I may have or have not wet my bed - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Jim Kata · 01-04-2005, 05:55 AM

I don't know how this came up in coversation the other day with my girlfriend and her family, but we were talking about tricks kids used to pull on other kids when they were asleep at "slumber partys".

Someone mentioned the, "If you put someone's hand in warm water while they are asleep, they will pee their pants" thing and then we were wondering if it was true or not. For some reason I feel like I did that to someones little brother, but am not sure. My lady says its just a scare tactic. Whats the deal with this? And if it is true...anyone know why it happens?

Carno · 01-04-2005, 10:04 AM

It is true. I used to do it all the time with my buddies on the mornings after drinking. We'd put something warm in the hand of the last guy sleeping and he'd piss himself.

I've never done it on anyone not hungover though. I think if you did it to someone who hadn't passed out, they would wake up. But I dunno.

EDIT: oh yeah, we never put their hand in warm water, we always just put something warm on the palm of their hand.

the_marq · 01-04-2005, 10:11 AM

As usual the Straight Dope has the answer: http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_027.html

Quote:

Dear Cecil:

Can you explain why placing a sleeping person's hand in a pan of warm water makes them piddle in their pants? In my adolescence I was quite a prankster and this particular trick seemed infallible. --Dave Halonski, Brooklyn, New York

P.S.: Nobody sleeps over at my house anymore.

Dear Dave:

Lord knows I hate expounding on these loathsome subjects, but as a journalist I feel it is my holy duty. Insofar as it works at all, the pan trick depends on the power of suggestion--simply thinking about water, or in this case dreaming about it, makes you want to go to the bathroom.

The effectiveness of the stunt is a matter of debate. Some urologists scoff at the idea. But other medical types have been known to tell patients having a tough time urinating after rectal surgery to put their hands in warm water. Merely letting the water run in a nearby sink sometimes works, too. I tried it once without success, perhaps because my richly deserving would-be victim was dead drunk. But I've gotten too many testimonials from satisfied perpetrators to think the whole thing's a fraud.

The suggestion need not be tactile. Recently I heard a talk by an architect who was trying to deal with the problem of men unable to perform in public restrooms. His solution: mount pictures of waterfalls over the urinals.

Audio stimuli work too. I recall a meal I ate once on the upstairs veranda of a popular restaurant. It was delightful except for one thing: underneath the veranda a spigot tinkled steadily into a puddle. I could think of only one thing the entire time. My choices basically were to run to the bathroom every ten minutes or eat dinner with my legs crossed.

All of this makes me think it's lucky you and I never went to the same summer camp, Dave. How embarrassing if I had whizzed in my sleep. How tragic if you'd been strangled in yours.

--CECIL ADAMS

01-04-2005, 05:55 AM	#1 (permalink)
Jim Kata Swollen Member Location: Northern VA	I may have or have not wet my bed I don't know how this came up in coversation the other day with my girlfriend and her family, but we were talking about tricks kids used to pull on other kids when they were asleep at "slumber partys". Someone mentioned the, "If you put someone's hand in warm water while they are asleep, they will pee their pants" thing and then we were wondering if it was true or not. For some reason I feel like I did that to someones little brother, but am not sure. My lady says its just a scare tactic. Whats the deal with this? And if it is true...anyone know why it happens?

01-04-2005, 10:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
Carno Junkie	It is true. I used to do it all the time with my buddies on the mornings after drinking. We'd put something warm in the hand of the last guy sleeping and he'd piss himself. I've never done it on anyone not hungover though. I think if you did it to someone who hadn't passed out, they would wake up. But I dunno. EDIT: oh yeah, we never put their hand in warm water, we always just put something warm on the palm of their hand.