
There's a sign in the gents' loo at work which advises patrons to "Say 'No' to spitting into dustbins." It goes on, "Say 'No'. Say 'Chhheee!" and finally, "Say No. Take a stand." So there we have it, a pretty unequivocal message that we shouldn't spit into dustbins.
But I ask myself why, when there are urinals, toilets (and even sinks), would anybody want to go to the trouble of spitting into dustbins? And surely, while the company is at it, wouldn't it do equally well to advise people not to defecate in corridors, not to practice projectile vomiting, and not to expose their genitalia to colleagues (at least, not during work hours)? Well obviously, as disgusting as the habit sounds, spitting into dustbins must be enough of a problem to warrant a sign in the gents loos (whereas the other three unsavoury habits are apparently not).
Spitting in India appears to be something of a national pastime, at least amongst the working - or dare I say, lower - classes. Look at any BMT bus in Bangalore and the sides of it will be covered with spit. Wait next to a BMT bus too long and you stand a pretty good chance of being hit by somebody's phlegm or betel-nut jet. For some individuals, spitting seems to be almost as reflexive as blinking but I have to say that I'm surprised that enough company employees, the vast majority of whom are well-educated, have such disgusting habits that their employer feels the need to put up a sign in the Gents'.
But why have a sign that says, "Say no to spitting into dustbins"? Wouldn't it have been better to say, "Say no to spitting"? It's like that lovely sign in the Manipal Centre on Dickenson Road which greets you when you climb the stairs. "Please do not spit here" it says, stencilled in red paint as you reach the top of the short first flight. And I've always been tempted to get my own stencil, and go to the Manipal Centre when there's nobody around, and in the opposite corner of the stairwell, spray, "Spit here instead please."
Photo courtesy of Avinash's blog.





