The great toilet-paper debate!

[Carol the Dabbler]

The discussion below started innocently enough on another thread, but soon deserved a space of its own -- and a poll!  Please vote for your favorite toilet-paper orientation (or express your indifference) above.  Your name will not be shown in the poll, but you may state your opinion in more detail below.  Thank you.

(And pay no attention to the date of this post.  It's a fake.)

[J.P.]

On 5/26/2019 at 10:00 AM, Van Buren Supernova said:

Since we know that Mycroft writes Wikipedia, do we need to worry?

After all, he said that the government need a scalpel, a delicate way to 'take care' of things.....

Or maybe all he did was writing thousand of words about  toilet paper orientation …

That sounds more like Sherlocks 200+ Arts of Ash.

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

12 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

... writing thousand of words about  toilet paper orientation ...

Good heavens, they (he?) certainly did have a lot to say!  Shall we start a poll?

[Van Buren Supernova]

On 5/27/2019 at 10:49 AM, Carol the Dabbler said:

Good heavens, they (he?) certainly did have a lot to say!  Shall we start a poll?

But this is huge, life will never be the same again! Are you sure you want to take that step?!!!??? We are going to die!!

I think I wouldn't be able to trust anyone opinion ever again if they are 'over'. 

[Caya]

But with 'under', you can't do origami.

[Pamela]

My ex-husband used to be general manager for a Holiday Inn, and they had a rule about it - over the top. Now I'm obsessive about it. Anywhere I go if it's not over the top, I change it (except in someone else's house, that is).

[Carol the Dabbler]

Over the top makes sense in hotels, since they generally do that tidy little quasi-origami thing with the end, which you wouldn't be able to see if they put it down behind the roll.

When I was a kid, our toilet paper always unrolled down behind, supposedly because when I was a toddler, I enjoyed paddling at the roll, which would unroll it if it were over the top.  I pointed out that I didn't do that any more, but my parents maintained the tradition.

However about a week after my father passed on, I noticed that Mom had the toilet paper unrolling over the top.  Apparently "down behind" had been Daddy's idea.

[Arcadia]

Ak, I voted wrong! Down behind for me, but the poll won't let me change my answer.

And boy, I thought it couldn't get worse than discussing shoes. Now I know better...

19 hours ago, Caya said:

But with 'under', you can't do origami.  

Oh yes you can....

 

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

43 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

Ak, I voted wrong! Down behind for me, but the poll won't let me change my answer.

Really?  It used to work.  Hang on, lemme try changing mine.

[Carol the Dabbler]

You're right, there's no option for deleting your vote, and I bet I know why.  I debated whether to show who voted which way and finally decided against it.  So it apparently doesn't know which vote is yours, so it can't delete it.  Sorry!

If I'm feeling energetic on Thursday, I may delete the entire poll and redo it with voters' names visible.  Or create a different poll just to find out.

[Artemis]

I do over the top, because when I was growing up I was taught that was the "correct" way, just as there is a "correct" way to set the table.  I didn't even know it was up for debate, I just thought it was a general rule, lol.

 

[Van Buren Supernova]

😅 we need new episode, don't we?

I know down below is minority, but I swear there were times when I thought Geez, this is the absolute reason on why it should be down below! I think it's because I find it's much easier for certain situation but couldn't recall what. Aiz, if only I knew there would be a thread about it one day, on a forum about a detective who would roll his eyes so far behind for fretting over what is obvious (down below) while the most important thing is actually sock index.

[Carol the Dabbler]

On 5/29/2019 at 12:20 AM, Arcadia said:

Ak, I voted wrong! Down behind for me, but the poll won't let me change my answer.

I got it fixed, Arcadia.  (Alex is an over-the-topper, but I persuaded him to vote down-behind for you, and he can have your over-the-top vote.)

2 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

I swear there were times when I thought Geez, this is the absolute reason on why it should be down below! I think it's because I find it's much easier for certain situation but couldn't recall what....

Don't worry, it'll come to you.  Alex and I used down-behind for a few years because one of our cats liked to spin the roll, which would unroll the paper if we kept it in our preferred orientation.  Did your dog use to unroll your paper?

[Arcadia]

On ‎5‎/‎31‎/‎2019 at 11:08 AM, Carol the Dabbler said:

I got it fixed, Arcadia.  (Alex is an over-the-topper, but I persuaded him to vote down-behind for you, and he can have your over-the-top vote.)

Oh thank God, I haven't been able to sleep nights for worrying about it.  

If the t.p. has a pretty print on it, I might do over the top, so maybe I need to change my vote again? Maybe an "undecided" category?

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Sorry, but I'm all out of husbands. 

 

[Van Buren Supernova]

I suggest you use axe.exe instead of husband.com to deal with her request. :p

Anyway, as for my reason, no, not related to dog. I believe it's easier when you want to find the end of the toilet paper for some cases. If I remember correctly, it happened in a mall, you know, those huge closed dispenser they mounted on the wall. More often than not, the end of the t.p held on the roll. Since it's only accessible from below (for us), in this case, you'd need to stick your hand inside and try to roll them to get the end to come out so you can access it.

Since it is mounted 'side ways', it could be over or under but I found out that you could roll forever when the position is over while it's much easier to get then when it's under.

Good god, I can't believe I went technical over this. Can I count it as valuable use of time today?

[Sherlock The Otter]

You know, ever since I read this thread a few days ago, I can't help but notice which way toilet paper is facing, (and if that is the most efficient orientation) where ever I go! It's definitely an odd topic, but it sure does stick in the mind! 🤣

x

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

1 hour ago, Sherlock The Otter said:

You know, ever since I read this thread a few days ago, I can't help but notice which way toilet paper is facing, (and if that is the most efficient orientation) where ever I go! It's definitely an odd topic, but it sure does stick in the mind!

So are you an "I've never really thought about it" or an "it doesn't matter to me"?

[Sherlock The Otter]

4 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

So are you an "I've never really thought about it" or an "it doesn't matter to me"?

In my house, we always do over the top, but I've never really thought about it, It's just habit to replace the roll that way round because I've been doing it all my life! 😂 I'm still undecided about which way is the best...

[Caya]

Well science to the rescue then: https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/the-correct-way-to-hang-toilet-paper-according-to-.html

[Carol the Dabbler]

5 hours ago, Caya said:

Well science to the rescue then: https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/the-correct-way-to-hang-toilet-paper-according-to-.html

I never thought it was that bad, but Alex and I have found that we have far fewer illnesses since we started making a habit of washing our hands immediately before we eat, at least when we're in public places.

7 hours ago, Sherlock The Otter said:

In my house, we always do over the top, but I've never really thought about it, It's just habit to replace the roll that way round because I've been doing it all my life! 😂 I'm still undecided about which way is the best...

Well, I'll tell you what convinced me (not that it's necessarily relevant to you).  As I mentioned before, I had grown up with toilet paper hanging down behind.  Even though I thought my parents' reason for doing so was irrelevant, like you I was used to it.  So my roommates and I tended to hang it that way later on.

At one point we lived in an old not-very-well-maintained apartment, with small patches of paint peeling from the walls here and there.  One day when I groped behind the roll for the loose end of the toilet paper, my fingers happened to scrape against a patch of loose paint, driving some chips of paint under my nails.  I tell ya, that smarted!  So I've been a confirmed "over the topper" ever since, even when living in well-maintained residences.

[Van Buren Supernova]

That paint scrap could be a good reason. Beside that, however, as for touching the wall hygiene, I'd say that everywhere in the bathroom, including the toilet paper itself, are exposed to germs and residues (put a cap on your toothbrush guys), so it doesn't significantly making it worse (drying your hand using blower is actually nasty btw). And what is dirtier than toilet? Our keyboard, office table is nastier than toilet floor. So yah, I wouldn't buy that the very small fraction hygiene reason determines the correct way necessarily.

Another 'over' argument is, it is actually patented THAT WAY. (Wait, which side I am in )

I supposed it's all end up as more like a habit, like many of you, I actually didn't notice my preference as well, until I actually had a bit of difficulty with it in places that do over. Somehow to me, over is more difficult to roll one-handed. And if I need to make a quick tear by yanking, it would go uncontrollably, while under is more manageable.  But it could be what you are used to or yanking one-handed with over orientation without making a mess is hidden talent that I need to spend thousand of years meditating to acquire.

And look here! They associate it with personality. Good God. Bahahaha..

Do you agree with yours? 

I believe I'm tested as Type A before, but why not, I could be a laid-back as well, as I'm actually a very peaceful person unless someone steps on my toe.

 

 

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

33 minutes ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

And look here! They associate it with personality. Good God.

Do you agree with yours?

I think I'm sorta like both.  I'd like to consider myself pretty laid back, but I can also be kinda picky.  They do have a definite point about playful small critters unrolling an "over" roll, though.  One of our cats used to do that, but as I recall we simply started keeping the roll in the cupboard next to the toilet.  Even if putting the paper "under" would keep it from unrolling, it'd still have had paw smudges all over it!

[Sherlock The Otter]

10 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

Well, I'll tell you what convinced me (not that it's necessarily relevant to you).  As I mentioned before, I had grown up with toilet paper hanging down behind.  Even though I thought my parents' reason for doing so was irrelevant, like you I was used to it.  So my roommates and I tended to hang it that way later on.

At one point we lived in an old not-very-well-maintained apartment, with small patches of paint peeling from the walls here and there.  One day when I groped behind the roll for the loose end of the toilet paper, my fingers happened to scrape against a patch of loose paint, driving some chips of paint under my nails.  I tell ya, that smarted!  So I've been a confirmed "over the topper" ever since, even when living in well-maintained residences.

Oh right! that is a very valid reason! 

[Artemis]

I hung a new roll of toilet paper in my bathroom today and thought of you guys.