a position to know have posted before. The consensus is women are messier because they “hover-pee” by standing over the seat, to avoid toilet seat germs. Lacking the necessary equipment to aim with, they have worse aim than men. ---
**Author:** ![beigehanky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f08c70/32.png) [@beigehanky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beigehanky)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-shaped-toilet-seats/408978/6 "2007-06-28T17:07:26Z")
I’d always thought of a more logical explanation – if I guy is standing and just going “Number 1”, can always lift the seat mid-stream, so to speak, if you realize it’s down. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2007, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-shaped-toilet-seats/408978/7 "2007-06-30T01:47:09Z")
[QUOTE=franx] So men are pigs? Well, women get up dripping all over the front of the ring! I’m married and I know. [/QUOTE] A lot of women don’t even sit down on the seat. And believe me, they spray! Also, what good does it do to put the slot? The rim then gets the dribble. Big gain, huh? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2007, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-shaped-toilet-seats/408978/8 "2007-06-30T01:49:03Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] You have confirmed what many in a position to know have posted before. The consensus is women are messier because they “hover-pee” by standing over the seat, to avoid toilet seat germs. Lacking the necessary equipment to aim with, they have worse aim than men. [/QUOTE] Oops! I m issed this one. ---
**Author:** ![Freezair\_SilverEye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b2d939/32.png) [@Freezair\_SilverEye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freezair_SilverEye)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2007, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-shaped-toilet-seats/408978/9 "2007-06-30T12:48:33Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] You have confirmed what many in a position to know have posted before. The consensus is women are messier because they “hover-pee” by standing over the seat, to avoid toilet seat germs. Lacking the necessary equipment to aim with, they have worse aim than men. [/QUOTE] It really surprised me the first time I heard of this phenomenon. “Why not just sit down?” I think. “It’s much more difficult to make a mess that way!” But it seems that people get squicked out merely by the thought of sitting where other people’s bottoms have potentially sat.. Or other reasons. I wouldn’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2007, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-shaped-toilet-seats/408978/10 "2007-06-30T14:35:17Z")
[QUOTE=Freezair SilverEye] But it seems that people get squicked out merely by the thought of sitting where other people’s bottoms have potentially sat. [/QUOTE] In an early episode of _The Sopranos_, Jennifer Melfi could be observed visiting the toilet following dinner at a friend’s house. I noted her lavatorial _modus operandi_, namely to cover the seat with tissue before commencing proceedings, and immediately came up with an alternative solution, as follows: All citizens should be issued with inflatable rubber rings, individually stamped with the user’s name to enable identification in case of loss or theft. People who wish to use toilet facilities outside their homes can then inflate the rubber ring and place it on the seat. After use, both sides of the ring must, by law, be sprayed with an aerosol containing a proprietory disinfectant. The ring may be carried around in a handbag or, where this is not possible, around one’s neck until it is needed again. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2007, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-shaped-toilet-seats/408978/11 "2007-06-30T23:53:14Z")
My mother never went anywhere without her trusty can of Lysol. It was not unusual to find restrooms cleaner than the way she found them. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-shaped-toilet-seats/408978/12 "2007-07-01T00:06:54Z")
[QUOTE=racer72] My mother never went anywhere without her trusty can of Lysol. It was not unusual to find restrooms cleaner than the way she found them. [/QUOTE] Your Mom is not alone. Rare, maybe, but there are others. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-shaped-toilet-seats/408978/13 "2007-07-04T14:42:57Z")
[QUOTE=Freezair SilverEye] \\*t seems that people get squicked out merely by the thought of sitting where other people’s bottoms have potentially sat. Or other reasons. I wouldn’t know. [/QUOTE] I’m pretty sure the reason is that the person before didn’t sit because the person before didn’t sit etc etc etc. It’s a bit like a yellowy, liquid chain letter. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2007, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-shaped-toilet-seats/408978/14 "2007-07-04T14:59:55Z")
[QUOTE=SiXSwordS] I’m pretty sure the reason is that the person before didn’t sit because the person before didn’t sit etc etc etc. It’s a bit like a yellowy, liquid chain letter. [/QUOTE] A while back I washing my hands after doing my business when a co-worker came in and headed for the coveted (handicapped) stall. I said “enjoy, I warmed it up for you”. He stopped, called me a bad name, and left. 😃 Now I feel kinda guilty. Kinda. He’s still pissed. Uh, annoyed.