Who'd Have Thought it, Brits Don't Do Hand-ringing.

[mongers]

Colour me surprised, who'd have thought, brits don't do hand-ringing:

Handwashing: Why are the British so bad at washing their hands?
By Denise Winterman
BBC News Magazine

Faecal matter can be found on just over a quarter of our hands, new research suggests. In some cases the quantity of germs is equivalent to the number in a dirty toilet bowl. So why are the British so bad at washing their hands?

Poo, it's getting everywhere. Faecal bacteria are present on 26% of hands in the UK, 14% of banknotes and 10% of credit cards, according to new research carried out by hygiene experts from Queen Mary, University of London (QMUL) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). It has been published to promote the UN's Global Handwashing Day.

They say one of the biggest shocks is the level of germs. Findings suggest 11% of our hands are so "grossly contaminated" they are carrying as many germs as a dirty toilet bowl. It's the same for 8% of cards and 6% of notes. We already know faecal matter can be found on one in six mobile phones.

"People may claim they wash their hands regularly but the science shows otherwise," says QMUL's Dr Ron Cutler, who led the study.

The British are particularly bad, other research suggests. Many of us also lie and claim we have washed our hands when we haven't, especially after going to the toilet
......

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19834975

I offer no defence for my lazy arsed, dirty fellow countrymen.

The splash and dash specialists, the ones who lightly douse their hand in water for 2-3 seconds, really annoy me, they might as well not bothered and at least then they wouldn't have spread their germs all over the taps/sink.   

[garbon]

[Razgovory]

I read only the first sentence, and then said, (well that's enough for me).

[derspiess]

Could the influx of third world immigrants have something to do with this?

[merithyn]

You obviously don't have the same peer pressure in the UK that takes place here. Some of my co-workers actually note when someone doesn't wash their hands (or spend enough time in the washroom to wash them well), and one guy was fired for "not being sanitary in the bathroom". I've actually had to get up from the table during lunch and leave due to these kinds of conversations.

[Sheilbh]

Could the influx of third world immigrants have something to do with this?

  No.

[mongers]

Could the influx of third world immigrants have something to do with this?

  No.

Yeah, a classic.

If anything I probably have a bias towards immigrants in this regard, they're likely to have been taught some basic hygiene. 

I suspect you'd find this a broad swath of British race and ethnicities involve in this behaviour.

[derspiess]

Could the influx of third world immigrants have something to do with this?

  No.

You sure?  Check again.

Seriously though, wouldn't it stand to reason that it may take a generation or two (or even three?) for third worlders to adapt to western hygiene standards?

I haven anecdotal evidence from a recent conversation with a Brit but I'm not sure if I want to use it.

[Sheilbh]

Go to any club in Swansea.  It's not Somalis who are splash and dashing.

Edit:  And in fairness in any club in Swansea that is not the least hygienic thing that happens.

[mongers]

Go to any club in Swansea.  It's not Somalis who are splash and dashing.

Yes, I'm not even sure there's a class divide either; recently I was at a folk concert in the sedate city of Salisbury, and lining up for the toilet, it was surprising just how few of the probably solidly middle class people were stopping to wash their hands. 

[dps]

You obviously don't have the same peer pressure in the UK that takes place here. Some of my co-workers actually note when someone doesn't wash their hands (or spend enough time in the washroom to wash them well), and one guy was fired for "not being sanitary in the bathroom". I've actually had to get up from the table during lunch and leave due to these kinds of conversations.

Well, if you would just wash your hands before coming to the lunch table, you would have to leave to do so.  :

[merithyn]

You obviously don't have the same peer pressure in the UK that takes place here. Some of my co-workers actually note when someone doesn't wash their hands (or spend enough time in the washroom to wash them well), and one guy was fired for "not being sanitary in the bathroom". I've actually had to get up from the table during lunch and leave due to these kinds of conversations.

Well, if you would just wash your hands before coming to the lunch table, you would have to leave to do so.  :

Seriously, these women get ridiculous about it. I don't think that I've ever paid any attention whatsoever to what someone else does in the bathroom. I'm just not that interested in people.

[garbon]

You obviously don't have the same peer pressure in the UK that takes place here. Some of my co-workers actually note when someone doesn't wash their hands (or spend enough time in the washroom to wash them well), and one guy was fired for "not being sanitary in the bathroom". I've actually had to get up from the table during lunch and leave due to these kinds of conversations.

Well, if you would just wash your hands before coming to the lunch table, you would have to leave to do so.  :

Seriously, these women get ridiculous about it. I don't think that I've ever paid any attention whatsoever to what someone else does in the bathroom. I'm just not that interested in people.

Oh I have and I even been look 'ooh did you know so and so is just well he's so nasty. never washes his hands that one.'

[merithyn]

Oh I have and I even been look 'ooh did you know so and so is just well he's so nasty. never washes his hands that one.'

Why am I not surprised?

[Darth Wagtaros]

British people are disgusting.