German court rules in favour of men's right to stand up while peeing

A German court has ruled in favour of men's right to urinate standing up, after a landlord demanded money from his tenant for allegedly damaging the marble floor of a toilet by sprinkling it with urine.

The landlord was seeking 1400pounds from his tenant, but the Duesseldorf judge ruled that the man's method was within cultural norms, saying "urinating standing up is still common practice," the BBC reported.

Judge Stefan Hank, who agreed with an expert's report that uric acid had caused some damage to the bathroom's floor, concluded that men who insist on standing must expect occasional rows with housemates, especially women, but cannot be held to account for collateral damage.

Some toilets have red traffic-style signs forbidding the standing position, but those who choose to sit are often referred to as a "Sitzpinkler," which implies unmasculine behaviour.