Posted by Dryden on May 11, 2001 at 15:47
In Reply to: What Happened... posted by Wet Trousers on May 11, 2001 at 14:42
WT, it is already a criminal offence here in England to urinate in the street; the proposal which you mention is about imposing fixed penalties for the offence. I occasionally see reports in newspapers of men being convicted of the offence. I cannot recall ever having seen a report of a woman being convicted. No doubt there are several cumulative reasons for this (1) more men drink beer in large quantities than women, (2) it is easier for a man to do it in the street than a woman (clothes do not have to be pulled down) (3) female modesty, which precludes many women from taking even the smallest risk of their most private parts being seen by strangers, however badly they need to pee, (4) women in general (not all) think ahead and use the toilet before they leave the pub, restaurant etc. (5) more men than women become drunk (and so uninhibited about peeing in the street). By chance, twice this week when travelling by train I have seen in the distance a man standing in a field peeing. In each case the man had his back largely to the train, but he was out in the open! We both know that you cannot arrange a meeting of devotees of this board, but the reason which you give could be overcome by borrowing the secluded beer garden of a pub for the evening. If others were excluded so that the party was strictly a private one and drinks (e.g. barrels of beer) were laid on in advance so that staff also were excluded, the event being private, on "private" premises would not fall within the criminal law in England, provided that underwear was left in place!
Email: