Houston Fountains

[TheNiche]

Has anybody ever heard of bums using fountains downtown or elsewhere as urinals?

Any personal experiences?

EDIT: Btw, I know this is an oddball question, but this IS relevant to something.

[dalparadise]

I once saw a bum projectile vomit into passing traffic on Prairie St.

That's gotta count for something.

[dbigtex56]

People, including bums, generally prefer to exercise some token attempt at discretion while urinating in public. Why would they choose to uriniate in fountains, which by their very nature are designed to be highly visable? I mean, duh.

Kind of a silly question.

[houstonmacbro]

Has anybody ever heard of bums using fountains downtown or elsewhere as urinals?

Any personal experiences?

EDIT: Btw, I know this is an oddball question, but this IS relevant to something.

i suppose it is possible, but not likely... i mean, just because you are a bum doesn't mean you're gross. i have however, see bums bathing in fountains and ponds... and public bathrooms.

[dbigtex56]

i suppose it is possible, but not likely... i mean, just because you are a bum doesn't mean you're gross. i have however, see bums bathing in fountains and ponds... and public bathrooms.

Imagine what Busby Berkeley could have done with bums bathing and urinating in our downtown fountains.

It would really put Houston on the map - a sort of Poor Man's Bellagio.

[houstonmacbro]

Imagine what Busby Berkeley could have done with bums bathing and urinating in our downtown fountains.

It would really put Houston on the map - a sort of Poor Man's Bellagio.

i can see it now:

• a trip to nasa to see the inept engineers that keep saying it's okay to launch a rickety old space shuttle
  
• the enron towers downtown, to see where it all ended
  
• and last, but not least, the lovely fountains downtown and hermann park, where bums bathe
  

i think it could work ... after all, we do watch american idol, lost, survivor, and other wacky ____ by the millions.

[Pumapayam]

I have seen the soap sud action in fountains, so it is quite the opposite.

[KimberlySayWhat]

Pumapayam:

I have seen the soap sud action in fountains, so it is quite the opposite.

Oh, now that's fun. I've never never done it myself, but it makes me smile when I see it.

I saw a bum selling flowers on the side of the road who turned his back toward the traffic and peed.

[TJones]

i suppose it is possible, but not likely... i mean, just because you are a bum doesn't mean you're gross. i have however, see bums bathing in fountains and ponds... and public bathrooms.

ORLY ? May I present exibit "A" to you then ?

::: Exhibit A has been removed by the Editor. If you haven't seen it, it effectively conveys his point. :::

[houstonmacbro]

Oh, now that's fun. I've never never done it myself, but it makes me smile when I see it.

I saw a bum selling flowers on the side of the road who turned his back toward the traffic and peed.

at least he had reasonably good manners to turn his back...

ORLY ? May I present exibit "A" to you then ?

'ORLY' ??

[KimberlySayWhat]

I just remembered! I can't believe I've never told this story here:

Years ago I was with my dad and we were, I think, around the Highland Village area at a busy intersection. This woman sitting at a bus stop stood up, walked near the curb, lifted her dress above her knees, squated and unrinated on the sidewalk! I remember sitting there in the passenger seat with my eyes glazed over, speechless thinking that I couldn't have possibly seen what I just had. That was the most shocking thing I had ever seen with my own two eyes. I was stunned.

[TJones]

'ORLY' ??

Here is exibit "B"

::: Exhibit B has been removed by the Editor. If you haven't seen it, it effectively conveys his point. :::

I saw a bum at a bus stop on Bissonet, in the MUSEUM DISTRCT, of all places, taking a leak at the bus stop. It was the one right there where Rice U. starts next to some college housing. I thought I was seeing things. Middle of the day on a Sunday,about 4 months ago, taking the family to the Zoo, Classic !

[houstonmacbro]

ORLY ? May I present exibit "A" to you then ?

i didn't mean pissing in public in general (heck everone's done that once or twice when the urge hits and there is no bathroom in sight), but i meant pissing in fountains. i mean, what would be the purpose?

Here is exibit "B"

ORLY is geek (internet) speak for oh really ? guess that was my question. i have not figured out all the 'net acronyms.

[TJones]

I doubt they pee in their bathtubs macbro. There is probably an unwritten rule that no bum is allowed to pee in the fountain, because all bums are required to wash their faces at least once every 6 months in it. They usually use trees I'm sure.

[houstonmacbro]

I doubt they pee in their bathtubs macbro. There is probably an unwritten rule that no bum is allowed to pee in the fountain, because all bums are required to wash their faces at least once every 6 months in it. They usually use trees I'm sure.

that was what i was hinting at. i mean, would you (if you were a bum) wanna wash in a public fountain that you and all your bros pissed in? bathing in slime is one thing. bathing in everyone's piss-filled slime is quite another.

[sevfiv]

I doubt they pee in their bathtubs macbro. There is probably an unwritten rule that no bum is allowed to pee in the fountain, because all bums are required to wash their faces at least once every 6 months in it. They usually use trees I'm sure.

i second that - and don't remember ever smelling it near fountains.

now the texaco building, rusk side - that's a different story

[TheNiche]

i mean, what would be the purpose?

It struck me that some are the perfect height to be used as urinals...they've got water in them...I guess the primary concern would be drunks rather than bums.

[houstonmacbro]

It struck me that some are the perfect height to be used as urinals...they've got water in them...I guess the primary concern would be drunks rather than bums.

okay, can we all agree that bathing in fountains, while not the best thing from a social or medical standpoint is reasonably acceptable (i mean, would you rather have a funky bum or a clean one standing next to you), while peeing in them (and then perhaps bathing in them then or later) is just plain ... gross!

[editor]

ORLY ? May I present exibit "A" to you then ?

I'd say that's probably a mental problem, not a homeless problem. How many people take off all of their clothes except their socks and shoes just to pee?

I used to see SPFs peeing in public all the time when I lived in New York. I never saw it in Houston or any other city I lived in until just recently on the subway. An SPF dug into his bag, pulled out an empty Mountain Dew bottle, shoved it down his pants and filled it up. After a minute or so he pulled it out, put on the cap, and put it back in his bag. Considering it was a Mountain Dew bottle, he was probably just recycling.

(SPF: The French term for homeless/bum/vagrant. "Sans Premesis Fixe", Without a fixed residence. I think that phrase better sums up these people than "bum.")

[houstonmacbro]

I'd say that's probably a mental problem, not a homeless problem. How many people take off all of their clothes except their socks and shoes just to pee?

I used to see SPFs peeing in public all the time when I lived in New York. I never saw it in Houston or any other city I lived in until just recently on the subway. An SPF dug into his bag, pulled out an empty Mountain Dew bottle, shoved it down his pants and filled it up. After a minute or so he pulled it out, put on the cap, and put it back in his bag. Considering it was a Mountain Dew bottle, he was probably just recycling.

(SPF: The French term for homeless/bum/vagrant. "Sans Premesis Fixe", Without a fixed residence. I think that phrase better sums up these people than "bum.")

i didn't mean to be polically incorrect by my use of bum. sorry if i offended anyone.

[Subdude]

This has to be one of our strangest topics yet!

I have seen the fountain in Main Street Square being used for bathing purposes. Maybe the squirt jets work as a shower.

[TJones]

::: Exhibit A has been removed by the Editor. If you haven't seen it, it effectively conveys his point. :::

What if I make the "censored" box BIGGER ?

[Montrose1100]

As I am around town at odd hours of the night, I have seen alot of interesting SPFs.

Like the one with the white sheet wrapped over their head like a Burqa, with a shopping cart and long wooden stick.

Another SPF was collecting all the coins in the sun dial fountain by the HMNS.

One in a wheel chair in Montrose using both his legs to move instead of his hands pushing the wheels.

Another one in Montrose that throws Nickels at you if you don't "Spare" him any of your change.

The one that sleeps on a bench, in the Cancer Survivor Memorial, that shakes an empty can with a tiny rock in it if you get too close to him.

I've seen one bathe -clothed- and shampoed his hair in the Tranquility Fountain, in the middle of the day.

[houstonsemipro]

I seen one doing the Smurf Dance taking a bath naked in the Tranquility Fountain.

[Gilder]

Does anyone have any pictures of the fountains in the Houston area?

Also, I can't remember the name of a fountain that I remember being built. It's in the Sharptown area in the middle of the street. This street served a short cut between streets. A business park surrounds it. The name may have changed now, but wondering about the original name.

Thanks.

[FreakyDude]

Does anyone have any pictures of the fountains in the Houston area?

Also, I can't remember the name of a fountain that I remember being built. It's in the Sharptown area in the middle of the street. This street served a short cut between streets. A business park surrounds it. The name may have changed now, but wondering about the original name.

Thanks.

I don't know if Fountain View has a fountain, but that's a possibility.

Or, how about the fountain located on Savoy Dr. between Harwin and 59. I know it was drained for repairs at one time, but I do not know if it is still a working fountain. I'll look for a picture, but not sure if I can help you with that one.

[Pumapayam]

I don't know if Fountain View has a fountain, but that's a possibility.

Fountainview has 3 to 5 fountains between Westhiemer and San Felipe.

They are cheesy, but they count.

[Firebird65]

Does anyone have any pictures of the fountains in the Houston area?

Also, I can't remember the name of a fountain that I remember being built. It's in the Sharptown area in the middle of the street. This street served a short cut between streets. A business park surrounds it. The name may have changed now, but wondering about the original name.

Thanks.

There's a nice fountain across from the AIG on Allen Parkway. Don't have my camera with me today, but I'll bring it tomorrow and snap a photo for you... if I remember.

Story goes (and I'm not sure if it's true) that Gus Wortham saw a fountain in Italy that he fell in love with and wanted to have a duplicate built across the street from his company's headquarters. He told an underling to spare no expense tracking through Europe to find who designed and built the fountain and have him do another one here. After awhile, Worthing's underling found the fountain's designer... in Houston. LOL!

Have no idea how true that story is. Sounds good, though...

[westguy76]

[Pumapayam]

That spot is cool along Allen Parkway.

I love taking photos around there!