Would this be an arrestable offense?


 

LMichaels

TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
So a little background. I'm what some what refer to as an "aging baby boomer". A little heavy (not obese) but definitely over ideal, with some "issues". High blood pressure, Type II diabetes, kidney "failure". I use a blood pressure med that includes a diuretic (so when daddy has to go daddy has to go) thanks to both the meds and the kidney issues.
So for the last few month I have taken to hiking in a local preserve that is about a mile from my house and allows me to go on gorgeous hikes past natural springs, a pristine spring fed river, improved and unimproved trails and just in general allow me to go out for 45 minutes to an hour and lose myself in some peace. With views like this
2j5dtj.jpg
it's so nice to get my exercise in (which is beginning to help BTW).
So as I was reviewing my daily hike with my family with details of my daily hike (2.25 miles and averaging 3.1 mph even with multiple stops) but therein lies the "issue" my wife and daughter scolded me on. While walking on one of the unimproved trails a sudden need for a nature call came up. To this point I have been very good at "timing" my forays so this could happen when I was at home. But, yesterday was not the case. So I discreetly got off the trail deeper into the woods and got camouflaged behind some brush and trees and proceeded to "water" them. I had been very proud of my pace and was telling the family that despite this need and also a couple different stops to look at sights and listen to sounds I still averaged 3.1 MPH. Instead of saying "wow good job" I get "you could have been arrested". I came back with the argument that no officer would ticket someone with the medical conditions I noted for a simple discreet watering. Thoughts?
 
I suppose it is theoretically “indecent exposure and public urination” but, if you’re all by your lonesome, I wouldn’t worry about it. The diuretic May allow a certain amount of leeway but as long as you’re not doing it daily, you should not have much to worry about. Just my opinion,
I suffer from the same maladies, though not needing a diuretic. No one told me anything about all this when I was younger or I’d have taken better care of myself!
 
Yeah I always say the same thing. If I knew I would have lived this long I would have taken better care of myself LOL
 
I'm what some what refer to as an "aging baby boomer"
don't have much insight to the discussion, just wanted to comment on being an aging baby boomer, as I know the situation all too well. I got a Fitbit for Christmas (the Alta HR) when I got it, my first thought was whooper doo. It grew on me and it's been a big help in "staying in the zone." I bring it up because Costco has them on sale (save $20) right now. If you're serious of wanting to do healthy things, it will guide you to do so
 
My thoughts?
An overreaction to a nonissue.
After nearly 40 years as a land surveyor I can't even guess how many times I relieved myself outdoors, sometimes (discreetly) in public places when no facilities were nearby.

I suggest you have your wife and daughter drink a lot of liquid of their choice, and go for a walk with you. :)
 
It's not even anything I'd worry about if you were alone.

I lived in Germany for 9 years. For doing a #1 all you have to do is have your back to the road and it's OK. Some rest stops tell you to use the woods for #2. Funny thing is, sometimes there's a "paper trail" that extends for a distance.
 
My wife and I enjoy fly fishing and one of the aspects of that is sometimes doing a float. This involves standing/casting in a drift boat while going down the river. This may often last six to eight hours and I can assure you, your “solution” is the norm for both ladies and gentlemen. Keep up the good work with the exercise and enjoy the walks, they sound wonderful.
 
I love to hike! I’ll take the dog out and hike for a couple hours. When nature calls, you gotta go. BUT one time I had on my earphones with the music blasting and never thought anyone else would be deep in the woods......I see a father and son petting my dog as I was “squatting behind a tree”. Embarrassing! Oh well,now I turn off the music and look around.
 
Arrested! Wow, I guess they must think law enforcement has suddenly caught up with all the actual crime being committed. As long as you acted discreetly as you stated, I can't see how anything could come of it.
 
I turn 70 next month and just last week my cardiologist up my diuretic from 20 mg to 60 mg because of swelling in my legs, what a PITA. From urge to purge better be less than a minute or Houston we have a problem.
I love to walk especially with the two pups out in the fields at the end of our street and watch them romp and chase the ducks . Actually there isn't any ducks that's just what we call all birds, less confusing for the pups, if it flies and has feathers it's a duck. We just tell them to Get the ducks and off they go.
But after standing on ladders all day for the first 25 years working for the phone company my feet are shot so I have to limit my walks to about a mile or the pain just gets to intense.
I've always said if I had known what getting older was going to be like I would have played a lot harder when I was younger and enjoyed it more.
 
Last edited:
Oh, for crying out loud. THis is just ridiculous. Not the thread, but the fact that someone is so naive to have that attitude. People go out fishing and hunting for 8 or more hours at a time. There are few boats with restrooms. I haven't seen too many tree stands with an attached out house. I wonder what those DNR game wardens do when they are out on the water all day checking folks in boats when they have to go?

We are not talking about wetting the side of a building or the neighbors mailbox here. If someone questioned me "relieving myself" out in the wilderness, I would just laugh at them.

Larry, not trying to bash the family, but I would just tell them it is hard to walk and pee at the same time. ;)
 
don't have much insight to the discussion, just wanted to comment on being an aging baby boomer, as I know the situation all too well. I got a Fitbit for Christmas (the Alta HR) when I got it, my first thought was whooper doo. It grew on me and it's been a big help in "staying in the zone." I bring it up because Costco has them on sale (save $20) right now. If you're serious of wanting to do healthy things, it will guide you to do so

I already have a Samsung Gear Fit 2. Nice little instrument. Has built in GPS as seen in this photo
517vwg.jpg
which is the path I followed yesterday. Plus it gives me so much info like heart rate (mx, min, avg), speed (max, min, avg), elevation change, times and a host of more things than I can even list.
Never thought I would like this little piece of tech but I am really getting into it!
 
Yep, plenty of apps for the smartphones that are free that track and plot your course as well as speed, length, etc.... It makes the walk a bit more interesting and tends to keep you on pace.
 
I go hiking and do overnight backpacking regularly and I go off trail to take care of business pretty much on every outing. When you continually hydrate yourself you gotta go every so often. They say stay several hundred feet away from any natural water source but I never follow that guideline.
 
Yah, george. I hear you. This "stay several hundred feet away from a water source" is just as ridiculous as being appalled about someone relieving themselves in the woods. Even if you use the stream or lake or pond or whatever itself, it would be virtually undetectable after a short time. Do we ensure the deer and turkeys do their business only in designated spots...God forbid a duck pees in lake michigan. Chicago would have to shut down their water supply for a month.
 
When I was a young boy I got caught peeing in the town's swimming pool.
The life guard yelled at me so loud I nearly fell in. :)

 
Nothing wrong with discrete enough "freelancing" as we call it. If I'm out hiking and nobody can see anything but my back, and I'm off a bit anyway, then I and nobody should worry about it. Nature calls. Wife, Kids, Myself. Gotta go - gotta go! Just be discrete enough and nobody's looking at anything but your back if that).
 
Last edited:

 

Back
Top