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Toilet Talk

It doesn't sound at all unreasonable that people would chuck their filth out, and that some of them might consider it polite to shout some kind of warning before doing so. "Gardez l'eau", or "mind the water", is a pretty fair warning, I'd say.

Better than "Gardez la merde" I suppose. It was a strange inclusion as a question at the end of the column, why would anyone think it was an urban myth? I expect a flurry of disdain in next issue's letters pages.
 
Whenever I've waited for trains, I've often smelt a pungent smell coming from the tracks and seen what looks like toilet paper strewn about. There is definitely a very strong smell rather like coffee grounds - I wonder if the train's restaurant staff chuck coffee grounds out while the train is in the station? Or is that the smell of the shit?

On Virgin trains toilet waste goes into a retention tank which is regularly emptied and cleaned. The tank pipework has a valve which releases air so that's where the smell comes from. The toilet facilities themselves are kept clean by onboard staff and shouldn't smell or be otherwise unpleasant. (If they are, tell the staff and it'll be sorted!)

No train waste, including coffee grounds, is dumped on the tracks, ever. All the train windows are sealed shut so nothing could be discreetly slung out by either staff or passengers. They'd have to go to a train door, which will only open on the platform side so you'd see them doing it.

I dunno about other train companies but Virgin're hygienic!
 
Mythconceptions in FT 332 poses the question, was the idea of cultures in olden times throwing their urine and faeces out of the window and into the street true or not? I was taught this in school, and that such action was accompanied by the warning cry of "gardy-loo!", but is it a load of sh... er, rubbish? What would they do with their excrement if they didn't have a sewer system anyway?

Visited Sorrento in Italy a couple of years ago and went on the walking tour of the town where we were informed that a particularly picturesque sloping street used to be the main open drain.

The buildings themselves are ancient Roman, and the front downstairs rooms, now used as tourist-tat shops, were open stables. Rubbish of all kinds was thrown into the street's central gutter to be washed away by the rain. Must've smelled horrendous.

The street is actually named after its original function - Il Chanero di Poopoo or something - which fact justified every cent of the 10 Euros (with free snacks and drinks) that we paid. :cooll:
 
There's a scene in the first Jackass movie where one of the gang takes a poo in a display toilet in a bathroom shop. Maybe it's her favourite scene?
 
New York Jets NFL team ship 350 toilet rolls to London
2 October 2015

The New York Jets shipped their own toilet paper to London for their clash with the Miami Dolphins, as they were warned British paper was "very thin".
New York Times sports reporter Ben Shpigel was writing an article about the logistics of bringing the NFL team over and obtained the shipping list.
It recorded 350 rolls of toilet paper along with other items such as cereal.
Mr Shpigel told the BBC the toilet rolls were ordered for the players' use in the hotel and at Wembley Stadium.

He said the order had been included on the recommendation of an intern.
Mr Shpigel said this was how it was explained to him by the Jets' senior manager of team operations Aaron Degerness: "There was an intern who had been over to London numerous times.
"He noticed when he was there that - and I quote - 'the toilet paper was very thin because their plumbing isn't as good'. :eek:
"So, the intern informed the operations staff, and the Jets ordered 350 rolls of toilet paper for the hotel and the stadium."

Mr Shpigel said the players and coaches were "such creatures of habit" and the Jets' had wanted to replicate as best they could their operation in the US.

...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-34430305

If that intern had had any gumption, he'd have gone to a British supermarket and bought samples of various brands to check which met the team's requirements.

And I'm sure whichever hotel the Jets are using will not be pleased to read that their plumbing 'isn't as good'...!
:mad:
 
They should have got some Izal medicated strong toilet paper.
 
It has become more popular over here. My cousin is obsessed by it. He's an ex-rugby type - he used to play amateur rugby, then gave it up to take an interest in American football. He's really into the slowly unfolding strategy, etc.
 
This may be the moment to confess that I don't actually know how to use my toilet properly.
 
Allow me to illustrate:


Press the wrong button and we're into flood-territory!
 
But with your pants and trousers around your ankles...
 
It has become more popular over here. My cousin is obsessed by it. He's an ex-rugby type - he used to play amateur rugby, then gave it up to take an interest in American football. He's really into the slowly unfolding strategy, etc.
If it takes off over here then I'll have something to post in the 'What Eludes You?' thread. Actually, I have seen students practising this sport, but all they seemed to do was chuck a ball about an do a lot of shouting.
 
Actually, I have seen students practising this sport, but all they seemed to do was chuck a ball about an do a lot of shouting.
That description could adequately be used for many other sports.
 
Our downstairs loo always takes two flushes. If I'm lucky, I can do a fast double flush half way through although if I'm 'dropping the kids off at the pool', she prefers I don't do that right next to the kitchen. I'll go away now.
 
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Allow me to illustrate:


Press the wrong button and we're into flood-territory!

I like that whirlwind button. Next time, press that one and get back to us.
 
Allow me to illustrate:


Press the wrong button and we're into flood-territory!

Good grief. What's wrong with a lever ffs? It's probably compiling statistics on your bowel movements to be uploaded instantaneously to the cloud. Or arsebook.
 
Yule regret those comments at Christmas.
 
Mythconceptions in FT 332 poses the question, was the idea of cultures in olden times throwing their urine and faeces out of the window and into the street true or not? I was taught this in school, and that such action was accompanied by the warning cry of "gardy-loo!", but is it a load of sh... er, rubbish? What would they do with their excrement if they didn't have a sewer system anyway?

I know later there were night soil men who collected your doings. Urine was used in the tanning industry and I suppose faeces was used in agriculture. Where there's muck there's brass and all that.
 
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