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Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Is this area full of spitters? Every time I go for a walk I come across quite a few. What prompted me to post this was a walk up from Homebase on Saturday. First a chewing gum nearly landed on my shoe. It was spat out of the window of a car waiting to escape from the Arena retail park. I made it clear to the spitter that that was disgusting. Then a young girl turned around as she was entering a shop on Green Lanes, and spat out through the door. A bit further up a man was gathering phlegm from deep, deep within before he deposited what he managed to find right on the pavement in one big, horrid, sticky glob.
I have actually stopped people in the past, telling them that their behaviour is disgusting, and have actually received a few apologies!
Is spitting now socially acceptable? Are people so used to it they don't stop and think about how unhygienic and horrid it is? And how can we make them think about what they're doing? Posters? On the spot fines? Who would fine them?

Tags for Forum Posts: disgusting, revolting, spitting, unacceptable

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I'm also revolted by people spitting, but have noticed while travelling that it seems to be a cultural thing. Acceptable in some European/Middle Eastern cultures but not in Anglo-American ones is as far as I've managed to figure it out (more than once I've heard Americans ask themselves in amazement, 'What's up with the spitting?'). I'd like to find a way to let the spitters know how stomach-turning it can be, but some of the tales on this site about being threatened with bodily harm when asking someone to pick up the litter they've just tossed away have made me a bit reluctant to get into the whole citizen vigilante thing ...
I know what you mean. Sometimes I can't help myself though. "busybody knifed in spitting incident" I can just see the headline now..

I wonder if signs in different languages would help, making people from places where spitting is acceptable aware that the majority of people here (are we a majority by the way?) find it absolutely revolting.
Just spit in their face and appologise for missing the pavement ...preferably whilst on a run with your trainers firmly attached to your feet.
Not advisable, I am quite slow....
Travelling in China many years ago, spitting seemed part of the fabric of society with people heaving pretty much anywhere and a spittoon in every corner...and then Beijing staged a big international event, the Asian games and wham! spitting was socially unacceptable overnight as the authorities went into overdrive to clean up the city. Can't imagine all those bright young Beijingers gobbing in spittoons now! So attitudes can be changed I think...
Oh and pictures of Premiership footballers gobbing all over the place don't help the young appreciate that spitting is a revolting habit (Lor' I am sounding like my mother now!)
Spitting now illegal in China, with a fine imposed on the spot and collected by street cleaners/wardens.
It used to be illegal in the UK too, probably still is, but not enforced.
Yes, I read that too, and remember from my trip there how they were hoiking it up and out at every given opportunity.
Mind you, the thought of a hefty fine actually being enforced should help. Shame that only works in China.
I'm pretty sure it's illegal here too, and I do wish someone would enforce it!
But then again we probably have bigger issues to deal with.
When guests are looking at me like I am insane when I ask them to remove their shoes when entering my house, spitting is a big part of it. I don't want someone's glob of saliva dragged in to my house on someone's shoe. That, and my Scandinavian heritage.
Oh, off topic in my own dicussion...!
Working in a local hospital as I do, I can confirm that we have plenty enough cases of TB to be going on with, without racheting up the numbers as a consequence of vile personal habits. An element may be cultural, but you see such behavior promoted every week on the football pitch, premiership players gob here and there seemingly without restraint. It's a health hazard as well as unpleasant and should be strongly discouraged.
I conpletely agree, and I am wondering how this can be discouraged?
John, re. TB, surely this spitting is a health hazard as well as a disgusting habit - should hospitals and surgeries not be at least putting up posters to inform the spitters?
I'd love to know what the rate of TB is in our area, and how importand spitting is in spreading TB.
I am not sure, maybe they don't realise how DISGUSTING others think it is? I have told a few spitters off, and they do actually look slightly embarrassed. You would never have thought, would you?

As for negotiating the cigarette smoke, I know what you mean, and as I am asthmatic it's even worse. Talk to Liz about the litter they're leaving too, and we can start a separate non-smoking group. Not a bad idea, actually..
best not to, we'll be here all night! :D
i doubt most people care whether it's socially acceptable or not. i think they see it as "if you gotta spit...then you gotta spit!"

i think we should all carry a roll of duct tap and make use of it on the faces of offenders.

that should make them swallow it.

[/yuck]

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