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#Post#: 82483--------------------------------------------------
Public Mass Transportation - Etiquette and General Behavior -
Redux
DIR By: lowspark
Date: July 22, 2026, 2:35 pm
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I just read through this old topic from waaaaaaaaayyyyyy back.
:)
HTML https://badmanners.createaforum.com/new-board/would-you-say-something-or-just-endure/
I thought it would be interesting to revisit the topic of how to
and how not to behave on public transportation, and people's
experiences.
Comments anyone?
I'll start!!
We were in New York recently, which of course, entails many
subway rides as we make our way around.
On one of my rides, here's what happened:
[attach=1]
Situation: Gentleman sitting in seat 1 is taking up all of seat
1 and part of seat 2. Not because he is large or needs the
space, but because he has left some empty space between himself
and the chrome bar, and has his legs wide open so as to
deliberately take up two seats.
The rest of seat 2 is empty.
Woman is sitting in seat 3, taking up no more than that seat.
Well... I wanted to sit. There were no other open seats. so I
squeezed in and shoved against the man. I said to him, "please
move over".
I had to say it several times. And I apologized to the woman in
seat 3 because I was involuntarily crowding her.
He finally moved over, but it took some insisting on my part.
Who was rude here? I'm pretty sure HE was, but was I also?
Not that it matters to me. It's NY. It's the subway. I want to
sit. There's space. I'm gonna grab it.
LOL - but I thought the story might start some discussion.
And here's the best part. After I settled in, I looked up at the
ad on the opposite wall of the train, only to see the one that
says, "Don't be someone's subway story." He's mine! ;D ;D
[attach=2]
#Post#: 82484--------------------------------------------------
Re: Public Mass Transportation - Etiquette and General Behavior
- Redux
DIR By: Rho
Date: July 22, 2026, 10:00 pm
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He was rude in my mind. Similar to cars that are parked just
enough over the parking line to look like a bad parking job but
really to take up 2 spots. I don't live in NYC, I don't take
public transportation more than once a year. ( son and family
used to live in Brooklyn and I took NY subway while visiting
them) I would have been too afraid to sit in that seat thinking
the man might punch me. My 5'7" husband would have walked up to
him and demanded he move over NOW.
#Post#: 82485--------------------------------------------------
Re: Public Mass Transportation - Etiquette and General Behavior
- Redux
DIR By: Aleko
Date: July 23, 2026, 2:35 am
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Rude and selfish. It’s one thing to allow oneself to sprawl (or
to put your bag on the seat beside you instead of on your lap)
in a train or bus that’s half empty, but when it starts to fill
up, polite considerate people straighten up and reef in their
belongings to make empty seats available. It’s low-level rude
not to do this of your own accord when there are people
obviously wanting somewhere to sit, and blatantly so when they
are actually trying to. (Extra demerits if you stare out of the
window / pretend to be absorbed in your book / feign sleep, so
as not to catch the eye of anyone needing you to move.)
In your place I’d have said before trying to sit next to him,
(and in a voice loud enough to be heard by others) ‘Excuse me,
that’s the only free seat; please can you move up so I can sit
there?’ and stand there till he did, rather than incommode that
blameless woman.
#Post#: 82486--------------------------------------------------
Re: Public Mass Transportation - Etiquette and General Behavior
- Redux
DIR By: lowspark
Date: July 27, 2026, 12:47 pm
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Yeah, I suppose I could have spoken to him before sitting down.
But I'm pretty sure that would have gotten me exactly nowhere.
He was already non-responsive with me sitting there crowded up
between him and the woman. I kinda doubt he would have even
looked at me, much less responded, had I still been standing.
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