Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Do you have any particular habits when riding public transportation?

14 comments:

rob said...

Sit next to the smallest person.

John said...

If I don't have my ipod to listen to some podcast or have something to read, I might go insane...or just rub one out in that enclosed seat toward the front. Did I just type that?

Anonymous said...

I usually stand if all the seats are occupied with one person. However, if most of the seats have two people in them, sometimes I sit in one of the half-occupied seats. It's weird.

If it's super crowded, I will always fill in a seat. I think it's rude to take up needless standing space.

Pet peeve: somebody sitting with me when there are other completely empty seats. It's just weird.

Mike said...

I usually only go about ten blocks so I stand.

Anonymous said...

Like Rob, I target a seat next to the smallest person available.

There is a habit my partner and I have had the displeasure of witnessing more than once. There is a guy that likes to adjust/scratch his bits regularly on the metro. It’s always a “treat” when I spot him, because he never disappoints.

Having repeatedly witnessed this, I asked a group of guy friends their thoughts on his actions. They claim he sits in a seat where others can see, because he likes people to witness his feats of self-pleasure. Keep in mind these were gay guys that I asked.

Pet peeve rebuttal: I usually travel to work with my partner and am annoyed when I get on a car that has no seats together when the majority of seats are taken by one person in each bench. Keep in mind, we get on at Shady Grove and within two or three stops everyone has a person sitting next to them anyway.

Anonymous said...

I ride the 42 to work and I get on at the first stop. When I get off at Dupont the bus is packed and it's hard to maneuver through the crowd so I always sit as close as I can to the door. I like the quickest exit possible. Sometimes I think I freak people out because even if there is only one other person on the bus and they're near the door I'll sit directly behind them.

I always try to sit if possible. I have the balance of a new born and will likely fall down if I don't sit. I actually fell on a middle aged dude's lap once. Not awesome.

Side note: I'm typing this from a prime seat next to the door and a dude just snuck on the bus through the back door. Does that happen a lot?

Dan said...

My bus is always crowded, so I sit if possible but generally expect to stand. If we can pull off the switch without jostling others around too much, I will give up my seat to an old person.

Martin Andres Austermuhle said...

I rarely use public transportation (yay short walk to work!). In fact, I can't remember the last time I rode Metro.

When I used to I would always have my copy of the Post to read. And I'm not talking about the Express; this is the full paper. I tried to find an open set of seats so I could fully open the paper, but invariably someone would sit next to me and force me into a weird scrunched up newspaper reading position. I hated that.

Cate said...

I don't have any bus strategies. I heart the bus.

I do not heart the metro. I always get on the last car in the am and the first or second car in the pm. Then I just try to not be a jerk.

Unknown said...

I don't take public transportation much since I walk to work, but my general philosophy is to keep the headphones on and avoid eye contact...but I also want to avoid being that person who treats everyone to their music because they play it loud enough to make them deaf.

When I take the yellow line out to the mall or the airport, I always aim for a window seat facing north on the west side of the car so i can see the monuments appear when I come out of the tunnel. I love living in DC :).

Anonymous said...

Aimee, I see your point about leaving some seats open in case people want to sit together. It makes sense. I think my pet peeve developed because one time an exceedingly creepy man sat right next to me when the rest of the car was mostly empty and was then weirdly in my personal space until I got up and left to another seat. That incident has made me prejudiced against such seat-fillers, I fear.

Unknown said...

I thought it was general etiquette to not sit directly next to someone whenever possible.

My one habit on the metro is to grab one of the two seats next to the doors that face sideways. I don't know if this is due to the proximity to the door, I feel more comfortable riding sideways, or a general distrust I have of people in general, therefore creating a strategic advantage for myself where I can see the whole train compartment at all times w/o turning my back to anyone.

Melissa said...

In the morning, I have to be in the very front car so I can exit the proper exit at Farragut North. If I can't board the first car initially, I am one of those people who gets out at each stop along the way and moves toward the front of the train. It's annoying, but it does make the commute go faster.

I also keep my ipod in and avoid eye contact. And I keep turning my ipod down so all the other riders can't hear the gangsta rap this little white girl is bumpin'...like in Office Space when he's in traffic...damn it feels good to be a gangsta...

beenu said...

i do the same thing as melissa. i like to be in the car that exits closest to the escalator.

if i do sit, i like to sit in the side benches by the door (not the handicap designated one, the one across). but my fav seat is the one towards the end of the car that's just a single seat. i don't like too much contact with strangers.