Although I know it happens, in several trips to France I have to say that I have never seen public urination; I have seen it in other European countries.

Conversely,I hate to say that I saw it here in Pgh., for the first time, a few weeks ago, in a parking lot near the stadium before a Steelers game.

Here is a russian riddle for you, sorry for my "loose" translation:

1 man can do it, 2 men can do it, 3 men can do it. 1 woman can do it, 2 women can hardly do it, 3 women can't do it.

what is "it"? to pee in a bucket!

I don't know what all the fuss is about. When you gotta go you gotta go. And women can also. I saw two women squatting with their dresses hiked and a stream running down the sidewalk behind them as I waited in line to get into a cafe in Holland.

Eastern toilets are common in cafes and public places throughout Europe. If you want a clean throne and white toilet paper go to the Golden Arches.

Stench considerations aside, I think a more disgusting habit (and one a lot more accepted in public places, unfortunately) is chewing tobacco. If people doing this didn't have to habitually spit, it would be fine... but when you are sitting next to someone on a plane flight, and they are spitting tobacco into a clear cup and you have to see and smell it all flight...eeeewwwww!!!!!!

Yooo.. GreenDragon? You win! Hand's down...

Can you imagine being kissed by a 'backie-chawer'?

Just make sure the man isn't performing before you tap him on the shoulder to ask directions!

Advice from someone who knows.......(splash!)

It took us a while to realize that the lmen facing away from their cars on rural roads weren't just admiring the scenery.

I had to sit beside a guy for the entire 11 hours on a flight from LA to Singapore via Tokyo who did nothing but chew tobacco and spit the remains into a clear cup the entire flight. I've been there, and I wouldn't go there again.

But all this talk reminds me vaguely of an album cover of a rock /'metal' British band in the '70s, featuring a woman standing at a men urinal looking over her shoulder. Can't remember the name of the band or the album. Does anyone ?

The band was Foriegner (how's that for a fit into a travel forum?). I don't think the members were all British though.

My favorite, or most repulsive public urination story: I was coming down an escalator in a Parisian Dept Store and the elevator went by picture windows - just as the elevator reached the ground floor there were two clochards (wine bags) unabashedly and evenly proudly it seemed urinating against the window!

I wonder if the acceptance has more to do with the urban location and cities vs the most of the US where there is a McDonalds on every corner and even drug stores have bathrooms. But this is not just a France or European thing. The reason why I bring out urban is I have seen men in suits go on the streets of NYC where two buildings were side by side and one building sticks out 7 inches more than the other. Just enough room to hide behind the "jut-out" and let it go. I know I have been caught in NYC and could not find a restroom and looked for places to go, no matter where. So, I could be wrong but I do think it is more urban situation therefore drives more accepatability. Fthe record, I also try to go when I am at the top of a famous place (in a restroom, not off the side). Good example, like the Eiffel Tower, Berline Tower, Shanghai Orential Pearl and Empire state building. Could not find one at the Great Wall though.

Men are like cats. Marking their territory. I've been saying this for years.

More urban situation? lol! You haven't spent much time in the country where the area in front of the back porch is not somewhere you want to walk around barefoot. There is just more room for them not to be seen.
Nothing tops China. I was in brand new 500,000 sq feet exhibition centers with disgusting whole in the ground toilets. They never have any toilet paper but I knew from Italy to bring my own. You really have to watch where you step and hold your pant legs up.
There used to a be a web site that listed the best and worst toilets in the world. Maybe someone knows the link.

Nikki,

And maybe like dogs. The differences are that we don't smell the wall before we pee on it and we don't circle the block. One shot is enough. ;-)

The Arc de Triumph is the largest pissoir in France. Try a whiff of THAT on a hot day. The French do not even respect their greatest national monument!

Just a question:

If someone urinates while in line, is he minding his pees and queues?

What is the difference between pea soup and roast beef?

Everybody can roast beef! Try to pee (pea) soup!

Hasn't anyone noticed ..even if there are bathrooms..they often don't have doors! At the Bastille antique show, while there were port a johns with doors there were also open places for men ! You couldn't avoid seeing them!

While driving along a road in Northrn France ,I noticed a man along side a field. I thought he was watering the plants! I asked my DH where the heck was the hose connection! we both just about cracked up because he'd noticed it too but knew what it was! This guy should have gotten an Olympic medal for p*****g!

They must be slow learners. Marking their territory has not stopped the Germans from taking all or most of it every few decades.

My office used to do business with the Petroleum Division of International Paper. The name of that subsidary was I. P. Petroleum. Think about it, say it out loud, "I P Petroleum." I would hear this name and say to myself, "I'm glad I don't pee petroleum." However, that could be quite profitable in today's world of high oil prices.

I'm not kidding, this really was their name. I used to chuckle every time I spoke of this company.