The Daily Ping

FROM: Dave Walls [E-Mail]
DATE: Friday June 20, 2003 -- 12:35:31 am

99 times out of 100, I will wash my hands. The only time I won't is if the bathroom I'm in looks dirtier than my hands. (i.e.: Veterans Stadium, At the Auto Mechanics)..In those cases, I make it a point to touch as little as possible, out of common courtesy, before I get home (or whereever) to wash my hands.

The funny thing is: Men seem to have this logic when using the urinal. I'm just holding it...I know where my _______ has been!

For me, as an added step of protection for those who don't wash, if the bathroom I'm in actually has paper towels (and not those pain in the butt hand driers), I use the paper towel to open the door with, so I don't get em dirty all over again.

I'm not a germaphobe or anything, but depending on where you are, it doesn't hurt to be extra careful.

FROM: towinlovinit
DATE: Friday June 20, 2003 -- 2:01:49 am

I always wash my hands and teach my children the importance of hand washing. I have two boys who think it is ok to not wash because they say they never see grown men do it, so why should they. Diease please, don't pass it around. Colds get passed around from not washing hands. Next time your in the restroom, why don't you try and notice some youngsters there and set the example. Washing hands doesn't make you disappear! I promise.

FROM: Paul
DATE: Friday June 20, 2003 -- 8:22:17 am

Dave, yes, most men don't wash after using the urinal. Which strikes me as odd, because... don't you touch, say, a dirty door before doing your business? In that case you'd almost want to wash your hands before and after going.

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Friday June 20, 2003 -- 9:54:14 am

I'm also appalled at non-hand-washers, Paul, especially at work (hopefully none of my co-worker Pingers are guilty of this). One time, I walked into the bathroom and a guy walked from the urinal right past me, without even *pretending* to wash his hands.

Seriously, guys, like Matt Wilson used to say: why must you spread your d all over the place?

I'm also not a germaphobe, but good Lord, if you don't wash your hands after using the bathroom, when *do* you wash your hands?

And, Dave, I'll forgive you for that 1 time out of 100. Just be sure to wash if I ever have to open the door after you.

For the ladies in the audience: is this a problem in your restroom as well?

FROM: Rob [E-Mail]
DATE: Friday June 20, 2003 -- 10:07:10 am

I always ALWAYS wash my hands afterwards. I don't even think about not doing so. It's automatic.

FROM: jk
DATE: Friday June 20, 2003 -- 10:15:16 am

Representing the women of the Ping, I always wash my hands. At work, I do notice that the public, when using our restrooms, will not always wash their hands. Sometimes I teach classes right outside the restrooms, and you can clearly hear that people are not washing their hands, so I too take a paper towel with me to open the door. I read somewhere that overall, 57% (???) of the population does not wash hands after using the bathroom.

My mom noticed that when my nephews were younger, their parents did NOT require them to wash their hands before eating! My brother's comment was "They're BOYS!" And as boys, they were just playing with the puppy, digging outside, and smashing bugs.

Oh here's a good one for you: years ago I learned that the Amish don't wash their hands after using the bathroom (outhouse?) so I would never stop and buy pies or anything from their roadside stands. Spread the word! If you are driving through the countryside, think twice about buying from our farmer friends!

I have become a big fan of the handywipes and I try to keep them in my car. Those instant hand sanitizers can really dry out your skin.

I am so glad to read that we all like clean hands. There must be some correlation that can be drawn here!

FROM: Greg
DATE: Friday June 20, 2003 -- 11:41:01 am

I have a friend that is a micro-biologist. Back in college he took a sample of the bathroom door. Let's just say it wasn't pretty. I personally like the paper towel to door handle when exiting a bathroom. Like Paul was mentioning, the drop kick is good for some fun. But one must watch out not to kick it open on someones face.

FROM: Joseph
DATE: Friday June 20, 2003 -- 3:11:16 pm

I am a handwasher. My kids will be handwashers. I wash my hands after using the facilities, after I go shopping and touch all kinds of stuff, before and after every meal, before cooking (and after). Hands are dirty.
You would be amazed at how many people don't wash their hands even after doing Number Two.
A friend of mine (female) has gotten tattled on by my fiancee. This person who claims to be meticulously clean (and her apartment and especially the kitchen is indeed spotless) has terrible personal hygiene habits--at least with the hand washing--including the dreaded not washing after Number Two in the public john--it's bad enough at home but the public john is worse yet.
One time was especially disgusting because it occurred at a restaurant in which we all shared finger food and this person made Number Two before the meal. Her boyfriend, my fiancee and I are all avid handwashers. I really am grossed out, and I've stopped sharing finger food appetizers with her. I'm glad my fiancee waited to tell me until after the meal or I think I would have barfed.
I think people don't consider the germs around them and that they pass them to others. This person who doesn't wash after Number Two is the first to criticize even the mildest of inconsiderate behavior in others. Yet last week, when she had a deathly flu or some other contagious airborne disease, she not only did not wash after Number Two, but she also coughed into her hands, and then touched all the donuts at work, and then decided she didn't want any. You would be risking having your head chewed off to call her on it, as well. She suffers constructive criticism worse than she suffers the insensitivities of others.
She may not be our friend for much longer.
My favorite was a time that she petted like three mangey street mutts in a row and got scum all over her hands, didn't wash, and then ate a sandwich and licked her fingers.
I have to stop, I'm turning green.

Of course, if you work where there are shared computer keyboards, handwashing may not do you any good, anyway. How many times do I see people sneeze down and deflect, trying to be polite, yet they thoughtlessly sneeze all over the keyboard anyway? A minute later they leave and the next person comes up, types a little, sticks a finger in the mouth...blecccch!
How many times have you been waiting for the bank machine and the guy or lady in front of you coughs all over it, hacks, or sneezes, or worse--pukes (usually late at night on the weekends in college towns). Of course, the puke you can see, and you thing to not touch the machine then. Not so with the invisible buggers flying out of people's infected throats.

I still wash my hands anyway just because it feels good and makes me feel clean. Hands are dirty suckers. They touch everything.

While we're on the subject, who actually uses the hot air hand dryers? Maybe that's a ping for another day.

FROM: jk
DATE: Friday June 20, 2003 -- 4:25:11 pm

There was definitely a Seinfeld episode about someone not washing his hands. Or hers?

FROM: Monica
DATE: Friday June 20, 2003 -- 4:33:05 pm

I've not heard the sink going after a flush/door open by too many women. Eew.
A year or so ago, I heard that a lot of women will push the flushing mechanism with their foot, not their hand. That's a nifty way of avoiding germs... but I still ALWAYS wash my hands.

FROM: Robert [E-Mail]
DATE: Friday June 20, 2003 -- 7:33:57 pm

I'm still shocked by the higher-level guys at jobs I've worked who don't wash after using the stall. If it were possible I'd give up a Xmas present for each guy I could teach the lesson of handwashing.

FROM: jk
DATE: Friday June 20, 2003 -- 11:01:42 pm

Monica, I have been a foot flusher all my life. Until recently, I did not know that people touch the thing with their hands! EWWWW! Even if there's a button at waist-level or higher, I will still kick it.

I stopped on the NJ turnpike the other week and there were fresh flowers in the ladies' room. Amazing.

FROM: Dave Walls [E-Mail]
DATE: Friday June 20, 2003 -- 11:41:14 pm

jk --

Flowers in the New Jersey Turnpike Bathroom? Consider yourself fortunate. I was driving around the NJ Turnpike 2 weeks ago, entered the bathroom, and it was so bad, I actually decided to hold it an extra HOUR. Disgusting.

FROM: Kate
DATE: Saturday June 21, 2003 -- 11:28:34 pm

I am a hand-washer, and being the nerd that I am, when my friends are over and go to the bathroom, I usually ask (in a motherly tone of voice) "Now did you remember to wash your hands? With soap?" Sometimes they get the point, and sometimes not. I actually had one friend (a guy) say, "No; I didn't touch anything." I'm not quite sure if that's possible, especially for guys, but I thought it was really disgusting.

Just a note about the paper towels: if they are the pull-down kind, that's cool, but if you have to turn the dirty little knob to get a paper towel, then you're defeating the purpose. In that case, I just wipe them on my pants. I have no patience for those blow dryer things.

FROM: kerr
DATE: Wednesday June 9, 2004 -- 11:05:57 pm

im doing a report on why you should wash your hands and It is estimated that 1 in 3 people don’t wash their hands after using the bathroom. i use a paper towl to open the bathroom door, I always wash my hands and i use a paper towl to turn on and off the focit. its good to see that some people wash their hands. ive noticed many people who flush-n-run out the door. or some people who sit in the stall stinkin up the place then skip the washing and leave (in a restaurant) oh great.

FROM: Roy
DATE: Monday August 16, 2004 -- 6:09:45 pm

I work with several non handwashers. It is a running joke in our department to call out the non handwashers in other departments.
This helps to keep the non handwashers in our department on their toes. For instance a known non handwasher(in my department) actually washed his hands. Although most of the group agrees it was probably an isolated incident because he spotted one of our hand washing police in the bathroom.
Signs will be posted soon.
"please wash your hands"

FROM: Tina
DATE: Tuesday September 7, 2004 -- 10:06:37 am

I'll break up with a guy who doesn't wash his hands and use soap! GROSS!!

FROM: wjfx5dx@dmoz.org [E-Mail]
DATE: Thursday July 20, 2006 -- 8:59:25 am

funny ringtones

FROM: Leslie
DATE: Thursday July 20, 2006 -- 9:32:12 am

Dude, my husband gets so freaked out about it that he washes his hands BEFORE and AFTER!