FPN: Urinating

[ali_123]

Hi,

Last night while walking back home, half an hour after clubs closed, I got stopped by the police after urinating in a corner. They issued a FPN (Scotland). I feel it is unfair as it was a call of nature and couldn't do anything about it. There were no public toilets on my way back home, and everything else was closed, leaving me no choice but urinate somewhere causing the least inconvenience possible: quiet, dark, nobody around, a garage alley.

It is not like I was speeding or on a phone while driving, which would be dangerous for the public. It is not like I was littering the floor. It was a simple call of nature I could not delay longer at the time.

Should I just pay the fine and forget about it (and have that feeling this is ridiculous), or should I challenge the ticket in Court, explaining to the judge what I just said above?

[MARTIN3030]

Welcome to the site.
Whilst the comments you make are a fair point,nevertheless its an offence,and if everyone did this then it wouldnt be very nice.
A Court is likely to say that you should have waited until you got home,and tell you that you should have exercised control since you knew it was an offence.
Course its easy to say that next day-not as easy to digest after a few pints.
No comfort I know but just pay the fine-and next time go to the toilets at the last pub you visit before throwing out.
Its what most people do.
An expensive way of spending a penny.....or rather a few quid.


Other thing to remember of course is that you face the prospect of this being reported in your local newspapers Court reports.
I know I wouldnt want to risk it.

[Gilbert_O'Sullivan]

I agree with Martin.

Years ago a friend of mine did a dump over someones garden wall and he got caught but the officer allowed him to finish his number 2 before taking him in.

[maroondevo52]

Too much information Gilbert,

[seftonview]

It's a disgusting habit, you shouldn't have done it, and frankly you're lucky they didnt have one of those clean up vans which are attended by the press, whereby they give you a mop and bucket and take your photo too!

SV

[robin9342]

I agree its not a particularly civilised thing to do, but how is it any worse than allowing your dog to urinate on a lamp post? Urine will be washed away by the rain. In any case, I'm sure the OP doesn't make a "habit" of it.

Next, we will all be getting FPNs for sneezing in the street

[gyzmo]

Sorry, but the difference between dogs and humans is obvious. That's the reason why we get fined and dogs dont.

Hold it in or carry a bottle with you.

On saying that, thinking of the state of the toilets where I am working, it seems that most of the human race have not got the hang of using toilets anyway, so maybe there is not that much difference between people and dogs....

[ali_123]

Martin, thanks for your response.

Exactly, urine will wash away, there isn't much disgusting about it, it's a natural fertilizer used for thousands of years. What's the inconvenience? The increased likelihood to see plants grow in our cities?

Comparing men to dogs is just a lost debate. Who hasn't been inconvenienced by walking in dog crap on a pavement? Urinating in a corner where nobody will ever walk and letting your dog defecating in the middle of a pedestrian zone are two different things!

Seftonview, what's causing inconvenience is people who do not answer questions and look for the opportunity to argue with anything.

Gyzmo, urinating in a bottle, and taking the risk of being registered on the list of sex offenders!? What's the difference for a police officer between a guy urinating in a bottle in a shady corner and a guy masturbating using a bottle in a shady corner? I know I wouldn't want to risk that for sure.

[gyzmo]

wtf? What you talking about, masturbating? Not even going there...

And as to it "washing away", if it was so acceptable why do you think we have toilets? There is a back alley on my way to work which bloody well stinks of urine. And who is to say that no-one will ever walk there? Have you got it the whole area under 24 hour surveillance?

And as for dogs defacating, two wrongs do not make a right. Dog owners who do not clean up their pet's mess are as guilty.

[borisbeaver]

Saying the rain will wash it away is a bit of a non-starter, especially if there is no rain.

What about some poor shmuck who walks in it, then walks it into their house..

You're lucky you didn't get done for outraging public decency.

Either go before leaving the pub of wait to you get home.

A four year old has better bladder control.

[Bookworm]

Originally Posted by ali_123

Urinating in a corner where nobody will ever walk and letting your dog defecating in the middle of a pedestrian zone are two different things!

Nope. They both carry a fine if you get caught. Quite rightly so in both cases.

[schrodingers cat]

maybe a warning on first offence would be better then you`d catch the repeat offenders if there is any, and if any of you are claiming you`ve never been caught short i think your telling porkies there does come a point when no amount of bladder control will stop it then what ? once or twice in a few years i`d forgive but possibly make them clean up every week i`d fine them too and as for taking a dump over someones wall thats disgusting,some things are more predictable than others and easier to control if you get my drift
S.C

[Gilbert_O'Sullivan]

Originally Posted by ali_123

Gyzmo, urinating in a bottle, and taking the risk of being registered on the list of sex offenders!? What's the difference for a police officer between a guy urinating in a bottle in a shady corner and a guy masturbating using a bottle in a shady corner? I know I wouldn't want to risk that for sure.

I worked on a building site years ago and some fella went into a portaloo and he was in there for a while and it was rocking back and forth.

When he came out we were all standing there and asked him what was he doing in there?

He went all sheepish and he got the nickname Tosser after that.

[stardust_john]

Yuk.
Could have been the wind I suppose

[gyzmo]

I dont think that post shoudl be dignified with a response.

[seftonview]

Originally Posted by ali_123

Seftonview, what's causing inconvenience is people who do not answer questions and look for the opportunity to argue with anything.

I'm not arguing. I've made a statement of fact.

As to answering your question, if you're courageous enough to go in front of a bench of Magistrates, read out your name and address, and say "I don't think there's anything wrong with urinating in public, lets forget the whole thing", then that's your perogative.

But don't be surprised if you are laughed out of the dock with a fine, plus costs, plus your name in the local rag.

SV

[HSBCrusher]

I think this thread has run its course.

urinating in a public place is illegal, so pay the fine, chalk it up to experience.