Yes, that is a big advantage. We live in a brand new building and we never hear flushing or anything from our neighbors. This is a good thing, as we have a crazy lifestyle and are often up all night showering, peeing, and whatever else.

Speaking of peeing, did you know that many Swiss women insist that their husbands/sons sit down to pee ALL THE TIME? Presumably this is related to the obsession with cleanliness. I told my wife that I'm willing to change many of my old habits to fit in here, but this would be a deal breaker. A man who sits is not a man

Actually, did you know that's a common trait among continental European men? My husband was not the first European I dated, and each of them also sat to pee.

Interesting. Nope, I had no idea. Anyway, I stand by my position, so to speak. Some things just can't be changed after a certain age.

I wish more Swiss women would insist on this as in my experience (shared facilities at work), those Swiss men who do stand have a pretty poor aim! I don't know what they do during compulsory military service, but target practice can't be high on the list.

As for anti-social personal hygiene habits, I have heard my neighbours' washing machine spin cycle kick in after midnight and the people above me have hoovered during the wee hours too. No pun intended. It's annoying when you have to get up early the next morning, but does give you carte blanche to do the same next time you forget to wash your favourite jeans the day before you go off on holiday. The one which does puzzle me is the rule that you have to check with the people living above you before you have a barbecue on the balcony in case they object to the smell, but it's fine for the employees of the dental surgery below mine to use the balcony as their smoking lounge - lovely in the summer when the windows are open.

What kind of nonsence are you blabbering about? A man who sits is not a man.

Are you somehow insecure with your sexuality that you have to come up with such line?

I sit because, I don't want my pee to be all over the bathroom. It's call practicing good hygiene and cleanliness.

European must be being used in the British sense here, i.e. Europe excluding the UK - right?

I've been out with a few Germans and they were Sitzpinkler. How very German to even have a name for it. I guess all you real men out there are now going to tell us that the English translation is "girl"?

I've just spent five days in Geneva and I relieved myself upon coming back to my mum's flat well past 10 pm if not 2am on most nights and flushed the toilet without any comments from the neighbours

I squat on the toilet bowl, but always with my shoes off after 10pm

It's amazing that no one in Switzerland has invented a "silencer", you know maybe a funnel and tube into the water. How did it degenerate to this :-)

I can assure you that I have no problems with my sexuality. It was just meant as a lighthearted, somewhat provocative statement. Did you not see the smiley? Did you not see "If you are easily offended, please look elsewhere" at the top of the page? Down boy!

Also, it is quite possible to pee without making a mess... just takes a little finesse.

That's why I said continental European men. I haven't dated any Brits, and I never paid any attention to how my male British friends do or don't pee

Sitzpinkler....I love it.

I sit to pee all the time. LordMonkey, you're obviously not the one to clean the can now are you?

I found that not aiming for the water is the best way to ensure a bit of silence...

Kat, behave

Moi?

While we're on the subject. How many ladies out there have said to their men 'You're so lucky, you can just point and pee...' This is especially true for public lavvies, road trips, airplanes etc.

My GF found this disposable funnel type gadget, it's called a p-mate. This allows women to pee like a man.

Check it out here, you can order them online.

I think this will further empower women, this and power steering.

ahem Kat,
Sitzpinkler is as much a compliment for a man as is 'Warmduscher'
which translates to sort of 'weakling' , only REAL men pee standing up and can stand a cold shower the rest.............. see above


Cheerio
EE

Well on the contrary, you have just insulted the integrity of all man who sit while peeing.

but anyhow, being a man, I used to stand when I pee but that's when the bloody toilet back home has a drainage system but not in Switzerland. Where's that all improtant hole because of that hole I have to sit when I pee.

For pete sakes, the Swiss they built good basement but not good bathroom.

a man who sits.. is too bizarre for me. must be some cultural thing..
anyway, these noise regulations I thought they are only rumours.. never experienced such thing luckily, in apartments filled with foreigners.
and what if someone is sick or has to use the toilet and then cannot flush? that is so unclean and disgusting. or maybe they have a bucket of water for it standing by.

Schon klar - Warmduscher, Fussföhner, ABS-Bremser, Flaschenöffnerbenutzer und so weiter und so fort - da könnte man den ganzen Tag noch an Wörter herumbasteln!

However, the word does still exist and I have seen it used on 'official' notices in public buildings asking gentlemen to sit where facilities are shared. And I stand by my first point - the standard English translation for all of these and the hundreds of others like them is probably just 'girl' - and i never said it was a compliment anyway!

While we're on our holidays, my wife never leaves the hotel room without it.

sadly even with the adjustable one eyed snake, most men still miss the target. I bet it's an English thing because almost all of my english guest can't bloody aim.

for all of these and the hundreds of others like them is probably just 'girl'.
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Kat
you might be right here