Urilift: the disappearing public urinal (and we do mean public)

While there's no shortage of bathroom-based oddities floating around out there, the Urilift system definitely takes top honors. Since the presumably alcoholics anonymous-approved Wizmark urinals can't keep everyone from getting a little tipsy, officials in Victoria, British Columbia are taking a note from European countries to keep urine off the streets. Rather than leaving inebriated party-going males nowhere to relieve themselves on the streets, the government is considering installing hydraulic toilets in the roadways, which are remotely triggered at night to appear from their subterranean dwelling place. While there's no doors or privacy factor involved, those who were previously choosing to take it to the sidewalks probably won't mind all that much, and designers say the open design discouraged loitering and criminal activity anyway. Priced at $75,000 a pop, Victoria plans to become the first North American locale to try these newfangled restrooms out -- and hey, at least we know where to head for a clean(er) Spring Break now, right?

[Bobbi @ Nov 19th 2006 4:21PM]

They've had these in London for a while. They come out of the ground about last hour / closing time. Always wanted to stand on it while it rises up...

[Bobo @ Nov 19th 2006 4:28PM]

Better not be "pee shy."

[abigsmurf @ Nov 19th 2006 4:37PM]

looks like something outside the clamp cable network building...

10 points for anyone who knows what I'm talking about.

[macgyver1 @ Nov 19th 2006 5:29PM]

Gremlins 2 my friend... aww the useless knowledge..

[Jonathan Zencovich @ Nov 19th 2006 4:40PM]

I hope that those things have lights! I can imagine a tourist in those parts walking around the same spot during the day, never see it. Take a walk at night (would have to be a relatively dark night I guess), and walk right smack into it.

Where'd that come from! From the ground Johny :)

--Jon Z | http://www.jzencovich.com

[Simon Hunter @ Nov 19th 2006 5:00PM]

we've got 1 of these in Belfast, UK and theyre actually quite good when ur reli drunk and reli desperate :P

[Shunnabunich @ Nov 19th 2006 9:54PM]

That's badass. I was already planning to take a vacation in Vic sooner or later, but this just takes the cake.

[humpty @ Nov 19th 2006 4:46PM]

They just need to plant more bushes, trees, or shrubs.. problem solved.

[Dj Moxy @ Nov 19th 2006 5:04PM]

I know they probably addressed this, but...

What if you're standing there and doing your biz, and it starts to go back into the ground?

Trapped in a urine smelling tomb for the better part of a day?

just a thought

[Tom @ Nov 19th 2006 5:19PM]

10 points to me big smurf

Clamp Cable Network building is from Gremlins 2: The New Batch

[greg @ Nov 19th 2006 5:32PM]

standing there whip it out and start peeing and as ladies walk by hey how u doin hell yeah

[KL @ Nov 19th 2006 6:02PM]

So, no women need to pee after going to the pub ?

[Michiel @ Nov 19th 2006 6:38PM]

"So, no women need to pee after going to the pub ?"

They do need to.

But does that mean we cannot place men urinals untill we figured out a similar solution for women?

[heerlijkhelder @ Nov 19th 2006 7:01PM]

It's a Dutch company, check out http://www.urilift.nl/

[jc @ Nov 19th 2006 7:15PM]

theres tons of these in amsterdam, they smell awful from 30ft away... plus it was leaking... hahaha

[embee @ Nov 19th 2006 8:12PM]

I dunno. I think I'll stick to my regular post-binge peeing locations: semi-abandoned buildings on dark city streets, in between subway cars, big trees in the park.

[Rockpeteuk @ Nov 19th 2006 8:38PM]

had one in durham for about 2 years now.....

[DarkFader @ Nov 19th 2006 8:43PM]

You can enter secret tunnels this way. Someone should try :)

[PeeBreak @ Nov 19th 2006 9:10PM]

For those citizens who might be curious/confused about the use of the Wizmark.

I suggest a small modification to the top of the capsule... dome shaped.

[Jeff @ Nov 19th 2006 9:26PM]

How about a similar thing that gives you privacy to a 3 to 4 foot height but doesn't have room and light enough for enough for shooting up etc. this would not only accomodate ladies, but also barfers, (plentiful) homeless people, and anyone who need to do a number 2.

I picture a thing where your head and shoulders stick out, and there is enough room to sit on the throne and little more. The lack of light would add to the privacy afforded by one's creative use of one's clothing.

There is no lack of turds downtown either.

Everyone will know what you're doing, of course, but so what ? Before indoor plumbing, peopel used to just stand astride the gutter, relieve themselves, and pretend to be thinking happy thoughts.

[felidaeus @ Nov 19th 2006 11:43PM]

I live in victoria. We have no money for new parking spaces. But we need $75,000 urinals for drunk male students? WTF???

[Gr1zz @ Nov 20th 2006 12:19AM]

Brilliant!

[Crashlander @ Nov 20th 2006 12:44AM]

I saw someone take a shit in one of these once. It wasn't tramp either, it was a regular person.

[Panama Jack @ Nov 20th 2006 12:54AM]

Ha! I live in Victoria too, and LAUGH at your "lack" of parking. Try this think called "walking", or "biking" ... Victoria's core is small and easily transversed by foot or pedal.

This article is inaccurate: the City has only introduced a trial mobile-pisser. I agree it's pricey, but know a friend who works Bastion Square and dreads the Monday morning stench of a urine soaked square.

This is also the olde location of Victoria's gallows and is situated betwen many drinking establishments.... and drunk male students simply don't care where they piss and police are far too busy to be handing out by-law infractions around closing time.

Speaking of "shrubs" making up for the volume of urine obviously hasn't been to Hamburg's (?) Love Parade ... where tens of thousands of "drunk male students" and others piss in local parks.

[B @ Nov 20th 2006 1:10PM]

I have to say this... A college frat kid will be dared to get in this thing before it goes down underground... I know it!

[Jambon @ Nov 20th 2006 3:51AM]

Wow. Something tells me people are going to be pissing in this thing just for the novelty. Hell, I'LL go downtown and piss in this thing just for the novelty.

[alex @ Nov 20th 2006 5:21AM]

there's one of these in belfast...i saw it rise up out of the ground..like something from star wards..dum dum dum dum dee dum dum dee dum!

[Adam @ Nov 20th 2006 8:16AM]

They have them here near the pubs(Leeds, UK), they loook ugly and like you would never use them, they arn't as nice as that though, they are big plastic things that are there all the time.

Though when you're drunk you have a whole new frame of mind and they're a godsend.

[Z @ Nov 20th 2006 1:56PM]

Yeah, this will be a great expenditure! Please...

I can't wait to see who the first person is who gets duct taped to one of these things just before it goes down into the ground.

And people will be pissing ON these things, not just in them. And people taking dumps in these things? Nasty...

Instead of spending 75 G's for one of these, they should spend it on the yearly salaries for two cops who can go around and taser people in the ass who are too piss drunk or stupid for peeing in public.

[Robert Alonso @ Nov 20th 2006 3:55PM]

This pisses me off.

He He

[w hermans @ Nov 20th 2006 4:14PM]

We are really flattered with all the imagination and creativity you all have. We are the inventor and producer of the UriLift. We have installed them in over 40 cites now and they are without any exception very well used. We never thought of going over the pond for the exact reason you conclude here: It is just a bridge to far for the North American thinking although you agree it is a downtown problem, and the solution is good. Now that we receive interest we are looking into it and all your comments are very helpful. Thanks for that.

Sure I can write about 10 pages about the experiences we have had over the last six year. But I don�t want to take the piss with you. However a few comments I would like to make on general issues raised her.

- The UriLift is safe: it is raised and lowered by an attendant. And that has never caused any unsafe situation
- The UriLift is vandalism proof: no moving parts, 3mm stainless steel, total weight 1500 Kg. No human force can break it. In off peak hours it is safely stowed away.
- There is a ladies version, however the problem of public urination is a male thing. And you don�t want to spend double the price if it solves only 1% of the down town problem. So ladies go for it!!
- Public urination is not matter of anti social behavior. It is a effect of more people in the city at night, drinking more alcohol, for longer periods. And as this trend is lasting, cities have to provide sanitation in the public space. After all they make a lot of money on all people spending there money in there entertainment areas.
- If well maintained the UriLift will cost a city less that 7.500 USD/year. And that�s is far less than having a cleaning staff cleaning sometimes hundreds of liters of urine every weekend.

And remember. It ain�t much if it ain�t Dutch. You ask any North American visiting Amsterdam.

Best regards.

[Tim @ Nov 20th 2006 4:37PM]

OK, these things only pop up at night, but the video only shows dudes pissing on stuff during the day. Doesn't seem to solve their problem.

[dave4pee @ Dec 23rd 2006 9:41AM]

Women should be able to use these things if they use devices like She-Pee, P-Mate, etc. so that they can stand and pee like men.