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 ?

[vienna1981]

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

[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.

[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

[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

[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.

[UncleT]

It should totally be cracked down upon in general.

[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.

[DoNotDenyMe]

off and to (sorry)