Why do people spit on the street?

Hi Bright

The reasons I can see to this phenomenon are 2 reasons: 1. to be cool infront of your friends (when we were younger) , and secondly if you smoke, especially cigars, then it leaves a bad taste in your mouth sometimes and people feel the need to spit..and sometimes people are just plain gross..

A few years ago I found myself spitting in the street for a few days. I was in Paris and I was sick, but I had to do a few things and staying in bed was out of the question. I had a lot of phlegm and sometimes I just had to get it out.  I was embarresed as hell but I just didn't have a choice.

I guess it does have a lot to do with smoking, since it causes phlegm. 

Actually, Chinese people that lives in China spit quite a lot even if they are not smoking. So sometimes its a cultural thing.