Is this chivalrous, or is it taking the...?

Question

Under UK law:

"A man who feels compelled to urinate in public can do so only if he aims for his rear wheel and keeps his right hand on his vehicle".

However:

"A pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants – even, if she so requests, in a policeman’s helmet".

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article2251280.ece

I know this is funny stuff, but is it also sexist?

Answer 1

I think it's kinda an infringement on the bobby's rights! Can you imagine - "Sgt! Sgt! Uh, yes.....Can I borrow you're helmet just for a teensy sec?"

That's not very WHS&S. Very accomodating though! I think if I tried that today I'd probably get arrested or a warning of some kind!

Answer 2

Yes, very sexist.  men should be able to pee in policemen's helmets too.

Answer 3

OMG!

In Canada its called indecent exposure. Be lucky you get to pee on the wheel.

lmao

Answer 4

do you suppose they do a blood/urine test on every woman to make sure they were peeing while pregnant?  I would think a lot of women could pee anywhere they want and just say that they are pregnant.  what's to keep a man from saying he's just an ugly pregnant woman?

Answer 5

No, it would be sexist if the pregnant women's special condition was not accommodated. This is a question of reasonable adjustment to meet needs. In other words, in order to meet these needs you have to level the playing field by making reasonable adjustments to the environment/building whatever,  or it is discrimination against the woman. Most simply answered by stating that a pregnant woman and a man are not biologically the same, nor are their needs, so they can not be treated as such in these circumstances!

If we take the concept of reasonable adjustment and look at somebody in a wheelchair, it would be obvious that a normal toilet would not be suitable as the person could not access that toilet in their wheelchair. So the university for example, would have to make reasonable adjustment, that is provide a disabled toilet or it would be discrimination against the person in the wheelchair.

Answer 6

I'm sure they'd allow a pregnant man the same consideration under the law, lol.

Answer 7

whatever it is...it's hilarious...is that really a written law?? wow...

it might be a little sexist though...but then again pregnant women have their "needs" --- never been pregnant so i wouldn't know for sure!!

Answer 8

Ha, ha, ha, ha, lol, lol, lol, lol.......OMG......I really enjoyed that! Looks to me like no matter what you do it's sexist, just depends on whose deciding on which situation.

This question only a woman who has been pregnant will be able to understand fully the feeling of wanting to run to the loo every five seconds..yes...literally, that's exactly what it feels like when you're pregnant...with the heavy foetus putting pressure on that inner plumbing 24/7...seriously. I know I was pregnant before.

In this situation it can be translated both ways, again, depending on how you choose to look at the situation, and who is looking at the situation - EXACTLY the way the other answerers have put it!

By the way YA answerers, all BRILLIANT answers here, thumbs up for you ALL!!! and star for a cool question! You guys all made my day!

Answer 9

GROSSS

Answer 10

Since the question of sexism has been answered handsomely, I'd like to address the inherent bias against those men who are right handed.  

Surely it isn't fair that a left handed man has ready access to his favorite appendage with his most nimble and probably most skilled one, while a right handed man must put his most favorite appendage in the grasp of his lesser skilled left.

After all, what's right is right.  Or in this case, left.

Answer 11

It's not fair, I would love to urinate in a policeman's helmet.

Answer 12

It is sexist indeed. It propounds that perennial truism that woman is inextricably connected and therefore closer to the earth and nature and is merely a more highly differentiated form of a plant or animal in being allowed to pee anywhere she wishes. While a man is the founder and father of culture in possesively grasping his phallus and owning his car which he built. :p

Those laws are completely absurd. I have no idea how I conceived legitimate serious philosophical positions on this!

Answer 13

Yes. Pregnant or no, she should be able to hold her urine, otherwise, she should wear diapers.

Answer 14

Lol it's ancient stuff, but yes I supose it's technically secist that a woman can't urinate over a wheel either...although i wouldn't really want to!

EDIT: Maybe it's only me....but everyone else seems to think the sexism is against the man. But in that law all men can urinate over the wheel, but women it's illegal unless they are pregnant. That's sexist!

Answer 15

I think it makes sense.  Pregnant ladies have a PERSON sitting on their bladder.

It's just comical, the mention of the policeman's helmet.

Is there any mention of where women who are not pregnant can urinate in public? because that might be sexist, if woman can't urinate in public but men can.

Answer 16

Sexist, I don't know.  But what you're saying is that guys can pee on their car.  That is Awesome.  While you are wasting your time on that, ponder this:  If you spit in public, you may be slapped with a ticket, but you can throw up and get away scot free.

Answer 17

Ewww....... I hope that neither the man or the woman chooses to exercise those particular rights.  

The entire list of laws was pretty entertaining.

Answer 18

It isn't sexist. We have laws like that here in the states (well, about pregnant women being able to relieve themselves if needed). The courts are assuming that any average adult will be able to hold their urine until they reach an appropriate location, and recognize that with pregnant women who need to urinate more frequently, this may not be possible. That aspect of the law is not sexist. The other parts of the law about keeping his hand his his car or a woman using a policeman's helmet, that is just retardation, but we have dumb laws on our books as well that are outdated and pointless.

Answer 19

Ever been pregnant? You have to pee like every ten d**n minutes when you start to get bigger.

When men start having babies they can pee wherever they want.