For those of you who are clueless in this arena, the following are the basic principles of public transportation etiquette:
- Move in. Do not sit on the outer seat with no one sitting in the inner seat in an effort to discourage people from sitting next to you. They then sit next to me and that makes me really unhappy. Plus inevitably, since the bus is always busy, someone is going to ask you to move in and you will end up having someone next to you anyway, so just suck it up and move your ass in.
- Men - give up your seat. If you see an old lady, a person with multiple bags, woman with a stroller, etc...stand up and offer your seat. Where is your sense of chivalry and manly duty? Not giving up your seat in my opinion makes you a huge pussy and you should be ashamed.
- Don't bring your dinner on the train. I do not want to smell your disgusting food. Unfortunately, my bus goes through Chinatown on the way out of the city, and inevitably someone brings their stinky chinese food on the bus for the rest of us to endure in rush hour traffic. It may make some people uncomfortably hungry, it may make others sick, but in some way or another, the smell of your dinner bothers EVERYONE.
- Do not talk on the phone. This is by far my biggest pet peeve. Sure, if you have to phone the hubz real quick to let him know you're running late, fine, but if you are having a full on conversation with your mom about the state of the bunyons on her feet, by all that is holy, hang up the goddamn phone. I do not want to be ear fucked by your conversation.
- If you have a large item, place it in one of the racks or sit on an end so you don't take up two seats. This goes hand in hand with moving in. Sometimes (especially if you're a woman) you need to bring multiple bags on the bus, and obviously those itty bitty seats are not conducive to having more than one bag that will fit on your lap. Instead of taking up two seats for your ass and all your shit, sit on an end where you can keep your bags out of the way and not take up two seats.
- Wear deodorant. This rule especially applies in the summer. You are going to be packed in like sardines and such close proximity requires that you do not reek like a football player's jock strap. Conversely, do not wear so much cologne or perfume that you are choking those around you either.
What is your biggest public transportation pet peeve?
omg I can relate to this so much. Public transportation REALLY gets me going. Last night I was on the bus and this old lady got on so the lady sitting next to me and I stood up for her. She took the other ladies seat since she was sitting before me. Mind you there was a guy in the very first seat who didn't move. The old lady turned to me and said that she's never once had a man stand up for her that it's always young ladies who do it. Seriously. Where are people's manners?
ReplyDeleteI also can't stand people who think they should get more than one seat... wtf.
Did you see them making such a big deal on TMZ or wherever that Keanu Reeves gave up his seat on public transit to a woman?
ReplyDeleteI mean... good for him. He's a gentleman. However, I don't think a medal of chivalry is required. It's standard courtesy.
The horrors of public transit know no bounds. I have to say, my biggest pet peeve is the assholes wearing backpacks who have NO REGARD for the fact that they are smashing everyone around them with a 30-ton bag of bricks. Seriously, take that thing off like a normal member of society. Related: obnoxious college students on the T. No one needs to hear about your walk of shame while you're quite obviously still in the middle of it.
ReplyDeleteThen there are those people who YELL everything at each other, usually in a foreign language. You're sitting approximately 4 inches away from each others' faces, yet somehow, I can hear you from the front of the bus. Shut up, already.
I am so thankful that I can avoid public transportation. I do not do well in close quarters and I start assuming everyone is trying to steal my wallet. I've clearly been raised in a far-too sheltered environment, but dammit, I like it that way. Now please pass the Grey Poupon.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could metro to work just because I hate traffic, but I know things like this would kill me.
ReplyDeleteStrollers and people with obnoxiously large belongings. I know people have to bring their kids with them but when you bring your obscenely over sized $2000 stroller on the subway and feel like you have to glare at/shove people who are leaning over the baby you're the one in the wrong.
ReplyDeleteThat said, if you see a woman with a stroller at one of those subway stops without an elevator you'd better damn well help her carry it up the stairs. Even if it is over sized.
I also hate the panhandlers. There were a lot of them when I lived in New York - don't know if that's a big problem other places though.
I'm all for giving up my seat to the elderly, disabled, and pregnant. However, just because the 20 or 30 something wearing Tory Burch flats thinks she is entitled to my seat doesn't mean I'm giving it to her. Women have come too fair in their strides for equality to fall back on their sexuality for train seats. Now if the woman is smoking hot, that's a different story. Kidding, kidding, kind of.
ReplyDelete