# Will the "Urinal Code" ever go away? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 24, 2021, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280 "2021-09-24T16:58:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280/41 "2021-09-24T22:40:27Z")
yep although the ones i used were actually porcelain apparently when they were put in in the 30s they were a wonder of the world in farm country… ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280/42 "2021-09-24T22:46:23Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Wrigley Field. Here’s a 2013 article from the Chicago Tribune, about Wrigley’s trough urinals, and the then-planned (and since completed) renovations to the park: > [@](#): > > Cubs spokesman and urinal user Julian Green told me that while the park’s bathrooms will be expanded and some standard, one-man urinals (let’s call them “short troughs”) added, the historic communal tinkle traps will remain in place. > > “For the last several years, we have basically undertaken a number of focus groups and surveys among fans as we’ve looked to put together our plan to restore and improve the stadium,” Green said. “What we found is that our male fans have no problems with the communal nature of the troughs, cheek to cheek if you will. It’s part of enjoying the game.” The author also interviewed a spokesman at plumbing manufacturer American Standard, who indicated that they no longer made such urinals (and hadn’t in some time), and that they are now largely limited to older stadiums and correctional facilities. > **[Wrigley trough urinals will stay, despite renovation](https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2013-06-02-ct-met-huppke-urinals-20130602-story.html)** ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280/43 "2021-09-24T23:04:14Z")
Yeah, I was at a game there about a month ago and was surprised to find the urinals still there (and they seemed shinier and updated), as I had thought somewhere way back when they talked about getting rid of them. As far as the porcelein ones go, I know I’ve seen them before – they looks like elongated bathtubs – but I can’t remember where. Maybe I’m thinking of old Comiskey Park? Did they have troughs, too? I feel like they did. And in Europe I came across a lot of situations where it was just “pee against a wall with a raised lip on the floor (to keep the pee from spilling into the bathroom) and a drain off to the side” set-up. ETA: Actually, Wikipedia has got a pic of what I’m talking about, although the ones I’m familiar with didn’t wrap around 90 degrees like that – it was just one side of a wall: [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/Wallurinal.jpg/1280px-Wallurinal.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/Wallurinal.jpg/1280px-Wallurinal.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280/44 "2021-09-24T23:05:34Z")
# [Will the “Urinal Code” ever go away?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280) The Urinal Code existed long before written human records. You don’t just walk up next to a guy and take a piss. If you are out in hundreds of acres of wilderness, you had better not stand too close to me. The exception is if you are doing a Mafia hit. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280/45 "2021-09-24T23:22:41Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Sometimes they have them filled with ice, for some reason. I would hazard a guess to somehow reduce the odors I’ve heard that ice is used to ensure a trickle of water continually flows through the trough. The melting ice helps wash away the urine throughout the trough. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280/46 "2021-09-24T23:36:52Z")
Yep. This is how they are at the outdoor facilities at the Ren Faire. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280/47 "2021-09-24T23:46:39Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > The toilets were a row of holes in a board over a trough of running water. Apparently a common arrangement at the time. When I toured the WWII era battleship USS Alabama, I found that the rumors I had heard about such an arrangement in Navy ships was in fact true. It always seemed made up. And as you noted, try to be upstream, lest some joker send a flaming Number 2 packet downstream. This feature was not listed in the self-guided tour book, though. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2021, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280/48 "2021-09-25T00:39:40Z")
How so? Most people don’t want other people of any gender watching while they are toileting. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2021, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280/49 "2021-09-25T03:20:57Z")
In China, which in many places still has the “trough” style. The code is the same - default is to the most open space. If there are a lot of people, just squeeze in. Christ, what age are some of you? I remember rock concerts in San Francisco in the 70’s and the 80’s, and the mantra was “two to a sink”. I haven’t paid attention but anyone that is gonna leave an empty urinal unused because “it breaks the code” are just wierd. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2021, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280/50 "2021-09-25T03:27:50Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Christ, what age are some of you? I remember rock concerts in San Francisco in the 70’s and the 80’s, and the mantra was “two to a sink”. Growing up in the '70s, and going to Packer games at the pre-renovated Lambeau Field, my dad and I used to joke about “the fun of seeing drunk guys peeing in the sinks.” > [@](#): > > I haven’t paid attention but anyone that is gonna leave an empty urinal unused because “it breaks the code” are just wierd. The Chicago Tribune article I linked to earlier in the thread noted that, over the past few decades, people have become increasingly modest. There was a fairly long thread here a few weeks ago about men’s locker rooms at gyms, and how it seems to mostly be the older men who are comfortable being naked there (to the point where some seem to enjoy just hanging around and socializing while naked). ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2021, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280/51 "2021-09-25T12:56:30Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > For me, it’s not an issue of homophobia so much as personal space, like not wanting somebody to sit next to me on an airplane when there’s plenty of other empty seats. Yeah, don’t think it’s a homophobia thing. If you sat down in a largely empty movie theater (at least, back before they started pre-assigning seating) and a stranger chose to sit right next to you it would seem odd and uncomfortable for most people, same sex or not. Same with urinals. If I’m using one at the end of a row of six working urinals, the other 5 are unoccupied, and someone comes in and chooses the urinal next to me I would find it odd and off-putting. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2021, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280/52 "2021-09-25T13:09:32Z")
This situation will always be awkward: [![](https://i.imgur.com/MzsziTM.jpg) ](https://i.imgur.com/MzsziTM.jpg) This image has been showing up in memes. A caption on the last frame might be “We’ve been trying to reach you about your car’s warranty.” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2021, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280/53 "2021-09-25T13:57:54Z")
Confession: I didn’t read the whole thread before posting. 1. When a urinal is being used, use the urinal farthest away from that one. Maintain the maximum distance between you and the other users. 2. If you’re the first one in, choose the urinal farthest away. Same applies to stalls. 3. Eyes front, soldier! When using a urinal, don’t look down. Don’t look at the guy next to you. You may look at the wall or the ceiling. 4. No talking, even if you know the other person(s). This applies to both urinals and stalls. 5. No humming or singing. 6. Try to use the toilets on a different floor from the one you work on. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2021, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280/54 "2021-09-25T16:50:40Z")
These rules fly out the window if you’re on break from a gay men’s chorus rehearsal. We pee wherever the hell we want, and there’s as much talking and joking in the men’s room as anywhere else. I really don’t know why you guys are so damn uptight about so many things. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2021, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280/55 "2021-09-25T16:58:53Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > In China, which in many places still has the “trough” style. The code is the same - default is to the most open space. If there are a lot of people, just squeeze in. > > Christ, what age are some of you? I remember rock concerts in San Francisco in the 70’s and the 80’s, and the mantra was “two to a sink”. > > I haven’t paid attention but anyone that is gonna leave an empty urinal unused because “it breaks the code” are just wierd. Long ago I was peeing next to my buddy into a trough at a college football game. He was holding his radio so he would not miss any part of the game. Yeah, he dropped it into the communal trough. Best part: He fished it out, wiped it on his pants, and kept on listening. There was alcohol involved, in case you didn’t know. mmm ---
**Author:** ![phs3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@phs3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phs3)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2021, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280/56 "2021-09-25T19:50:56Z")
Anybody remember urinal.exe, a Flash game? Long gone but it illustrated the Code. Then there’s this, more recent: > **[Which urinal should you choose? New phone app makes sure you don't break the...](https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/4086775/urinal-app-rates-bathroom-selection/)** > > THERE is an unspoken rule in men’s toilets to obey certain etiquette rules, like looking at the walls and choosing a space away from other occupants. And now an ingenious app lets you simulant the … Finally, back in 7th grade, the boys’ rooms (at least) had these round sinks with a step bar to turn on the water, kind of like these: [![](https://static.grainger.com/rp/s/is/image/Grainger/4DU65_AS02?hei=536&wid=536&%24adapimg%24=) ](https://static.grainger.com/rp/s/is/image/Grainger/4DU65_AS02?hei=536&wid=536&%24adapimg%24=) A few years after that, I was at Maple Leaf Gardens for the first time, and they had round trough urinals. I was horrified, not because of the privacy issue, but because I thought guys were peeing in the sink! (Not that there’s anything all that wrong with that, but doing so in a public restroom is a bit over the top). ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2021, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280/57 "2021-09-25T19:59:44Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Try to use the toilets on a different floor from the one you work on. This is crazy talk. Every building I’ve worked in the vast majority of men don’t change floors to use the facilities. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2021, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280/58 "2021-09-25T20:05:00Z")
> [@phs3](#): > > A few years after that, I was at Maple Leaf Gardens for the first time, and they had round trough urinals. We had these in one of the high schools I went to. Looked like they were made of polished granite. When you had a stampede of boys trying to piss between classes you either looked at the ceiling or watched everyone else pissing in the trough. If the automatic flusher went off while you were doing your thing, you had to watch out because it shot all the way out to the top of the trough. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2021, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280/59 "2021-09-25T20:17:02Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > This is crazy talk. Every building I’ve worked in the vast majority of men don’t change floors to use the facilities. Nah, stink up the bathroom on the next floor so your coworkers don’t walk in when you’re coming out and say, Damn! ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2021, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280/60 "2021-09-26T06:34:11Z")
I’ve never actually seen it but I’ve always heard stories from others of somebody seeing a solid shit in the trough urinal and said people wondering how someone could have the time and balance to do that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-urinal-code-ever-go-away/951280.md?page=4)