Police hand mop and bucket to clubbers caught short in Brighton and Hove streets

11:30am Wednesday 20th February 2013 in News By Anna Roberts, Crime reporter

A student forced to mop up his mess in The Lanes on Friday, February 15 A student forced to mop up his mess in The Lanes on Friday, February 15

Revellers caught relieving themselves in the street are being handed a mop and bucket by police and told to clean it up.

Officers are offering those urinating in public the chance to avoid an £80 fine if they agree to clean up after themselves.

Patrols are not carrying cleaning equipment on the beat, but are instead approaching venues close to where offenders are caught in the act and borrowing mops from them.

One man, a second year University of Brighton student, was forced to mop up in The Lanes, Brighton, on Friday, February 15 after he was caught urinating in the street.

Jennifer McGee, a second year journalism student at the University of Brighton, based in Hastings, said on Twitter: “Glad to see Sussex Police making my friend who urinated in the street on a night out clean it up.”

Miss McGee told The Argus: “I think that it’s good that the police made him clean up his wee.

“It’s gross seeing it on the ground when you’re on a night out. I’m always worried about standing in it and ruining my shoes.”

Risk of arrest

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “Anyone caught urinating in public could be liable to an £80 fixed penalty notice or even arrest depending on the circumstances, but if they offer or agree to clean up then we would encourage them to do so and offer some stern words of advice.”

Street pastor Ian Chisnall said he thought the move was a good idea.

He said: “Anything has to be a improvement on sticking people in a cell. It is a good idea to get people taking responsibility for their actions.

“I have occasionally seen people urinating in the street. It is terrible and so smelly. There is a visual element to it as well and it is a horrible thing.

“Anything that encourages people from doing it again is a good thing.”

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Comments(56)

mimseycal says...
11:39am Wed 20 Feb 13

Nice one!

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SpiderMeringue says...
11:57am Wed 20 Feb 13

Here's a crazy idea - how about keeping the public toilets open later instead? The amount of times I've been bursting only to find public toilets locked...it's infuriating. No, I haven't peed in the street.

Yet.

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gheese77 says...
11:59am Wed 20 Feb 13

Cant they rub there noses in it

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leobrighton says...
12:03pm Wed 20 Feb 13

Just go to Pavilion Gardens and pee in the bushes

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Angie Wright says...
12:05pm Wed 20 Feb 13

We used to have a greater number of public toilets. Some idiots closed them and turned them into cafes/flower shops etc. Very intelligent! So now there is nowhere to go.

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Daisyb2uk says...
12:17pm Wed 20 Feb 13

How about cleaning up their vomit too.

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Cave Johnson says...
12:30pm Wed 20 Feb 13

Surely the street pastor means anything that DISCOURAGES people from doing it?

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Martha Gunn says...
12:41pm Wed 20 Feb 13

Can dog owners be made to do the same?

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dhamallamafarmer says...
12:43pm Wed 20 Feb 13

SpiderMeringue wrote:
Here's a crazy idea - how about keeping the public toilets open later instead? The amount of times I've been bursting only to find public toilets locked...it's infuriating. No, I haven't peed in the street.

Yet.
Totally agree. It's ridiculous that a national holiday resort with such a healthy Night Time Economy should have so few, and so stinky public conveniences.

Report this post »

Hove marauder says...
12:44pm Wed 20 Feb 13

It's okay as an idea but there are more serious matters to deal with. This might deal with the stench but what about the litter as well as the behaviour. Don't mind a gimmicky thing but follow it with a more meaningful and further reaching initiative.

Report this post »

clubrob6 says...
12:47pm Wed 20 Feb 13

Where else can people go if caught short?all the public toilets are closed,you cant go into late venues just for a pee especially that most have security on the doors.You can only fine people if there are other options abroad or for that matter during pride you see urinals on the street these should be provided in busy nightlife areas.Anyway with the police relying on doorstaff and private security backup to police our nightlife you would be very unlucky to come across any police .Be interesting to see what the courts would do if someone challenged a fine when no facilities are available.But common sence should come into it ie don't pee on some ones doorstep find a bush.

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PorkBoat says...
12:47pm Wed 20 Feb 13

So, you're on a night out. You're on you're way home, and your bladder is the size of a football. You have 30 minutes walk ahead of you, but not a public toilet in sight. Pubs and restaurants won't let you in unless you spend more money. All you want to do is spend a penny. What are you to do? Pishing in the street is disgusting, but what's wrong with a discreet bush or tree, out of public view?

Report this post »

Crystal Ball says...
12:54pm Wed 20 Feb 13

Martha Gunn wrote:
Can dog owners be made to do the same?
Does the dog have to be present if the owner wants to relieve themselves?

Report this post »

notaconspiracy says...
1:02pm Wed 20 Feb 13

A simple solution might be to provide the buckets before the incident occurs...

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toldsloth says...
1:03pm Wed 20 Feb 13

The public toilets were closed due to the amount of cottaging that was going on........

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thevoiceoftruth says...
1:19pm Wed 20 Feb 13

Yuck, I hope those mops aren't then used to mop behind the bar etc.

There should be toilets available 24-7 anyway. Nothing worse than being caught short and although I think it's revolting weeing in the street, it's not like there are many other options.

Some places have outdoor urinals, why not B&H?

Report this post »

Euly says...
1:49pm Wed 20 Feb 13

gheese77 wrote:
Cant they rub there noses in it
great idea !

Report this post »

boo2005 says...
1:58pm Wed 20 Feb 13

to most of you who have commented here, you are so typical of what is wrong with this town now!.....I have an old-fashioned idea, how about people not being disgusting enough to urinate in a public place!....coming out of a club and peeing in the street instead, nice!.......also, 'SpiderMeringue', public toilets used to be kept open, until the lowlife started destroying them!.........never mind getting them to clear it up, the law should be in place whereby they would never do it again!....there is absolutely no excuse for it, it's all about the dreadful habits of the majority of the bloody people in this modern society!

Report this post »

getThisCoalitionOut says...
2:02pm Wed 20 Feb 13

Angie Wright wrote:
We used to have a greater number of public toilets. Some idiots closed them and turned them into cafes/flower shops etc. Very intelligent! So now there is nowhere to go.
Yes there did use to be a lot of toilets in B&H but unfortunately due to the fact that gays kept having sex in them, they were all shut down.

My dad told me in central Brighton it was a nightmare trying to go for a pee at any time of day or night as it was happening so much.

So that's who to blame for there being no toilets.

Report this post »

Joshiman says...
2:09pm Wed 20 Feb 13

Its a good start.After they have cleaned up their own mess,charge them sewage charges and police timePersonally £1000 fine plus cleaning up your own mess sounds fair.

Report this post »

boo2005 says...
2:09pm Wed 20 Feb 13

'get ThisCoalitionOut', your dad wasn't caught in one of them, compromised was he?

most of them were closed because of either neglect or vandalism!

Report this post »

mimseycal says...
2:23pm Wed 20 Feb 13

getThisCoalitionOut wrote:
Angie Wright wrote:
We used to have a greater number of public toilets. Some idiots closed them and turned them into cafes/flower shops etc. Very intelligent! So now there is nowhere to go.
Yes there did use to be a lot of toilets in B&H but unfortunately due to the fact that gays kept having sex in them, they were all shut down.

My dad told me in central Brighton it was a nightmare trying to go for a pee at any time of day or night as it was happening so much.

So that's who to blame for there being no toilets.
It is so nice when you can go around spouting bigoted bile isn't it getThisCoalitionOut. Trouble is, most reasonable people are a tad more clued up and see it for what it is.

Report this post »

P.Dant says...
3:55pm Wed 20 Feb 13

Urine is 95% water,it`s sterile.Some people drink their own urine for its alleged health benefits.Drinking other people`s urine won`t hurt you at all.In a desert,it would save your life.

Report this post »

SpiderMeringue says...
4:18pm Wed 20 Feb 13

Ok then: how about ANOTHER crazy idea. Instead of police going around like Mrs Mop, how about parking them outside public toilets, so they can stay open and people can be reassured they will have neither an unwelcome needle nor a penis inserted in places they rather wouldn't.

Not everyone needing a wee is a wrecked, violent clubber. Some of us genuinely do just get caught out. And don't much fancy the indignity of being chased around with a mop.

Or if that idea is a waste of police time, why not create a Toilet Attendant job. Divert some funds for it from the Seven Dials scheme, perhaps.

Report this post »

Rita Snatch says...
5:24pm Wed 20 Feb 13

mimseycal wrote:
getThisCoalitionOut wrote:
Angie Wright wrote:
We used to have a greater number of public toilets. Some idiots closed them and turned them into cafes/flower shops etc. Very intelligent! So now there is nowhere to go.
Yes there did use to be a lot of toilets in B&H but unfortunately due to the fact that gays kept having sex in them, they were all shut down.

My dad told me in central Brighton it was a nightmare trying to go for a pee at any time of day or night as it was happening so much.

So that's who to blame for there being no toilets.
It is so nice when you can go around spouting bigoted bile isn't it getThisCoalitionOut. Trouble is, most reasonable people are a tad more clued up and see it for what it is.
Each public toilet was closed AFTER it had been vandalised and the Council decided that it was too costly to repair yet again.

In all the years that I have lived in Brighton, I have seen:
Cisterns ripped off walls so that the toilets flooded.
Toilet seats ripped off.
Toilet pans kicked and smashed.
Hand-dryers ripped off walls and stolen.
Loads of graffiti on the walls.
Toilet doors ripped off the cubicles.
Toilet doors and toilet paper set alight and destroyed the public toilets.
Homeless people sleeping in them.
Junkies selling and buying drugs in them.
Robbers attacking people as they pee'd.
And sometimes a straight bloke playing with himself at the urinals - hoping for a quick relief from an obliging gay bloke.


Plain Clothes police patrolled the toilets so most gays were very cautious about what they did or what they flashed.

Public toilets disappeared at the same rate and time as our lovely flower beds disappeared = because the Council wouldn't pay out for their upkeep.

Report this post »

Patsyr says...
6:06pm Wed 20 Feb 13

Disgusting idea to borrow a mop and bucket from a local trader, they would almost certainly ne fast food places. Then they will use same bucket and mop to "clean " their floors. Much more offputting than the chance of a bit of horse in a kebab or burger.

Perhaps the policeman gould give the offender a little nudge when he is midstream, should make a nice mess of himself then. Perfect !

Report this post »

pc?notme says...
7:38pm Wed 20 Feb 13

toldsloth wrote:
The public toilets were closed due to the amount of cottaging that was going on........
i know...absolutely disgusting practice and now all normal people have to pay the price

Report this post »

pc?notme says...
7:38pm Wed 20 Feb 13

toldsloth wrote:
The public toilets were closed due to the amount of cottaging that was going on........
i know...absolutely disgusting practice and now all normal people have to pay the price

Report this post »

pc?notme says...
7:43pm Wed 20 Feb 13

Rita Snatch wrote:
mimseycal wrote:
getThisCoalitionOut wrote:
Angie Wright wrote:
We used to have a greater number of public toilets. Some idiots closed them and turned them into cafes/flower shops etc. Very intelligent! So now there is nowhere to go.
Yes there did use to be a lot of toilets in B&H but unfortunately due to the fact that gays kept having sex in them, they were all shut down.

My dad told me in central Brighton it was a nightmare trying to go for a pee at any time of day or night as it was happening so much.

So that's who to blame for there being no toilets.
It is so nice when you can go around spouting bigoted bile isn't it getThisCoalitionOut. Trouble is, most reasonable people are a tad more clued up and see it for what it is.
Each public toilet was closed AFTER it had been vandalised and the Council decided that it was too costly to repair yet again.

In all the years that I have lived in Brighton, I have seen:
Cisterns ripped off walls so that the toilets flooded.
Toilet seats ripped off.
Toilet pans kicked and smashed.
Hand-dryers ripped off walls and stolen.
Loads of graffiti on the walls.
Toilet doors ripped off the cubicles.
Toilet doors and toilet paper set alight and destroyed the public toilets.
Homeless people sleeping in them.
Junkies selling and buying drugs in them.
Robbers attacking people as they pee'd.
And sometimes a straight bloke playing with himself at the urinals - hoping for a quick relief from an obliging gay bloke.


Plain Clothes police patrolled the toilets so most gays were very cautious about what they did or what they flashed.

Public toilets disappeared at the same rate and time as our lovely flower beds disappeared = because the Council wouldn't pay out for their upkeep.
And gays having sex in them lol Normal people you to feel uncomfortable going in them.Everyone knows this is the truth

Report this post »

hubby says...
7:47pm Wed 20 Feb 13

What happened to those one person toilets that used to be in Churchill Square?

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Sussex jim says...
8:05pm Wed 20 Feb 13

As we seem to hell-bent in being in Europe and forced to adopt their customs, why can we not have French style pissiours in the streets? Urinals where the best bits are shielded from public view , but impossible for unnatural practises to take place?

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PorkBoat says...
10:51pm Wed 20 Feb 13

There's this story today and the one about non-gender-specific toilets yesterday. Is the Argus taking the pi ss?

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mimseycal says...
10:51pm Wed 20 Feb 13

Sussex jim wrote:
As we seem to hell-bent in being in Europe and forced to adopt their customs, why can we not have French style pissiours in the streets? Urinals where the best bits are shielded from public view , but impossible for unnatural practises to take place?
England has always been part of Europe. Geographically speaking anyway.

Report this post »

boo2005 says...
5:02am Thu 21 Feb 13

you know nothing, 'pc?notme', you are simply ignorant!

Report this post »

Old Ladys Gin says...
8:38am Thu 21 Feb 13

SpiderMeringue wrote:
Here's a crazy idea - how about keeping the public toilets open later instead? The amount of times I've been bursting only to find public toilets locked...it's infuriating. No, I haven't peed in the street.

Yet.
There aren't any public toilets, well very few and most of those will probably be closed down.

Report this post »

Old Ladys Gin says...
8:42am Thu 21 Feb 13

Patsyr wrote:
Disgusting idea to borrow a mop and bucket from a local trader, they would almost certainly ne fast food places. Then they will use same bucket and mop to "clean " their floors. Much more offputting than the chance of a bit of horse in a kebab or burger.

Perhaps the policeman gould give the offender a little nudge when he is midstream, should make a nice mess of himself then. Perfect !
A friend who was a policeman used to make them take off their shirts and mop it up...no mop needed!

Report this post »

Old Ladys Gin says...
8:44am Thu 21 Feb 13

Idea!
Rent the toilets out to private individuals who would pay a minimal rent and charge a small amount to use them.
Oh no, we couldn't possibly do that as that's what those horrible foreigners do.
All UK councils can ever see is letting big business take over, never the little man.

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jackie keen says...
9:06am Thu 21 Feb 13

surely the Council should be
held to account for closing public toilets? How did they getaway with such an outrageous act ? thereby denying EVERYBODY (including young children) the facilities to perform natural human functions without offending public decency.
Why were there no riots?

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voiceofthescoombe says...
10:13am Thu 21 Feb 13

If people didnt destroy the toilets there might be some left open.

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harbourguy says...
12:42pm Thu 21 Feb 13

Why not do what Westminster council did years ago and put in Portable Urinals that slot over a sewer cover on Fri & Sat nights

http://www.elliottuk
.com/portable-toilet
s-showers/portable-f
our-bay-urinal

Or maybe a space could be provided at the end of Palace pier for people to wee in the sea!

Report this post »

Notters_Seagull says...
1:06pm Thu 21 Feb 13

boo2005 wrote:
to most of you who have commented here, you are so typical of what is wrong with this town now!.....I have an old-fashioned idea, how about people not being disgusting enough to urinate in a public place!....coming out of a club and peeing in the street instead, nice!.......also, 'SpiderMeringue', public toilets used to be kept open, until the lowlife started destroying them!.........never mind getting them to clear it up, the law should be in place whereby they would never do it again!....there is absolutely no excuse for it, it's all about the dreadful habits of the majority of the bloody people in this modern society!
Did you even consider engaging your brain before making this post?

What do you suggest someone who has a few pints in the town centre and lives in, say Fiveways, or the Lewes Road area does if they need to urinate before they get home? There are NO public toilets open in the evenings. People holding it in risk causing permanent damage to their bladder and kidneys. Presumably you'll be happy for them to sue the Police when this happens?

This whole concept is completely ridiculous.

Report this post »

Notters_Seagull says...
1:07pm Thu 21 Feb 13

harbourguy wrote:
Why not do what Westminster council did years ago and put in Portable Urinals that slot over a sewer cover on Fri & Sat nights

http://www.elliottuk

.com/portable-toilet

s-showers/portable-f

our-bay-urinal

Or maybe a space could be provided at the end of Palace pier for people to wee in the sea!
I don't think the end of the pier is on many people's way home is it?

Report this post »

harbourguy says...
1:49pm Thu 21 Feb 13

OK fair point, the pier is not on anyones way home, but the urinal idea I think is worth considering. They have had them in Soho for years. A faltbed truck goes round and drops them off at key junctions on a Friday afternoon and then collects them on Monday. For a city with such a big night economy I do not know why this has not been done before.I guess nobody from Brighton has been to Soho. Oh wait.......

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boo2005 says...
2:26pm Thu 21 Feb 13

to, 'Notters_Seagull', I always engage my brain before commenting here, and I feel that you are obviously one of the filthy people of this town who doesn't care about urinating in a public place, and to hell with everyone else!.......well you are one of the new breed of lowlife who inhabit this place and is now trying to control this once beautiful town, with your, 'don't give a buggery- bolloc-k about others' ignorant attitude!

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Notters_Seagull says...
2:45pm Thu 21 Feb 13

boo2005 wrote:
to, 'Notters_Seagull', I always engage my brain before commenting here, and I feel that you are obviously one of the filthy people of this town who doesn't care about urinating in a public place, and to hell with everyone else!.......well you are one of the new breed of lowlife who inhabit this place and is now trying to control this once beautiful town, with your, 'don't give a buggery- bolloc-k about others' ignorant attitude!
I'd love you to point out exactly where I said I didn't care. How do you define low-life out of curiosity?

I'd just like you to suggest what one is to do, or do you thing all pubs and clubs should be closed down permanently? Either toilets need to be provided or people will wee on the streets. Quite simple really.

Report this post »

mimseycal says...
4:37pm Thu 21 Feb 13

Notters_Seagull wrote:
boo2005 wrote:
to most of you who have commented here, you are so typical of what is wrong with this town now!.....I have an old-fashioned idea, how about people not being disgusting enough to urinate in a public place!....coming out of a club and peeing in the street instead, nice!.......also, 'SpiderMeringue', public toilets used to be kept open, until the lowlife started destroying them!.........never mind getting them to clear it up, the law should be in place whereby they would never do it again!....there is absolutely no excuse for it, it's all about the dreadful habits of the majority of the bloody people in this modern society!
Did you even consider engaging your brain before making this post?

What do you suggest someone who has a few pints in the town centre and lives in, say Fiveways, or the Lewes Road area does if they need to urinate before they get home? There are NO public toilets open in the evenings. People holding it in risk causing permanent damage to their bladder and kidneys. Presumably you'll be happy for them to sue the Police when this happens?

This whole concept is completely ridiculous.
People know when they drink that they are going to fill their bladder up. Go before you leave the pub or club!

Report this post »

boo2005 says...
5:03pm Thu 21 Feb 13

well,'Notters', I didn't expect any more of a reply from you, I'm afraid that we're worlds apart in the sense of respectability!....w
hat I don't expect, is for people to go and get drunk in the pubs and clubs, and when these places close, for people to go onto the streets to urinate, without thinking anything about it!......and if you have a problem with my comment then you are obviously one of this 'new breed' of our community that obviously has had no proper training by it's parents, in how to behave decently in a public place!

Finally, I define 'lowlife', in this case, to be the sort of persons who will think nothing of urinating in a public place, as I've already stated!....do you understand what I am saying to you and those like you, or are you just stupid enough to argue my point further?

Report this post »

qm says...
8:17pm Thu 21 Feb 13

As volunteered by "harbourguy" above:

http://www.elliottuk
.com/portable-toilet
s-showers/portable-f
our-bay-urinal

or provide proper facilities. The Council should be concentrating on managing the town. That is their job! Not building empires of overpaid non-jobs that give the town no value whatsoever! 8000 employees half of whom spend a good portion of their time pointing the finger somewhere else, being accountable for nothing and providing even less!

Report this post »

Valerie Paynter says...
10:09pm Thu 21 Feb 13

Councils cut public toilet provision because there is no legal requirement to provide them so it is an easy move.

Following the saveHOVE e-petition seeking to save and increase public toilet numbers, BHCC set up a public toilets scrutiny panel. It has met 2 times and the 34rd and final in-public meeting is at 10am Tuesday, 26th Feb in Hove Town Hall.

Do attend and listen to the evidence and questioning. It's been interesting.

Holding a full bladder is indeed a health hazard. Reflux of urine, back up to the kidneys can cause infection to them.

It is just plain uncivilised and people should lobby their MP to get them to deal with the lack of legislation. Something pro-active that recognises this as human need that is non-negotiable is urgently needed before the medieval habits of using the streets becomes the norm.

Ladies used to stand still, pee, lift their long skirts and walk on. The Chinese baby and toddler knickers were split in the middle and parents just held them over gutters, legs apart to do the necessary.

No legislation; no loos unless a trader hosts them for the public. And few of them are happy to absorb the cost, antisocial behaviour and cleaning hassles.

Report this post »

gingerman74 says...
7:37am Sat 23 Feb 13

so basically they are saying its fine to pee in the street. sod the mop, give them a fine and a punishment,it may stop them from doing it. with all the murders and fighting in town at night the police should have better things to do.

Report this post »

mimseycal says...
7:57am Sat 23 Feb 13

Yes, the police should have other things to do. But we have here a society that produces individuals that think it is fine to go, get drunk and then pee in the street because no one has provided them with a public loo when they want it.

Sheesh almighty. Can you people not see what this is saying about you? Are you bloomin' children who need their hand held and everything provided for on the asking? Are you really that incapable of making your own decisions, taking responsibility for your own actions ... standing proud.

Report this post »

Soleless Shooter says...
1:13pm Sat 23 Feb 13

I visited the public loo near the pavilion and was shocked to find people urinating therein. How disgusting.
Do people not know that public toilets were built by the victorians in order that repressed homosexuals could meet to discuss current affairs and morality.
40% of the worlds population have no flushable lavatory or sewage system - and that's not including Whitehawke.

Has anyone considered what would happen to groundwater levels if clubbers stopped urinating all over Crawley? These things first need to be considered.

Report this post »

Weirdorama says...
8:13pm Sat 23 Feb 13

It'd be nice if there were useable public toilets in Brighton and Hove.
By useable I mean not a hotbed for cottaging homosexuals or aggressive nutters.

Report this post »

PorkBoat says...
9:16pm Sat 23 Feb 13

boo2005 wrote:
well,'Notters', I didn't expect any more of a reply from you, I'm afraid that we're worlds apart in the sense of respectability!....w

hat I don't expect, is for people to go and get drunk in the pubs and clubs, and when these places close, for people to go onto the streets to urinate, without thinking anything about it!......and if you have a problem with my comment then you are obviously one of this 'new breed' of our community that obviously has had no proper training by it's parents, in how to behave decently in a public place!

Finally, I define 'lowlife', in this case, to be the sort of persons who will think nothing of urinating in a public place, as I've already stated!....do you understand what I am saying to you and those like you, or are you just stupid enough to argue my point further?
You're a little bit thick aren't you?

Report this post »

Max_Normal says...
12:22am Tue 26 Feb 13

Been out and had some drinks more times than I can count, but never had to **** in the street in Brighton. No excuse for forgetting to go before you leave the pub really is there? My 5 YO manages to remember before long car journeys. Anyway, you can always stop in another one for a nightcap and a pee.

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Cranleigh Murriwether says...
1:43pm Tue 5 Mar 13

I saw a young lady whip down her dress and do toilet in front a cash machine a few weeks ago. I didn't really care though.

It's not particularly difficult to prevent one's self from stepping in urine. If I saw someone defecating in front of me and was stupid enough to step in that I might be a bit non-plussed, but a spot of yellow fury never hurt my toes.

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