"Is urinating in public a nuisance if no-one sees it?" - true or false?

May 15, 2012 10:15am CST
I was reading a news article today which told that a judge in Somerset, UK, has ruled that urinating in public is not a nuisance if it is not seen or witnessed by anyone. Is this right though? Is it a nuisance? or do you agree? Personally, I don't really see the excuse for urinating in public in my country as it's well developed and an abundance of public conveniences, especially in towns and cities. I have needed the toilet before and because there was no night buses, I walked 8 miles to the nearest toilet - there's no way on earth that I would have relieved myself in public. I personally think it's disgusting. I see a lot of men in my area that walk round the corner and go to the toilet up the wall, or on the pavement - imagine if someone's kids played near these sites?!
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7 responses
@flamez3r0 (319)
• Puerto Rico
15 May 12
Hello :D. Even if no one sees the act, the smell tends to remain for some time, specially in alleys and such that tend to create a humid and dark environment, which is ideal for bacterial growth. So it is a nuisance, because it stinks up the place :).
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@deebomb (15304)
• United States
17 May 12
Eucalyptus I think the judge in this case is a lot over the top. Urinating in public is a health hazard unless it is a ways from any from a city or town like in the wilderness If the weather is warm to hot it smells and draws flies. You had to walk eight miles to the nearest loo. Was this in the country setting or the city. If it was at night and in a country setting I think that is an OK place to to urinate.
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
18 May 12
I think that you did the right thing then. You poor person. I can almost feel the pain you were in.
27 May 12
Aw thanks haha. It was an awful experience but I'd rather have done that than take a leak in front of someone's house!
17 May 12
This was in the 'outer city' so to speak, it was New Years Eve and nothing was open. The nearest loo was in the city, which happened to be where the only night buses were operating, which meant that I had to walk there anyway. It wasn't a country setting, just densely populated with houses and roads.
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@peavey (16936)
• United States
16 May 12
If no one sees it, what's the problem? Urine is sterile. Urine is wet; so is rain and rain isn't sterile. We've learned that it's "disgusting" or "nasty" but it's a natural thing that our bodies do and there's nothing nasty about it, because, as I said, urine is sterile. Now if it you were talking about defecating in public, that's a different story. That's NOT sterile and can cause health problems because our cities are such unnatural environments (concrete, asphalt) that there's no place for the bacteria to go.
17 May 12
The urine is sterile when it leaves the body, once it has passed it is no longer sterile, and as Aschatria said, bacteria will begin to form. So really, your comparison with rain is a bit odd as neither are when they hit the ground. Not to mention UTIs! In addition to Aschatria's response, why do we feel the need to go to the toilet up the wall or in an alley way if there are toilets scattered everywhere?
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
16 May 12
What if a squirrel urinates should he be arrested? If a pigeon defecates on a statue does this mean we shoot them? Both of those animals carry diseases and are in parks where kids play every day. If you walked 8 miles to a toilet than I doubt you really had to go that bad to begin with. In most places that are developed there is always some fast food chain right around the corner so I don't see this as being a big problem and if you are in a place that is not developed than I don't see what the problem is either if you urinate behind a dumpster in the middle of nowhere. I do see a problem if you whip it out in front of anyone or a crowd of people! Why did the judge make this ruling whats the story behind it?
@peavey (16936)
• United States
16 May 12
Good points. Sometimes I think we're so far removed from what is natural that we're afraid of it.
17 May 12
A squirrel doesn't take a dump in the middle of the streets around here, if they did then people would probably want something done about it! I really did need to go that badly to begin with - it was New Years Eve around 11pm and I wasn't too close to the city, there was no night buses and I didn't particularly want to squat in the street. The story behind this was that lorry drivers were stopping by this couple's house and urinating at a lay-by in front of their property. They lost the case because they didn't always witness them in the act.
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
16 May 12
Exactly, it smells and it breeds germs. And besides, civilization is crumbling fast enough, no need to hurry it along. I've peed outside in the woods off the beaten path, but just the thought of walking over a sidewalk that has been peed on by a person with who knows what swimming around in their bladder makes me sick.
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
17 May 12
I seem to remember a cetain famous Brit who lives here getting arrested for peeing on one of our landmarks. Hey Mike, how've you been?
• Canada
17 May 12
Mike we have the same sort of people this side of the pond. Lived in both the US and Canada. Seen them in action. Montreal had to be by far the worst. I remember early one morning seeing some drunk just a hosing down the back door of one of the subway entrances. Must have been knocking them back all night. Never thought anyone's bladder could hold that much.
@koopharper (7422)
• Canada
16 May 12
I don't think the relieving oneself in public is the real issue. The issue is health. Urine whether it is sterile or not when it exits the body attracts flies. Flies very clearly turn this into a major health issue. Feces are even worse. Whenever there is a refugee crisis in the world people start getting sick. One of the first ways organizations address the issue is to dig latrines so that disease is minimized. I used to do a lot of wilderness camping. We always carried a small garden trowel. If we had to relieve ourselves we dug a small hole and covered our waste. That is the healthiest way to deal with it. I detest people who urinate all over public places. In Montreal, Quebec and probably a lot of other large cities elsewhere do not stand in a bus shelter when it is raining the smell is atrocious. I've never seen anyone piss in the shelter but evidently a lot of people do. Yes it is still a nuisance.
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
17 May 12
And Urea itserlf may be sterile, but urine contains lots of food for the germs that are already on the surface where it lands. There's a reason it smells, it often contains proteins and blood cells and yeast, those things may be microscopic, but the rot just like anything else organic.
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@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
16 May 12
See, I am with you . It is a nuisance and a health concern. You just cannot always know who has done it.