to think that spitting in public is downright disgusting.

[vienna1981]

This is something that seems to happen particularly after dark where I live. Tonight on the High Street pavement there are innumerable blobs of spit and mucus and God knows what else. Plus chewing gum and bubble gum. It's absolutely foul.
Who does it and why ? Are there any laws against it in the UK ?

I've heard that some foreign countries don't tolerate public spitting and discarded chewing gum at all and deal quite severely with offenders.

The deputy head at my secondary school took a particularly dim view of anyone he caught flegging in the playground. Usually sent to the toilets for paper towels in order to clean up after themselves, plus detention . Proper discipline from thirty plus years ago. Would it happen now ?

[DoNotDenyMe]

off and to (sorry)

[vienna1981]

IIRC the Singaporeans (is that right ?) hold public floggings for chewing gum miscreants. Probably a little extreme. I don't know how they deal with spitting but I wouldn't mind betting it isn't a common problem.

[UncleT]

It should totally be cracked down upon in general.

[ChameleonCircuit]

I don't care if it is acceptable in some cultures...it's not acceptable here. It is the one thing that makes me gag. Utterly disgusting.

[DoNotDenyMe]

meoryou - security got the manager, who then proceeded to get wipes of the shelves, gave one yo him and told him to clean up his mess! I was impressed with how it was handled

[echt]

Back in the day, on the upper decks of buses, thick with tobacco smoke, there were prominent signs saying "Spitting prohibited". These would be duly altered by some wag into "S itting prohibited" :o

[UncleT]

Ugh, YANBU. Here it's even worse - some people lean over the edge of the pavement and empty their nostrils into the gutter with force. Lovely.

[vienna1981]

Seems to be men and boys. On behalf of males everywhere, I:apologise .

[TheCraicDealer]

I keep meaning to start a thread about this. Strange how you ever see women feeling the need to spit in the street. Wonder how we've evolved so differently that all these males can't contain themselves or, shock horror, swallow their own spit. Clearly mainly the influence of football players; I once saw a teenager waiting on a bus who spat on the ground about 5 times in the space of ten minutes. Who even produces that much saliva?!

They should have some sort of punishment for spitting on the field- its unsportsmanlike, unprofessional and sets a bad example.

[FindoGask]

UGH yes I hate this!

I can sort of understand why footballers might do it - exercising in cold air can make your airways very mucusy. Sometimes when I'm out for a run I need to attempt a discreet hoik and spit (but never on the street!) otherwise I can't breathe properly. But for people not running about for 90 minutes in the cold, it's completely unnecessary.

[jackydanny]

YANBU.
Some anti social toe rag hoiked up a big green phlegm at the bus stop.
As the weather was freezing it sat there for weeks and made me feel sick every morning.

[meoryou]

Do not deny that is seriously mingin! He's a hallion.

Should have been told to leave the store!

[BuzzardBird]

Would actually pay towards snipers to sort this problem out.

[vienna1981]

Squidgy. You took the words out of my mouth. Footballers set an appalling example and you're probably right that youngsters copy them. Just before I came into this pub tonight a teenage oik deposited a large gobful on the pavement. I would happily give the uncouth little shit a good kicking but for the CCTV cameras around here.

It's also something certain men do when confronted with a urinal, apart from the obvious. Equally baffling.

[meoryou]

filthy filthy habit and pretty much unnecessary ... carry a bloody tissue!!
YADNBU

[DoNotDenyMe]

Funny that this should come up here today.... Yesterday I saw a man spit inside the supermarket!!!!
The security guard informed a manager who gave him a tissue and got him to wipe it up. He was very 'not bothered' by it all though- at one point saying, "For Gods sake, what's the big deal?".
Disgusting!

[AnnieMorel]

My no1 pet hate too.

Footballers have a lot to answer for - all that unnecessary gobbing on the pitch.

And chewing gum. Why do people spit it out, just swallow it or put it in a bin!

[Behooven]

YADNBU - revolting

[Out0fCheeseError]

YANBU. I passed a cyclist the other day who proceeded to evacuate both nostrils onto the path beside him. I saw the gobs of snot hit the pavement. Vile vile vile.

[scarletforya]

It's sickening. How hard is it to use a tissue?

[WhereIsMyFurryHat]

It is absolutely disgusting.
I cannot stand it. Why does anyone think that it is ok?!?!

YANBU

[Tinofroses]

I was at a children's soccer match and my friends husband did a huge disgusting phlegmy spit and he caught me watching him. I was so flabbergasted I said to him 'you are disgusting' without thinking . Anyway his wife overheard me calling her husband disgusting and guess what she doesn't speak to me anymore.

[Icimoi]

Absolutely. It physically makes me gag.

I really don't understand why footballers do it. You don't see other sportsmen gobbling all over tennis courts, cricket pitches etc, and if the vast majority of the population can manage without spitting, why can't the rest?

[candyflosssky]

YANBU

[SquidgyMaltLoaf]

I hate it too. Disgusting habit. It doesn't help that footballers seem to do it every two minutes as I do think particularly young boys copy them!