Sign reads: "WARNING: POOL HAS CHEMICAL THAT REACTS TO SOME PEOPLE'S URINE TO TURN IT PURPLE AND STAIN BATHING SUIT. IF ACCIDENT OCCURES, LEAVE POOL IMMEDIATELY AND WASH SUIT WITH BLEACH."

Works along the same lines as the "stick your hand in a box lie detector." In other words, it doesn't. (or does it?)

Simply psychological warfare against nefarious pool pee- ers.

Yea, Bobby just got away with unloading a yellow cloud but is your chemistry different as the sign suggests? It's probably b.s., but do you want to test this by walking in front of everybody with a big purple stain in your crotch? Sure you can bleach it out as the sign suggests, you did remember to bring bleach to the pool today didn't you? That's ok, just take it home and show it to mom to wash out.

So here's your choice: Get out of the pool and use the bathroom or risk everybody saying: "Hey! That kid's got weird pee and a purple pee stained crotch! Let's all laugh and point!" You might be 90% sure it's a lie, but is 90% enough to risk it?
-- doctorremulac3, Jul 11 2010

Or say these are in the pool http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candiru
[doctorremulac3, Jul 14 2010]

Uh, isn't this idea a long-standing and well-known urban myth? Aside from the various posts here, a google for "pee purple pool" produces a long list of results.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jul 11 2010


Uh, I'm adding the "some people's urine" part.

The old tale is everyone's urine turns purple which is easily tested and debunked. This says only certain people's chemistry provides reactive urine, so the guy next to you might have gotten away with it but that doesn't mean you will.

Plus, this stuff stains your suit.

I'll clarify in the title post.
-- doctorremulac3, Jul 11 2010


Maybe the pool should be filled with pee in the first place, instead of water. That would save a lot of hassle.
-- pocmloc, Jul 11 2010


Most public pools are currently 93.27% pee.

I can vouch for this figure because I just made it up.
-- doctorremulac3, Jul 11 2010


//I can vouch for this figure because I just made it up.//

Marketed for tagline.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jul 11 2010


//93.27%// It must be correct -- look how many significant figures it's got!
-- mouseposture, Jul 11 2010


What you need is the help of some babies whose mothers are willing to stain their children's suits strategically.
-- RayfordSteele, Jul 11 2010


Gotta agree with [21_Quest]. On the other hand, maybe it would teach inductive reasoning to toddlers. More swimming fun for the future scientists, while the others wasted time in the WC.
-- mouseposture, Jul 11 2010


Why not have two sections?

A peeers and a non-peeers pool.
-- kinemojo, Jul 13 2010


There could be a third jury pool of once peeers.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jul 13 2010


You'd need to vet people's choice of swimwear to bar anyone in anything with a purple crotch. It would be too easy to get round this system just by wearing a swimsuit which was already purple.
-- Tulaine, Jul 13 2010


Well, if I were someone really out to beat this I'd just do my test sans suit, or partially sans suit anyway. I don't think I need to paint a picture. I know that the group of kids I grew up with would be obsessed with peeing in that pool somehow or another even if they didn't need to go. We'd go and drink a lot of water.

The sign would be taken as a challenge.

Now what would definately work is saying there are candirus in the water, but at that point nobody would be going in anyway.
-- doctorremulac3, Jul 14 2010



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