Is it a crime to stop and take an emergency leak in a non-foot trafficked public place?

[ThePhleo | 2,186]

Eh, I work at job sites all the time with no facilities and no where to walk to. Just go where you gotta go and make sure you’re covered.

The saying “does a bear shit in the woods” sort of applies.

[JamesRobot | 5,839]

Public urination makes you a sex offender in some states.  That being said, I took a leak on a Target once and almost got into fight over it.

[Tulpa | 3,537]

I have a friend in Scotland who says it's a Scottish rite of passage to get arrested for public urination.

[Tanooki | 4,953]

8 hours ago, Sumez said:

That's fair, I was just nervous that I might have fallen into someone's trap

That 'Depends' maybe you have.

 

Seriously though with the question, as a cop I'd let it go, most of them will too unless you've done something else dumb to get their attention.  Like if you parked where it isn't allowed, parked in an unsafe way not off the road enough, whatever justifiable GOOD reason.

If they can't see you wiggling into the wind or squatting in plain view, they just won't bother, no one will as it's not like you're committing indecent exposure which you would get nailed for peeing on a building or wall in a city area.

  

4 hours ago, JamesRobot said:

Public urination makes you a sex offender in some states.  That being said, I took a leak on a Target once and almost got into fight over it.

I got to know, seriously.  Did you hit the bullseye?

Edited November 5, 2021 by Tanooki

[phart010 | 1,708]

4 hours ago, JamesRobot said:

Public urination makes you a sex offender in some states.  That being said, I took a leak on a Target once and almost got into fight over it.

Really? Who would be the complainant anyways… the trees or the grass

Classifying people that take a leak outside with the same label as an actual sex offender seems it would help make the sex offender label seem less serious.

[TDIRunner | 2,777]

13 minutes ago, phart010 said:

Classifying people that take a leak outside with the same label as an actual sex offender seems it would help make the sex offender label seem less serious.

That is precisely my issue with it.  It makes the label less severe.  

I'm not saying that public urination isn't potentially a problem, but there is a huge difference between a person who tries to hide in a back alley out of the way, and a person who urinates in front of people (including children).  In my state and the neighboring state, both situations are considered equally wrong and both would land you on the sex offender registry.  

[Rhapsody98 | 1,560]

First, let me say I actually have a background in criminal justice, but specifically in the state of TN.    It was a crime, but in 2020, the law was amended that you would not be added to the sex offender registry as long as the intent was just to “excrete.”  If you needed to pee and weren’t trying to shove it in someone’s face.  Before the text was added below, it was a $500 fine for the first offense.  
 

“if the person makes intentional and reasonable attempts to conceal the person from public view while performing an excretory function, and the person performs the function in an unincorporated area of the state.“

 

[GPX | 1,374]

Yes it’s a crime. A crime on your bladder to force it to withstand untold amount of bladder pressure, to hold its internal sphincter until the point of urine eruption. And your kidneys won’t like it either.

I rest my case, your honor.

[YOURTURN | 1,257]

32 minutes ago, GPX said:

Yes it’s a crime. A crime on your bladder to force it to withstand untold amount of bladder pressure, to hold its internal sphincter until the point of urine eruption. And your kidneys won’t like it either.

I rest my case, your honor.

I wish you were there on the last free day I had in Osaka! It was literally fun seeing fun seeing a dude pee behind the wall attached that was part of a small parking lot. While two police officers helped a heavily intoxicated dude walk to wherever they were going. Because even then I could have said to you, "I wonder how bad the other guy needs to pee when he sobers up." 

[fcgamer | 4,754]

Unless the guy's waving his cock in the face of children, let him go. Taking a piss is a normal bodily function, I think everyone's been in the situation before at some point or another. IMO ending up on the sex offender list for something like this makes the list unfortunately a bit of a joke. Furthermore, not relieving yourself could cause internal damage to your body, having to hold it for such a prolonged period.

I've pissed in public numerous times over the years, even shat once down an alley in Chiayi, near a 7-11 (which didn't have a bathroom). Wasn't wearing socks that day, had to wipe using receipts and other scraps I found in my bag.

My philosophy is that if shops aren't offering public restrooms, then this is the result, what can we really expect?

In Germany I used to always stop by a bar if I had to piss, I'd order a beer then head to the bathroom, the beer would be waiting for me when I got out.

To contrast this situation, my friend and I had to piss after arriving in Munich, we were walking towards the Oktoberfest venue. We stopped into a Starbucks, they wouldn't let us use the restroom without ordering first and paying, and the line was huge. Left, took a piss in the shrubs dividing the road. A copy saw us, we both stopped midstream and did a legger, after pulling up our pants, before finishing elsewhere.

 

[docile tapeworm | 4,204]

I piss outside all the time. Am I the only one who does the open the car door and piss in that little area in between the door and the car? It’s more privacy than the trough. And imo if your just near a tree (like intentional grounding in football) your good.

around here I see girls poping squats with the near a tree. Just a single tree in a parking lot

Edited November 6, 2021 by docile tapeworm

[phart010 | 1,708]

5 hours ago, fcgamer said:

I've pissed in public numerous times over the years, even shat once down an alley in Chiayi, near a 7-11 (which didn't have a bathroom). Wasn't wearing socks that day, had to wipe using receipts and other scraps I found in my bag.

[fcgamer | 4,754]

23 minutes ago, phart010 said:

I've also kacked my pants about four times in my adult life, all of them being within the past ten years, in Taiwan. My brother managed to do it once over here too.

Access to restrooms (and TP in those restrooms) is something I definitely don't take for granted anymore.

Edited November 6, 2021 by fcgamer

[fcgamer | 4,754]

For the record, today when I was out I pissed (discretely) in public two times. 

[phart010 | 1,708]

20 minutes ago, fcgamer said:

I've also kacked my pants about four times in my adult life, all of them being within the past ten years, in Taiwan. My brother managed to do it once over here too.

Access to restrooms (and TP in those restrooms) is something I definitely don't take for granted anymore.

Yea. One thing I’ve learned is that some countries consider toilet paper an obligation on the individual, not an obligation on the business. Some places even have a vending machine outside of the bathroom for you to buy a small packet of tissue/toilet paper.

[docile tapeworm | 4,204]

27 minutes ago, fcgamer said:

For the record, today when I was out I pissed (discretely) in public two times. 

Nearly every morning I go outside for the first piss of the day.

[GPX | 1,374]

3 hours ago, fcgamer said:

For the record, today when I was out I pissed (discretely) in public two times. 

Do you have bladder issues or is there a severe shortage of public toilets over there in Taiwan?

[GPX | 1,374]

10 hours ago, fcgamer said:

A copy saw us, we both stopped midstream and did a legger, after pulling up our pants, before finishing elsewhere.

 

Bootlegs are really on your mind! 

[Link | 2,735]

On 11/4/2021 at 9:57 PM, Rhapsody98 said:

and the person performs the function in an unincorporated area of the state.

Even in Tennessee, I don’t imagine this actually covers much ground? 

[Rhapsody98 | 1,560]

4 hours ago, Link said:

Even in Tennessee, I don’t imagine this actually covers much ground? 

Actually, it's a pretty extensive list.  

[fcgamer | 4,754]

5 hours ago, GPX said:

Do you have bladder issues or is there a severe shortage of public toilets over there in Taiwan?

Two times from between 3 pm and 11 pm, that's really not too much is it?

 

[Sumez | 2,995]

On 11/5/2021 at 3:57 AM, Rhapsody98 said:

 in 2020, the law was amended that you would not be added to the sex offender registry

Wtf USA 

[Andy_Bogomil | 815]

I pulled over in northern Maine really late on my way to Boston and had to take a piss. I was honestly a little hesitant as there were signs saying 'do no stop car on highway except for emergencies' or something like that and it was the first time I drove in the States. Of course I start taking a leak and I see sirens in the distance. State trooper pulls up just as I am getting back in the car. He asked me what I was doing and I told him I realized I wasn't suppose to be stopped on the highway but I needed to pee. He said, "sounds like an emergency to me.", and tapped the roof of my car and left. I still couldn't believe the timing as I was in the middle of nowhere and I believe it was already 1 am or something. I'm not sure if it was just bad timing or the overabundance of enforcement in the States.

[fcgamer | 4,754]

Heading back from a music gig, about a two mile walk from mine.

Took a piss near the science museum.

[FireHazard51 | 2,053]

On 11/4/2021 at 1:29 PM, phart010 said:

Let’s say you are a police officer. You driving down the highway and you see a car pulled off to the side of the road. Your stop and find someone standing off in woods taking a leak. When he gets back to his car you ask him what’s going on. He says he had an emergency and had to go right now otherwise he would have pissed his pants.

As the police officer, you have the discretionary authority to write a ticket for a number of different offenses, relating to both taking a leak in public and also related to unnecessarily stopping on the highway. 
 

Do you let it go or do you write the fella a ticket?

I mean if you are trying to be descrette about it AND it's within the public right-of-way.  I think the street rules of basketball apply, "no harm, no foul".

On 11/4/2021 at 10:57 PM, Rhapsody98 said:

First, let me say I actually have a background in criminal justice, but specifically in the state of TN.    It was a crime, but in 2020, the law was amended that you would not be added to the sex offender registry as long as the intent was just to “excrete.”  If you needed to pee and weren’t trying to shove it in someone’s face.  Before the text was added below, it was a $500 fine for the first offense.  
 

“if the person makes intentional and reasonable attempts to conceal the person from public view while performing an excretory function, and the person performs the function in an unincorporated area of the state.“

 

"Unincorporated" You know how fucking hard it is to find a public restroom at night in the city???  For the record I've pissed on the Cleveland Indians' stadium because I had to and I wanted too...

Spoiler

 

On 11/6/2021 at 1:28 PM, docile tapeworm said:

Nearly every morning I go outside for the first piss of the day.

So do my dogs, do you have problems with dead spots in the grass too?

Also my own little personal experience.  As a former soldier, utility surveyor, and frequently found working along state highways and interstates....you work outside you "go outside".  I honestly feel bad for women because shit his much harder to do discreetly.  And if you don't piss on the side of the road then the only other real option is to piss into a bottle and let me tell you, fuck people who piss in bottles and don't have the decency to pour them out but instead cap them and throw them in the shoulder of the road.  The mowing crews REALLY fucking hate that because they often don't have a glass cab and instantly smell months old piss backing in the sun get aerosolized. 

Oh, and on the "Only stop of emergencies".  If you REALLY want to look it up the law will define this but you could tell a Judge why you had to stop and they could understand the urgency.  Typically those signs are meant to prevent people from just parking within the road right-of-way to either prevent sleeping on the should of the road or legit parking and walking somewhere to do an activity (fishing, bird watching, etc.).  Even the parking to sleeping thing is fucking MUCH better than driving while falling asleep.  This is why most State Highway Police don't ticket truck drivers parked on the on/exit ramps.  Cars will pass them at lower speeds so really they don't pose a big safety risk.  Unlike a vehicle parked along a high speed road who could plow into a stop vehicle versus going into a ditch, aka "clear zone"

Some laws are stupidly written and some cops really forget the point of their job.  To SERVE and PROTECT.  This means helping people out and making sure people are reasonably safe.  Their job isn't to write tickets and be an ass.  But again, Judges and Prosecutors are really the ones to decide if the law should be enforced and to what extent.  The law itself and cops aren't the end all to this.