# What are those sideways water fountains at the gym for? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 23, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091 "2009-02-23T19:31:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091/1 "2009-02-23T19:31:37Z")
I’ve seen these all over in gyms across the country. They are usually next to drinking fountains, but the spout is parallel to the ground and I don’t think you’re supposed to drink out of them. What is this for? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091/2 "2009-02-23T19:38:26Z")
Spit. Seems you work up a lot of spit, and it’s that gross thick spit, when playing basketball. If you watch pro basketball (I don’t, I could be wrong). You’ll see the players spitting on the floor and then someone will wipe it up with a rag. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091/3 "2009-02-23T19:39:22Z")
Filling up a water bottle. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091/4 "2009-02-23T19:39:35Z")
Not quite sure what you mean, but I’ve seen water fountains in gyms that have extra spigots that make it easier to fill water bottles. Could that be what it is? ---
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091/5 "2009-02-23T19:44:15Z")
I doubt it’s for filling water bottles. The water seems to come out in a stream that clings to the side of the fountain. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091/6 "2009-02-23T19:52:03Z")
For anyone that can’t picture it. What the OP is describing looks like a urinal with water running along the back of it. Also, it’s usually located on one or both walls that are along the hoop sides of the court. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091/7 "2009-02-23T19:55:14Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > For anyone that can’t picture it. What the OP is describing looks like a urinal with water running along the back of it. Also, it’s usually located on one or both walls that are along the hoop sides of the court. Hmmm…well that I don’t know. I was thinking of the water fountains that have a spigot that is shaped like a hook, sometimes like a sideways hook. For the one mentioned by the OP…American attempt at a bidet? I’m stumped. ---
**Author:** ![maniondl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@maniondl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maniondl)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091/8 "2009-02-23T19:57:30Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > For anyone that can’t picture it. What the OP is describing looks like a urinal with water running along the back of it. Also, it’s usually located on one or both walls that are along the hoop sides of the court. Maybe it’s a urinal for players that don’t want to miss a thing? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091/9 "2009-02-23T19:57:40Z")
Yeah, it’s weird. The one I saw today actually had multiple outlets for the water coming out of one spigot. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091/10 "2009-02-23T19:58:30Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Spit. Seems you work up a lot of spit, and it’s that gross thick spit, when playing basketball. If you watch pro basketball (I don’t, I could be wrong). You’ll see the players spitting on the floor and then someone will wipe it up with a rag. What a truly lowly job. I mean, most of the time people cleaning up after other people are at least doing it later on and out of sight, but I can’t imagine having to mop up someone’s spit in front of them immediately after the act. You’d think they’d have a spitoon or something. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091/11 "2009-02-23T20:02:28Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Spit. Seems you work up a lot of spit, and it’s that gross thick spit, when playing basketball. If you watch pro basketball (I don’t, I could be wrong). You’ll see the players spitting on the floor and then someone will wipe it up with a rag. I’ve never seen a player spit on the floor. The people with rags are primarily there to wipe up sweat when people fall down. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091/12 "2009-02-23T20:05:56Z")
Baseball players spit a lot, sometimes in the dugout which must be cleaned up. Some of it is related to chewing tobacco. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091/13 "2009-02-23T20:06:02Z")
Like I said, I don’t really watch basketball. And here’s a picture of what the OP is talking about. [http://h.atgimg.com/img/l/194/k-5295-0.jpg](http://h.atgimg.com/img/l/194/k-5295-0.jpg) Here’s a closeup of the spigot. [http://www.drinkingfountaindoctor.com/products/86.html](http://www.drinkingfountaindoctor.com/products/86.html) ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091/14 "2009-02-23T20:10:30Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > …American attempt at a bidet? I’m stumped. Face Bidet? ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091/15 "2009-02-23T20:13:36Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Spit. Got it in one. Either that, or I’ve been spittin in the face bidet at the gym all these years!:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091/16 "2009-02-23T20:18:45Z")
> [@SiXSwordS](#): > > Face Bidet? Band Name! ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091/17 "2009-02-23T21:09:25Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Here’s a closeup of the spigot. > [http://www.drinkingfountaindoctor.com/products/86.html](http://www.drinkingfountaindoctor.com/products/86.html) Cuspidor head huh? A wiki of cuspidor goes to the article for “spitoon”. Thanks, I’ve always wondered what those were for too. ---
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091/18 "2009-02-23T21:24:43Z")
I still don’t get it. Why is a stream of low speed water good for eliminating spit? ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091/19 "2009-02-23T21:29:05Z")
One spits into the receptacle which is then rinsed clean by the water. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091/20 "2009-02-23T21:32:28Z")
> [@Cagey\_Drifter](#): > > I still don’t get it. Why is a stream of low speed water good for eliminating spit? Cause the spit won’t stick to the wall of the thing if water is streaming down. Typically what you do is take a drink of water from the, uh, bubbler (or water fountain) and then rinse your mouth and spit into that other doohicky with the water rinsing all the evidence away. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-sideways-water-fountains-at-the-gym-for/487091.md?page=2)