h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I personally use the trouser method of drying...

I would agree, and urge everybody to do the same. Hand driers recirculate air from their immediate surroundings - not exactly the cleanest air in the world to start with - and then warm it, providing excellent conditions for bacteria to live and breed. You can even catch typhoid fever from them! I'm not normally paranoid about things like this, but I haven't used an electric hand drier for two years and I'd recommend that you all stop using them, too

I wonder if someone has actually done a chemical analysis of electric
dryer and its immediate surroundings. On second thought, that bloke
who did the research has prolly died because of tuberculosis or something similar

I usually carry some tissues which will serve to dry hands - and all sorts of other purposes!

well I say you need a regular influx of germs to keep your immune system in shape...they gotta get their exercise


()

The trouble is, tissues aren't normally any good once wet, so you end up with bits stuck to your still wet hands. Ditto toilet paper, which is often the only option when the hand dryer is broken or there are no paper towels.

Wiping hands on trousers is fine but looks a bit odd when the trousers are a light colour. Overall, environmental issues aside, I'd rather use a paper towel any day. But if they are supplied, someone has usually pulled the whole lot out and either stuffed them down the nearest toilet or just thrown them all over the floor (maybe to mop up the overspill from the blocked toilet).

The only solution is to cross your legs all the way home, if you ask me!

Charlie

This may only apply to the male of the species, but...

Just have your wee, then leave. Have you considered what would be on the taps and the soap dispenser?

I agree. Unless you have actually weed on your hands, then why do you need to wash them. There is probably far more germs on the taps and soap dispensers than there are on any part of your person. However, once in a men's loo I did see a guy peeing, walk straight to the dryer (bypassing the sink) and dry his hands. What was he drying into them?? Gross!

It reminds me of the old joke:

A soldier and a sailor are side by side using a urinal. The sailor turns to walk out, but the soldier calls after him "Hey, Navy boy, in the Army they teach us to wash our hands!"

The sailor calls back "Hey, Army boy, in the Navy they teach us not to piss on our hands!"

Ok, a few comments to the comments.

Super Shiny Sarah, not drying your hands underneath the electrical dryer will only save you from harmfull bacteria if you also hold your breath through the entire visit to the public toilet. Even if _you_ don't use it, other people will and the bacteria will be spread all through the room. And it's probably not all that nice a place for bacteria either, at one end is the intake which is cold and has the same moisture content as the rest of the room. Then there is the heating element which will be scorching hot while the dryer is running. And then there is the exhaust, which will regularly be robbed of all moisture by a stream of hot, dry air. You're much more likely to catch your diseases from something else, like a hotel airconditioner.

tacsatduck, you've got it right!

And you guys who don't wash your hands after peeing, unless you manage to do the job without handling your willy or your underwear you will be touching an area that is warm, somewhat moist (unless you don't sweat at all, freak! ) and a perfect haven for bacteria. Then again, if you shower regularly the area is probably relatively safe compared to the public toilet itself.

I turn on the water, prepare a paper towel, wash my hands. use the paper towel to turn off the water, use the paper towel to get another paper towel, use THAT paper towel to dry my hands and get yet ANOTHER paper towel, which i use to open the door.
Also, I agree with the person who said something about immune system workouts, which is why I regularly eat off the floor, but NEVER a lavatory floor. Gross.
>8^B

I usually dry my hands on my hair

The more experienced user of public lavatories and their hot air driers may have noticed that there is often a little flap or directional knob thing so that you can aim the flow of often very hot air at your face instead of your hands. You may consider it a fun thing to do to leave the flap or knob in the upturned position, thus granting the next user an unexpected blast of hot air to their face. A jolly jape indeed.

Well anyone who has EVER traveled by rail.. or any type of pulic transport in the UK for a while will know that it is safest never to use the provided bathrooms... i still dont understand how the surfaces for drying you newly cleaned hands can get so drity .. i personally have vowed never to use them ... u know at my local reailway station too they make u pay to use their disgusting lavatories :S

which all goes to proove quite conclusively that the late great Mr Adams was quite right about how important it is to know where your towel is........

I agree that it is appropriate to wash your hands, but it seems that
some of the people over here have a bad mysophobia