SpongeG
Dec 28, 2007, 12:09 AM
I saw something like this when i was in London in 2002 - it was kind of a shock cause i was walking down a street in SOHO and i had to do a double take when i saw some guy standing there peeing out in the open into an out in the open urinal :haha: the ones i saw however did not afford the pee-er so much modesty ;)
Public peeing prompts pop-up potties
VICTORIA -- This city, known for its hanging baskets, is about to make its mark as the first in North America to install pop-up public urinals for bar patrons.
The B.C. capital is turning to a Dutch company to deliver two pop-up urinals -- each with three stalls -- in the new year.
By day, the devices -- installed underground, connected to the sewer system -- appear much like manhole covers. At night, they are raised.
http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/48d772b0-440b-4862-9dea-94c061d8eb0d/potty1.jpg?size=l
This is how the pop-up urinal looks during the day. Click 'next' below to see it as it pops up.
- Urilift International
http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/48d772b0-440b-4862-9dea-94c061d8eb0d/potty2.jpg?size=l
Halfway up.
http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/48d772b0-440b-4862-9dea-94c061d8eb0d/potty3.jpg?size=l
Three quarters.
http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/48d772b0-440b-4862-9dea-94c061d8eb0d/potty4.jpg?size=l
The urinal at its full height.
"We are doing something innovative that no one else is doing," said Mike Hill, Victoria's downtown co-ordinator. "It shows the level of concern the city has for the [public-urination] problem."
The tender for the devices closed recently, with only Urilift International making a $151,000 bid.
After the pop-up toilets arrive, it will take several weeks to get them certified for use, but "we have no reason to believe they won't work here," said Hill. He's confident the devices will reduce the number of instances of public urination after the city studied the problem, using portable stalls.
They were well received by the public and the city's public works yard documented a reduction in the number of calls for cleaning up streets and alcoves.
The cost of placing portable toilets out for three nights a week is estimated at $67,000 a year.
Hill said he wasn't concerned about women wanting similar conveniences. "We are trying to curb a problem primarily caused by males in the late evening hours."
A report to city council said pub patrons, not homeless people, accounted for most of the instances of public urination. Staff made the determination after monitoring use of the urinals.
"We are confident in the relationship between the bar crowd and public urination," Hill said, adding they continue to monitor the use of the portable toilets.
Since the report, bar and cabaret owners have agreed to put up posters in their premises reminding customers not to urinate in the streets. Other North American cities, including Vancouver and Seattle, have installed large, expensive, self-cleaning public toilets, but found they were subjected to vandalism.
http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=1bcfb858-ad38-4ef5-801e-26d341dee230
Public peeing prompts pop-up potties
VICTORIA -- This city, known for its hanging baskets, is about to make its mark as the first in North America to install pop-up public urinals for bar patrons.
The B.C. capital is turning to a Dutch company to deliver two pop-up urinals -- each with three stalls -- in the new year.
By day, the devices -- installed underground, connected to the sewer system -- appear much like manhole covers. At night, they are raised.
http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/48d772b0-440b-4862-9dea-94c061d8eb0d/potty1.jpg?size=l
This is how the pop-up urinal looks during the day. Click 'next' below to see it as it pops up.
- Urilift International
http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/48d772b0-440b-4862-9dea-94c061d8eb0d/potty2.jpg?size=l
Halfway up.
http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/48d772b0-440b-4862-9dea-94c061d8eb0d/potty3.jpg?size=l
Three quarters.
http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/48d772b0-440b-4862-9dea-94c061d8eb0d/potty4.jpg?size=l
The urinal at its full height.
"We are doing something innovative that no one else is doing," said Mike Hill, Victoria's downtown co-ordinator. "It shows the level of concern the city has for the [public-urination] problem."
The tender for the devices closed recently, with only Urilift International making a $151,000 bid.
After the pop-up toilets arrive, it will take several weeks to get them certified for use, but "we have no reason to believe they won't work here," said Hill. He's confident the devices will reduce the number of instances of public urination after the city studied the problem, using portable stalls.
They were well received by the public and the city's public works yard documented a reduction in the number of calls for cleaning up streets and alcoves.
The cost of placing portable toilets out for three nights a week is estimated at $67,000 a year.
Hill said he wasn't concerned about women wanting similar conveniences. "We are trying to curb a problem primarily caused by males in the late evening hours."
A report to city council said pub patrons, not homeless people, accounted for most of the instances of public urination. Staff made the determination after monitoring use of the urinals.
"We are confident in the relationship between the bar crowd and public urination," Hill said, adding they continue to monitor the use of the portable toilets.
Since the report, bar and cabaret owners have agreed to put up posters in their premises reminding customers not to urinate in the streets. Other North American cities, including Vancouver and Seattle, have installed large, expensive, self-cleaning public toilets, but found they were subjected to vandalism.
http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=1bcfb858-ad38-4ef5-801e-26d341dee230