Conversing at Urinal?

[Tosantos]

Happens a lot at the urinals at work. No big deal

 

[aqua-illusion]

I have a multi-use washroom at work, 3 urinals with dividers. I find that some of my male coworkers will talk to me during all points of the peeing...while they pee, while I pee, while washing my hands and they pee, vice versa. Then there's some that will stay dead silent and you can hear the quiet splatter on the urinal. lol.

 

[EllieP]

OK, I don't know urinal etiquette, but I went to the ladies room at a restaurant the other day, which I hate to do, by the way. And there's a woman already in one of the stalls, and she's talking up a storm! It took a couple of seconds before I realized she was on the phone. But then I started thinking does the person on the other end know she's on the toilet?

Personally, I don't care to talk to others while I'm taking care of personal business, but that might just be me. And a few others it appears. I can't imagine going to the bathroom face-to-face like you do!

At a campsite we went to a few years ago there were bathroom stalls that were very short, so you could see the other person's face when you're sitting down. I opened the door and went nope nope nope. Come on, people, seriously? You could put another four feet of wall up?

 

[keenobserver]

OK, I don't know urinal etiquette, but I went to the ladies room at a restaurant the other day, which I hate to do, by the way. And there's a woman already in one of the stalls, and she's talking up a storm! It took a couple of seconds before I realized she was on the phone. But then I started thinking does the person on the other end know she's on the toilet?

Personally, I don't care to talk to others while I'm taking care of personal business, but that might just be me. And a few others it appears. I can't imagine going to the bathroom face-to-face like you do!

At a campsite we went to a few years ago there were bathroom stalls that were very short, so you could see the other person's face when you're sitting down. I opened the door and went nope nope nope. Come on, people, seriously? You could put another four feet of wall up?

Yeah, phones have taken toilets to a whole new level . . .

 

[HornyToad11]

OK, I don't know urinal etiquette, but I went to the ladies room at a restaurant the other day, which I hate to do, by the way. And there's a woman already in one of the stalls, and she's talking up a storm! It took a couple of seconds before I realized she was on the phone. But then I started thinking does the person on the other end know she's on the toilet?

Personally, I don't care to talk to others while I'm taking care of personal business, but that might just be me. And a few others it appears. I can't imagine going to the bathroom face-to-face like you do!

At a campsite we went to a few years ago there were bathroom stalls that were very short, so you could see the other person's face when you're sitting down. I opened the door and went nope nope nope. Come on, people, seriously? You could put another four feet of wall up?

Ellie - get one of these and then you too can uses a urinal: http://www.shewee.com/

INMHO phones and toilets do not mix - http://www.livescience.com/22822-cell-phones-germs.html

 

[Black_Frost]

Urinal etiquette has changed over the years.
Used to be that it was basically like any other place. Someone looked over at you, or you met them on the way in or out of the room, you either nodded or said "hello" or something in passing, but didn't necessarily start a conversation. Someone made a remark, like "God, it's hot out!" or "Just six hours left to go, until I get home to [wherever.]" You said something polite back, finished your business, and told them "Take care." or something as you left. One didn't take the urinal next to someone else, just so as not to crowd them, unless there wasn't another available, and if so, one said "Excuse me." or something similarly appropriate.

There were rarely, if at all, partitions between the urinals, and sometimes not even between the toilets. Our culture was far closer to the days of outhouses, and, frankly, pissing and shitting was something which everyone did, in an appropriate place, and one just politely ignored it and carried on. Generally speaking, the guys would at least glance at the other guys, more to check out the competition than out of any other interest. Much like in a locker room.

These days, everyone's so horrified at the notion that another guy might catch a glimpse of his dick -- or that he might inadvertently see someone else's (THE HORROR!) that we've skimpy little partitions retrofitted into spaces that were already crowded for us broad-shouldered folk, so that just fitting between some of them can be a pain. (Don't get me started on some of the stall widths, if one's broad-shouldered. I can barely move in some of them, let alone do what has to be done.) Some younger guys are paranoid as hell regarding using the urinals, and will freak-out if someone uses one next to them or speaks a single word while in the washroom. (Some of the "urinal etiquette" pages out there on the 'net are truly laugh-worthy.)

I've never understood why some straight guys have the unwavering conviction that they're going to get harassed, jumped-upon, and/or raped, if some other guy catches sight of their dick. I've often wondered whether it was that they're afraid other men are going to treat them like they, themselves, treat women, but I've really no idea.

 

[hot showers]

When I was younger, I would get really pee shy if someone talked to me at a urinal without dividers. It was related to a larger issue of getting turned on by having other guys see my dick (and vice versa). As I grew out of that and it became more and more routine to have other guys see my flaccid dick in a variety of settings (gym showers, skinny dipping, roommates, etc.), having my dick in view of other guys while pissing also became routine and the pee shyness went away.

 

[bigtoad]

"Howdy...nice dick."

 

[ebert]

My boss started a conversation with me at the urinal the other day, and I found the whole experience quite disconcerting. I happily chat with my mates while peeing etc., but with my employer I think it's odd. I understand that we're both guys, and I'm by no means shy about having my dick out in front of someone else, but at the end of the day he pays me - I think there some professional lines that should not be crossed.

 

[ronin001]

The work urinal is kind of my exception to the rule of no conversation. If i am talking to someone about work or BS on the way to the bathroom, I usually keep on talking, yes we have dividers. On the other hand I never ever talk to people sitting on the toilet, talking can wait till they are done

 

[Tully77]

Urinal etiquette has changed over the years.
Used to be that it was basically like any other place. Someone looked over at you, or you met them on the way in or out of the room, you either nodded or said "hello" or something in passing, but didn't necessarily start a conversation. Someone made a remark, like "God, it's hot out!" or "Just six hours left to go, until I get home to [wherever.]" You said something polite back, finished your business, and told them "Take care." or something as you left. One didn't take the urinal next to someone else, just so as not to crowd them, unless there wasn't another available, and if so, one said "Excuse me." or something similarly appropriate.

There were rarely, if at all, partitions between the urinals, and sometimes not even between the toilets. Our culture was far closer to the days of outhouses, and, frankly, pissing and shitting was something which everyone did, in an appropriate place, and one just politely ignored it and carried on. Generally speaking, the guys would at least glance at the other guys, more to check out the competition than out of any other interest. Much like in a locker room.

These days, everyone's so horrified at the notion that another guy might catch a glimpse of his dick -- or that he might inadvertently see someone else's (THE HORROR!) that we've skimpy little partitions retrofitted into spaces that were already crowded for us broad-shouldered folk, so that just fitting between some of them can be a pain. (Don't get me started on some of the stall widths, if one's broad-shouldered. I can barely move in some of them, let alone do what has to be done.) Some younger guys are paranoid as hell regarding using the urinals, and will freak-out if someone uses one next to them or speaks a single word while in the washroom. (Some of the "urinal etiquette" pages out there on the 'net are truly laugh-worthy.)

I've never understood why some straight guys have the unwavering conviction that they're going to get harassed, jumped-upon, and/or raped, if some other guy catches sight of their dick. I've often wondered whether it was that they're afraid other men are going to treat them like they, themselves, treat women, but I've really no idea.

This was very funny, well-written, and pretty much entirely correct all at the same time. I think part of it is that people have less that they really need to take seriously than in decades past, so they take themselves over-seriously instead. It is ridiculous and amusing, but it would be much better if people got over themselves a bit.

 

[950483]

Don't try to make conversation with people in the toilets, but if another man leaves just before you, when you emerge through the door, and as the other person is walking away, it's fun to point and say at the top of your voice, in an accusatory tone, "Hey! He didn't wash his hands!"

 

[622675]

I have no problem with conversation while peeing at urinals, outside, where ever. But in South Texas it is also not unusual to have the guy next to you lean with one hand against the wall in front of him and mutter passionate expressions of relief as he empties his bladder. It is more common among members of the Hispanic culture especially if they/we know each other.