An Issue of Great Import

Today's question is primarily directed to my male readers. Females, avert your eyes, where-ever you may be. Unless you are curious. I expect no answer from you based on experience, but if, perchance, you possess some knowledge of physics, particularly as pertains to fluid dynamics, you are welcome to stay.

Where is the appropriate spot to aim when using a urinal?

Splash-back being a universally undesirable consequence for most everyone concerned, I'd like to know what techniques you might be employed to minimize such unhygienic results.

If the conditions of most public restroom urinals is any indication, a good many guys do not, in fact, have any such techniques.   (ಠ_ಠ)

A simplified urinal diagram.

The most telling mark of a noob user, besides the mess, is the auditory sound of aiming at the water. This is retarded and should be embarrassing to them. Sending a stream of liquid into a pool of liquid will undoubtedly create splash. Somehow this doesn't occur to some.

 The above diagram indicates the arc when the user either aims for the water or the urinal cake. Both are proven to be ineffective targets for minimizing splash-back. Sadly, it has been discovered that men have an instinctual urge to aim at something and when they have a brightly coloured object right there in front of them they take the shot.

Tango down.

This has resulted in some urinal cake manufacturers to design (or claim to have designed, at any rate) cake drainage cages that minimize splash. Things shouldn't have to reach that far down in the process, however. The urinals themselves have been designed to eliminate rebounding droplets.

Note the parabolic shape of the rear wall. This is (one of) the ideal locations at which the stream should be directed. By targeting the sloped surface one ensures laminar flow and provides a smooth gradient to the pool at the base, once again eliminating any splash on contact.

Taking advantage of male human nature, Dutch urinal designers took to providing strategically placed targets painted into the porcelain in order to 'trick' people into using them properly, as it were.

Note the dot to the upper left of the drain.

That black dot is a fake fly. Since then the fake fly target has spread out of the Netherlands across the world. Travel across the moat seems to be taking some time, however, I have high hopes for our nation's WC facilities.