By Law [U.S.] in relation to this topic ...
[not mean to offend anybody]

If you get caught ...

Sex in a public place can lead to embarrassing criminal charges for indecent exposure, public lewdness, or even disorderly conduct.

https://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/legal-advice/criminal-defense/sex-crimes/is-having-sex-public-crime-what-charged#:~:text=Yes.,lewdness%2C or even disorderly conduct.

Just one point before retiring -- agreed, enough trips to a store restroom will cause you to come across something nasty. Today, gay men have the choices and resources to defer and relocate these activities -- which are no doubt very, very nasty to those who simply want to access a lavatory for its original purpose.

Sorry, it's 2022 and anyone can access the Internet -- or, in larger cities, clubs -- to hook up.

In many venues -- store bathrooms, gyms, highway rest stops, and urban parks to name a few -- public sex that subjects other people to an unexpected and unwanted experience is sexual harassment.

I'd like to take this as a foundation for my own reply, if I may. Public sex is one of those terms that are too broad to simply discuss it without narrowing things and naming names.

There is cruising, there is cottaging, flashing and perhaps other terms I don't know yet. Some of those might be considered "public sex" by one but not the other, and vice versa...

There are many places that are notorious for having some sort of sexual activity in specific times of the day, places you go knowing you'll find sex. Could be a park, or a trail, etc. It's just any remote space that's so unnocupied most of the time that you can just start having sex in there and it'll be fine.

And there are places like, let's say, a shopping mall's restroom, or the train station's or any other public space. You will definitely stumble something nasty at least once, and yet it's a completely different experience from the other places mentioned above. Most people don't neccessarily enter a restroom looking for sex. and in contrast to parks or trails, it has people coming and going all day. Still, if's very common to see sexual activity taking place.

But take it to the extreme level, like in the road shoulders, bus stops or in the middle of the street altogether, it can happen. But this is so wild, so bizarre, that if you stumble into such scene (assuming you're not in company of your kids or grandparents) you'd never feel offended or harassed, you'd just laugh it off and tape it most likely.

You're much more likely to feel offended or harassed in restrooms or gyms compared to any other of the mentioned places.

While the example of whacking on a street corner is low-hanging fruit (tee hee!), my concept of unacceptable-in-public extends, as noted, to department store restrooms, rustling behind a park hedge -- and most any venue that has an expectation of broad public use.

Foam party, gay beach resort in their dunes? Get your freak on in these private spaces as allowed. These examples may be in opposition to, say, a municipal law, but I'm persuaded that these are gay safe spaces and I'm not out to be a complete thrill-kill.

(This message crossed during yours as well, lol.)

@Watever2000 A "gay foam party" is held in a private venue, and you engaged in sex where every attendee understood the likelihood of such behavior.
It is worlds away from the examples of public spaces I gave above your reply, as well as from the other posters. Glad you had a lovely time.

Our responses crossed in the ether. Great minds think alike.

I've had sex in bathhouses, bushes behind gay/nude beaches, and at a gay sex party. While this was with or in view of strangers, they were all willing participants (or voyeurs), and nobody's rights were violated. I'm not sure I would call this "public," but the presence of (willing) strangers has an appeal.

I've also had/seen sex in the shower rooms of gyms; this would probably be considered "public" and thus inappropriate, but on a couple of occasions it was difficult to resist. (Once at university I was seen by another student, and I stopped immediately...a few years later at a YMCA I was caught by a staff person, who joined in.)

Some guy having a wank on a street corner is definitely public and definitely inappropriate. It could easily be considered harassment as @flozen suggests above.

It is worlds away from the examples of public spaces I gave above your reply, as well as from the other posters. Glad you had a lovely time.

Basically, yes, I like public sex

In many venues -- store bathrooms, gyms, highway rest stops, and urban parks to name a few -- public sex that subjects other people to an unexpected and unwanted experience is sexual harassment.