The City of Foshan is looking to improve its public image by handing out fines of up to RMB 500 to those who have trouble using a urinal properly.
Foshan announced a new bill that would make peeing on the ground a violation that will be enforced by the city’s management workers, known as chengguan. The bill’s 39th regulation specifically targets men who are unable to stand close enough to a urinal, allowing chengguan to administer fines between RMB 50 to 500.
With urinal puddles a commonplace phenomenon in Chinese bathrooms, Foshan certainly has its work cut out for it. According to the Municipal Appearance and Hygience Management Regulation, public bathrooms are to be maintained at the highest possible level of hygiene. Floors are to be completely dry, and bathrooms are to be free of odors.
City officials in nearby Shenzhen took similar steps in 2013, fining male residents who can’t hit the urinal RMB 100. The new law created an opportunity for resourceful entrepreneurs who offered residents peace of mind by buying a “pee-straight funnel” to ensure their urine landed precisely where it’s supposed to.