# Urinal Decisions, real phenomenon?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [September 3, 2009, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739 "2009-09-03T13:25:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2009, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739/1 "2009-09-03T13:25:42Z")
A common meme is the idea that men will not use urinals when it’s crowded, preferring to wait or leave rather than go between 2 other men. I have never ever seen this, does anybody know anybody for whom this is a reality?
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### Author:  [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2009, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739/2 "2009-09-03T13:38:35Z")
Well I won’t select a urinal next to someone else if there is room to leave an empty one between us; but if it’s crowded I’ll take the first one that opens up.
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### Author:  [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2009, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739/3 "2009-09-03T13:50:14Z")
> [@](#):
>
> A common meme is the idea that men will not use urinals when it’s crowded, preferring to wait or leave rather than go between 2 other men.
It can’t be that common – I’ve never heard it.
Dave Barry , in **Dave Barry’s Book of Guys** gives a humorous but, in my opinion, pretty accurate depiction of the situation. He says that a guy might not _like_ to use the urinal between two guys, and some might wait, or even pee in the corner. But most guys will use it, while staring rigidly aheads.
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### Author:  [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2009, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739/4 "2009-09-03T13:58:38Z")
I usually just pick the one closest to the door.
Heh, it’s funny. Once in a while I’ll get stage fright and not be able to go for what seems like forever. It’s very awkward. I can’t help wondering what the guy next to me is thinking. “Why is this freak just standing in front of the urinal with his dong in his hand?” :dubious:
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### Author:  [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2009, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739/5 "2009-09-03T14:36:02Z")
It’s real, to a point. If you’re the first one in try to pick a urinal so that the largest number of guys can fit without being side by side. After that it goes every other until the row is full, going from the farthest away from occupied urinals first, then stalls are occupied. After that the remaining urinals are filled. Then it becomes first available.
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### Author:  [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739/6 "2009-09-03T14:40:13Z")
Unless it’s really crowded leave at least one empty urinal between you and the next guy. The same rule applies to communal showers.
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### Author:  [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739/7 "2009-09-03T14:40:23Z")
If you go to an event with a large crowd and don’t want to go next to someone you might have to wait a while. Or just go when the event is going on - not during halftime, intermission, etc.
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2009, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739/8 "2009-09-03T14:45:11Z")
I can’t say I have ever noticed any guy waiting to use a urinal just because the only one available was between two other guys. Sometimes guys wait for a stall when it seems they only need to pee, but that may be because of other issues.
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### Author:  [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2009, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739/9 "2009-09-03T14:51:31Z")
I’ve seen it to a degree, but not just with urinals, but stuff like seats on the bus.
Say you have five seats on the bus: X X X X X
First person sits: X X O X X
Next person will usually opt for the most distance and will choose one of two possibilities rather than sit right next to the first guy:
X X O X O
Next person to get on also aims for the most space: O X O X O
The combinations vary, usually depending on where the first person sits who started it all, but generally people will spread out at the start.
Eg/
xxxxo --\> oxxxo --\> oxoxo
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### Author:  [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739/10 "2009-09-03T14:52:58Z")
The Urinal Commandments, as given by the Great Twohy:
Commandment #1: Thou shalt not speak at the Urinal.
Commandment #2: Thou shalt keep thy head down, and not look to either side.
Commandment #3: Thou shalt not choose a Urinal adjacent to one in use unless no other Urinals are available.
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### Author:  [@Never\_Say\_Dice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Never_Say_Dice)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739/11 "2009-09-03T14:59:42Z")
> [@Mr\_Shine](#):
>
> A common meme is the idea that men will not use urinals when it’s crowded, preferring to wait or leave rather than go between 2 other men. I have never ever seen this, does anybody know anybody for whom this is a reality?
The only time this happens is when the empty stall is next to a relative. My son will wait if the only opening is by me and vice versa. So when we go to the movies and would hit the john at the same time I decide I’m thirsty and get a drink so I’m not in line until he’s done.
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### Author:  [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2009, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739/12 "2009-09-03T15:30:18Z")
I don’t get gun shy, but I have a long lag time between the time I unzip and the flow gets going. Nothing medically wrong – been down that road already – but it’s just how my bladder works (has a hard time opening up and relaxing). I did a real good job of overcompensating for bed-wetting, which ended around 6 or 7 years of age. So, my bladder requires that I relax and then it just slowly releases… and I can be there for several “shift changes” at the urinals.
Make no mistake, you always leave a buffer urinal between you and others, unless there is no other choice. If the stall is open, and urinals are open, you are free to hit the stall, but you know the other guys at the urinals are thinking “gun shy wuss just entered the stall”.
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### Author:  [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739/13 "2009-09-03T15:48:46Z")
I will not normally use a urinal next to an occupied one. I either wait or go to a stall.
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### Author:  [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739/14 "2009-09-03T16:10:26Z")
> [@Never\_Say\_Dice](#):
>
> The only time this happens is when the empty stall is next to a relative. My son will wait if the only opening is by me and vice versa. So when we go to the movies and would hit the john at the same time I decide I’m thirsty and get a drink so I’m not in line until he’s done.
What? Are you saying that he’ll pee next to strangers if need be, but not you? Why?
I can attest that women do this with stalls, too. If there are, say, five open stalls and I take the end one, and someone then takes the one right next to me, I’ll definitely think, “WTF? Why do you want to sit next to me to pee? Are you some kind of pervert?” And that’s only happened perhaps twice in my life.
It’s just strange to choose to be closer to someone peeing than you absolutely have to.
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2009, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739/15 "2009-09-03T16:13:16Z")
I’ve seen guys use the sink as a last resort…
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### Author:  [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739/16 "2009-09-03T17:49:25Z")
If I’m at all in a hurry, I’ll go ahead and use an adjacent urinal if the non-adjacent ones are occupied. Pointedly not using said urinal just brings all of the rules to the forefront of everyone’s mind and generates its own awkwardness, so it’s kind of a wash anyway.
> [@garygnu](#):
>
> Commandment #2: Thou shalt keep thy head down, and not look to either side.
You do _not_ look down. That’s where the strangers’ penises are. You look forward. Many public washrooms even sell advertising space on the portion of the wall on which one is supposed to train one’s eyes. If there isn’t a poster above your urinal, just remember, “eyes on the road”.
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### Author:  [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739/17 "2009-09-03T17:52:10Z")
Saw a sign above a urinal that said “We aim to please, you aim too, please” 🙂
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### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2009, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739/18 "2009-09-03T17:56:57Z")
> [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](#):
>
> What? Are you saying that he’ll pee next to strangers if need be, but not you? Why?
That’s funny, because the only guys I’ll stand next to (even if I don’t have to) are relatives.
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### Author:  [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739/19 "2009-09-03T18:30:26Z")
Test your urinal knowledge.
[The Urinal Game](http://gamescene.com/The_Urinal_Game_game.html).
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### Author:  [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urinal-decisions-real-phenomenon/508739/20 "2009-09-03T18:38:55Z")
As strange as it sounds psychologists have done studies on this kind of thing. I don’t know if they just get a guy to sit there with a clipboard for hours on end or do something else. From what I recall about 1 study they found that people prefer the stalls on the end , the assumption is that way you have less chance of someone being next to you.
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