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Post by nic on Sept 2, 2009 9:05:47 GMT
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Post by bazfaz on Sept 2, 2009 9:23:33 GMT
Bring back the on-the-pavement pissoirs. That would ease the problem. I read somewhere that they were removed under President de Gaulle because his wife didn't like them.
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Post by lagatta on Sept 2, 2009 10:34:47 GMT
While this does seem a bit "Swiss" and Yvonne was doubtless a bit of a prude, I can't agree with you bazfaz. Why should men have more public facilities due to the shape of their genitalia? The Sanisettes are accessible to all, male or female, to the disabled and parents with small children in tow. We have to pee too - and sometimes some of us are pregnant.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2009 10:51:38 GMT
Frankly, this is MUCH less of a problem than, say, 20 years ago. I have seen the difference over the years, and I would say that men pee a lot less in dark corners than the old days. For one thing, public lighting has improved, so there aren't many dark corners left.
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Post by bjd on Sept 2, 2009 11:55:50 GMT
I must agree with Kerouac. Public peeing isn't nearly as much a problem as it used to be. And besides the fact that public urinals were only for men, it didn't smell too good nearby either.
I have always had the impression that the French are not very civic-minded anyway, but some progress has been made.
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Post by fumobici on Sept 2, 2009 17:24:44 GMT
Are there any of the kiosk-type pissoirs left? All there seems to be now are those ones that look like a huge kitchen appliance.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2009 17:34:10 GMT
There is one traditional urinoir left in Paris, on boulevard Arago, just outside the walls of La Santé prison. I'm think that they have left it there so that some ex-con coming out after 30 years won't go into culture shock.  |
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Post by fumobici on Sept 2, 2009 19:43:57 GMT
Wow very interesting, thanks. I'm not sure if I should feel a twinge of nostalgia or what.
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Post by bazfaz on Sept 2, 2009 20:49:24 GMT
Lagatta, as I understand you, you say that because men have something that women don't then it should be taken away from the men.
And I suspect the reason there were all the public pissoirs was because the men drank an awful lot more wine and beer than women and had more frequent need.
Once you get out into the country the men simply stand at the side of the road to pee. Women find a bush. No one says the men shouldn't pee like that.
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Post by lola on Sept 2, 2009 21:11:32 GMT
I used to drive frequently along the Rio Grande Gorge in northern NM. It seemed that nearly every time I made that drive almost, there'd be a man facing the river, back to the road, in that unmistakable stance.
What perplexes me in my town is why people would urinate in our Metro stop elevators. Almost every one of them has the foul odor that must be difficult to eradicate. If it's men, can't they just find a dark corner?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2009 21:19:08 GMT
Elevator peeing seems to be an international pastime.
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Post by fumobici on Sept 2, 2009 21:32:33 GMT
Probably less chance of being seen and getting ticketed in an elevator, so assuming one isn't willing or able to find a licit spot to relieve oneself when the need arises, why take an unnecessary chance of being caught by the decency patrol (sounds Iranian doesn't it?)?  This is a nice setup in Perugia, a proper urinal with running water but on the sidewalk with enough visual barrier to keep the decency patrol in neutral. |
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Post by nic on Sept 2, 2009 23:32:03 GMT
New Orleans is also rather infamous for its public urination in the Vieux Carre by both men & women. Out on a country road, I can understand completely; but in the heart of the city, there really should be a public option. Local business interests and the City, have habitually screwed the pooch on this one.
The only two public options are at the Moon Walk (disgusting, poorly maintained, and frequented by the homeless), and the Shops at Canal Place (third floor in the food court), but the hours are (essentially) nine-to-five. You can sneak into a hotel, but not easily, and everywhere else will make you buy something.
I forgot to mention a third & fourth option -- the public restrooms just across the street from the statue of Jeanne d'Arc (same problem as the Moon Walk), and ones in the Jax Brewery Building (again, in a mall-like setting with fewer stalls).
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Post by lagatta on Sept 3, 2009 0:34:32 GMT
Oh, I often see people pissing in public. bazfaz, I don't want to take anything away from men - just want public facilities for all. It is really, really important.
Sure, in days of old men drank more wine and beer, but women were more often pregnant...
fumobici, sei da Perugia? That does look like a very nice set-up, but Perugia has always been quite in the vanguard about public "mobility" and other amenities. If you are in Perugia, please do a reportage on the minimetro...
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Post by nic on Sept 3, 2009 0:53:41 GMT
Probably less chance of being seen and getting ticketed in an elevator, so assuming one isn't willing or able to find a licit spot to relieve oneself when the need arises, why take an unnecessary chance of being caught by the decency patrol (sounds Iranian doesn't it?)? Let's not pick on the Iranians now. Not when the Singaporeans are already in full swing on this idea!  |
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Post by fumobici on Sept 3, 2009 2:02:00 GMT
Lagatta, sono degli stati uniti ma mio padre abita ad Anghiari, non lontano da Perugia. Ho preso il minimetro dal centro 'andata e ritorno' solo per divertirmi perche ho preso il treno da Sansepolcro cosi' non ho bisognio di usare il minimetro aver accesso al centro. Mi sembra che sia una cosa molta brava. (scusi in anticipo per il mio italiano senza dubbio abbastanza cattivo!)
Not sure if we are supposed to use English here, so I'll repeat what I was trying to say in that. Besides my Italian is crap enough it will probably be necessary anyway!
Lagatta, I am American but my father lives in Anghiari not far from Perugia. I took the minimetro from the town center 'round trip' just for fun because I took the train from Sansepolcro so I didn't need to use the minimetro to access the centro. It seemed really clever and nice.
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 3, 2009 2:05:34 GMT
But Fumobici ~~ did you use the "facilities"? ;D
(thanks for the Italian -- it was fun for me to try to figure it out)
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Post by lagatta on Sept 3, 2009 12:32:31 GMT
I think we are allowed to use anything, though it is an English-language board. I've never been to Anghiari, that I recall. There are so many historic little towns and villages in the area. Oh, how pretty!: www.anghiari.it/new/I have been to Arezzo and to La Verna (where Saint Francis was said to have received the stigmates). That area is actually in Tuscany, though it seems more like Umbria. What does your dad do in Anghiari - does he work there or has he managed to retire there? I can't imagine any fellow not wanting to use those public facilities, especially with the water running. There is also a public loo in the city centre for women, and for anyone needing to do no. 2. |
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