You're an Eight

I had a horrifying restroom experience yesterday, which prompted the email below to the city Plumbing Code Administrator…

PCA,

The urinals at my place of business seem to be dangerously close together. I just had the worst case of stage fright I’d ever experienced while attempting to urinate. There’s usually an unspoken rule observed in our office restroom that you use the sit-down toilets if someone else is using one of the two urinals. The guy that entered the restroom just after me was either into me or was unaware of such a rule, because he sidled up right next to me and went about his business. I’m pretty sure at one point if our shoulders weren’t touching, our shirts certainly must have been. I was in such shock that I just stood there frozen, unable to start urinating. He finished and left before I could get my floodgates to open.

Afterwards, I thought “Surely there must be a law against urinals being so close together that men literally rub elbows with each other while urinating”. Thankfully, when I googled “code for required inches between urinals”, the first link was Overland Park’s adoption of the new 2006 plumbing codes. It listed you as the contact for such issues.

I’m writing today to ask you if the code requiring partitions between urinals has been adopted and to see if there is a standard distance that is required between urinals. I’d hate to have to start peeing sitting down, but I’d rather look like a chick than have some dude leaning on me while I’m trying to relieve myself.

Thanks,
Matt

Matt,

The minimum clear space between urinals is 30 inches (center to center). There will be a new provision in the 2006 plumbing which will mandate privacy partitions between urinals. I welcomed this change. However, you would not believe all the people who argued against it.

PCA

To Do List:
1) Bring tape measure to work tomorrow.
2) Write a letter to my congressman requesting the death penalty be reinstated for people who fight against privacy partitions between public urinals.