Ultimately the hygiene benefits of closing the lid when flushing are negligible in most situations. These studies always show evocative images of aerosol spreading from toilets when flushing, which understandably elicits a disgust response in certain individuals, but they fail to show that e.g. homes where the lid always stays up have higher rates of disease, or that the pathogen exposure from flushing has any real impact on health.

Also given that the majority of people flush without closing the lid (I suspected this but just confirmed with a quick search) it's a bit weird referring to them as "these people" whose type you can tell. I don't think this habit is constrained to those who publicly joke about it.

> Ultimately the hygiene benefits of closing the lid when flushing are negligible in most situations.

I wasn't commenting on any supposed benefits for flushing, purely aesthetics and manners.

> [studies fail to show they] have higher rates of disease, or that the pathogen exposure

Nor did I claim anything of the sort.

> it's a bit weird referring to them as "these people"

Are they not people? They are certainly not all people. What would you have me say?

> I don't think this habit is constrained to those who publicly joke about it.

Nor do I, I said you can 'often' tell. The public joking happens often (enough for it to come to mind, evidently) and you can tell that about those people. I made no claim about the others - though if they're laughing at the joke that's probably a good indicator too.

Playing devil’s advocate in this important topic… There are arguments to have the lid down or up, and I get that you find it vulgar, but exposing your class?

Yes, that goes hand in hand with finding it ill-mannered or vulgar, doesn't it? To be fair, in turn caring at all I suppose 'exposes' me as someone who shares lavatories, and without a chap to give them a once over before (and perhaps after) hand.