What's With Europeans and Peeing Standing Up?

[Ksyrup]

German men told they can no longer stand and deliver
By Kate Connolly
(Filed: 18/08/2004)


German men are being shamed into urinating while sitting down by a gadget which is saving millions of women from cleaning up in the bathroom after them.

<SCRIPT language=javascript src="/core/NetGravity/mpu.js"></SCRIPT>The WC ghost, a £6 voice-alarm, reprimands men for standing at the lavatory pan. It is triggered when the seat is lifted. The battery-operated devices are attached to the seats and deliver stern warnings to those who attempt to stand and urinate (known as "Stehpinkeln").

"Hey, stand-peeing is not allowed here and will be punished with fines, so if you don't want any trouble, you'd best sit down," one of the devices orders in a voice impersonating the German leader, Chancellor Gerhard Schroder. Another has a voice similar to that of his predecessor, Helmut Kohl.

The manufacturers of the WC ghost, Patentwert, say they are ready to direct their gadgets at the British market.

Their prototype English-speaking WC ghost says in an American drawl: "Don't you go wetting this floor cowboy, you never know who's behind you. So sit down, get your water pistol in the bowl where it belongs. Ha, ha, ha."

They also plan to copy the voices of Tony Blair and the Queen.

So far 1.8 million WC ghosts have been sold in German supermarkets.

But Klaus Schwerma, author of Standing Urinators: The Last Bastion of Masculinity? doubts whether it will ever be possible to convert all men.

"Many insist on standing, even though it leads to much marital strife," he said.

In German, the phrase for someone who sits and urinates, a "Sitzpinkler", is equivalent to "wimp".

[GrantDawg]

Wouldn't that just keep guys from lifting the seat? Isn't that worse?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Y'know, it's funny -- I've always been more disturbed by the notion of the Euro women who look as though they stand to pee than I have by the idea that some of the men might also do so.

Guess that's just one of those cultural differences or sumpin.

[Alf]

Wouldn't that just keep guys from lifting the seat? Isn't that worse?I don't see why it would be worse if that forces them to sit.

I am glad I can still pee standing in the back of my "garden" at home !

[Ksyrup]

I think what he's saying is it wouldn't force them to sit, but rather, it would force them to pee into a smaller hole, thereby making more of a mess.

[GrantDawg]

I think what he's saying is it wouldn't force them to sit, but rather, it would force them to pee into a smaller hole, thereby making more of a mess.
Exactly.

[scooper]

I think if I triggered one of those alarms, I'd just blatantly pee on the seat.

[Ksyrup]

When it comes to laziness and/or exacting revenge for unnecessary restrictions, American men are of one mind!

[rkmsuf]

There is a reason the seat is made to lift up and down

[Ben E Lou]

I think if I triggered one of those alarms, I'd just blatantly pee on the seat.That's an absolute no-brainer.

[cthomer5000]

I'd pee on the floor and then file for divorce.

Of course i'm not married yet, but that's how serious i'd take this.

[cthomer5000]

dola.

I could see a great Miller High Life commercial revolving around not putting up with this device.

[Ben E Lou]

dola.

I could see a great Miller High Life commercial revolving around not putting up with this device.Heck, I don't even drink beer, but I might even buy a six-pack and give it away just to support the company that came up with such a commerical! :D

[Ksyrup]

They could combine this concept with the bear who passes up Busch to drink other beer concept, to make the hands-down Manly-Man Commercial of the Year.

[GrantDawg]

I wonder if you pissed on the sensor would it short out?

[B & B]

This is from a culture commonly associated with the hot lunch.

[Logan]

Larry David is going to move to Germany.

[Bee]

I wonder if you pissed on the sensor would it short out?

Might give you a nasty shock...

[PsychoCop]

I read this one... then why don't they just create the toilet with a permanent seat? Stubborn guys will just pee on the toilet with the seat on anyway. I don't understand these Euros...

[Franklinnoble]

In German, the phrase for someone who sits and urinates, a "Sitzpinkler", is equivalent to "wimp".
I'm going to try to work the term "Sitzpinkler" into everyday conversation. It's beautiful... just rolls of the tongue... sitzpinkler...

[judicial clerk]

Now I have to pee

[Bad-example]

Can you reprogram it to say other things? Or to play music? I think it would be cool to make it sound like the start of the kentucky derby upon lifting the seat.

[condors]

if i ever had to deal with that i would pee in the bathtub and "miss" on her damn toothbrush

[rkmsuf]

if i ever had to deal with that i would pee in the bathtub and "miss" on her damn toothbrush

The better question is why is her toothbrush in the bathtub

[pennywisesb]

When I was in Europe I just avoided public restrooms the best I could because everyone I saw you had to pay a fee to use. That + this new little device is making me think twice of ever returning to Europe ;)

[Franklinnoble]

Before long, European men will all be wearing adult diapers.

[Glengoyne]

I think if I triggered one of those alarms, I'd just blatantly pee on the seat.
I actually tried to train my ex-wife to put the seat "UP" when she finished.

"Well look I'm gonna walk up and piss. If I need to sit down, I'll damn well check the seat first."

Did I mention that we were married for six months?

[Franklinnoble]

I actually tried to train my ex-wife to put the seat "UP" when she finished.

"Well look I'm gonna walk up and piss. If I need to sit down, I'll damn well check the seat first."

Did I mention that we were married for six months?
You made it all the way to six months?

[duckman]

I would probably put the lid down and shit on it.

[Glengoyne]

You made it all the way to six months?
Well we were officially married for about 18, but she was banging a co-worker of hers in six months. So that is just where I stopped the clock.

[JeffNights]

Well we were officially married for about 18, but she was banging a co-worker of hers in six months. So that is just where I stopped the clock.


Yes but when did you pee on the seat??

[kcchief19]

Larry David is going to move to Germany. Greatest idea ever. Anything that means I don't have to turn on the light and wake myself up even more in the middle of the night to whiz is going in the act.