BBC Focus Magazine

[Shadowwolf]

You're on the bus, and one of the only free seats is next to you. How, and why, do you stop another passenger sitting there? New research reveals the tactics commuters use to avoid each other, a practice the paper published in Symbolic Interaction describes as 'nonsocial transient behavior.'

The study was carried out by Esther Kim, from Yale University, who chalked up thousands of miles of bus travel to examine the unspoken rules and behaviors of commuters.

Over three years Kim took coach trips across the United States. Kim's first trip, between Connecticut and New Mexico, took two days and 17 hours, and this was followed by further adventures from California to Illinois, Colorado to New York, and Texas to Nevada.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120801093615.htm

I find that avoiding public transport altogether helps quite a bit

The times that I do use it, often reminded why it sucks.

[M Paul Lloyd]

That opening statement "You're on the bus" is the stuff of the most horrible of nightmares.

I have used them though and indeed some years back my use of public transport was quite frequent, back when we had buses services that actually took you where you wanted to go, got you there when you had to be there and didn't cost more than owning a car and driving yourself... but I digress. Back then buses were invariably full to capacity with, as the expression goes 'standing room only' when young gentlemen would give up their seats for the elderly, infirm or the fairer sex............. My how things have changed!? The idea of using 'tactics' of any kind just wouldn't have worked so you just got on with it.
These days most buses I see have a maximum of half a dozen passengers so everyone can enjoy a double seat all of their own whilst allowing a 'bubble' zone between rows so it's not really going to be a problem. Plus once everyone is plugged into their 'media' it matters little anyway.

However I think the good Ms Kim is rather missing the point, people don't generally want to be sociable with complete strangers, at least not in the real world, it's certainly no internet chat room for example, nor do they want 'their' space compromised, which is why I think personal transport is so very popular as it gives us all a sense of freedom (albeit subject to draconian speed restrictions and silly road traffic legislation) in a world where regulation impinges more and more on our daily lives and which public transport fails to do anything to improve?

[Lateralman]

You set your hair on fire. Why? Because you are a nutter.

[M Paul Lloyd]

You set your hair on fire. Why? Because you are a nutter.

Does this actually have any meaningful purpose Lateral, or did your brain just fall out?

[MikeG]

Does this actually have any meaningful purpose Lateral, or did your brain just fall out?

On another note now, the strategy changes when you realize that all the seats are full. You know that at some point, someone will sit next to you, so you hope for "the most normal person", or even better, an attractive young woman. So you strategically remove your coat and smile (or at least appear less hostile or indifferent) when a suitable candidate appears. If you can't enjoy your privacy, its at least better to share a seat with someone that wont be annoying as hell until you reach your destination.

[Shadowwolf]

So you strategically remove your coat and smile (or at least appear less hostile or indifferent) when a suitable candidate appears.

I suspect that such action would make a person look less normal

I'll stick with glowering out the window, drowning out the babbling din of the serfs with Metal and paying only cursory attention to the other inhabitants.

[M Paul Lloyd]

One strategy worth considering is wearing very old and rather smelly clothes whilst muttering to oneself in gibberish and swigging (water) from a bottle in a paper bag at regular intervals....... it would put me off.

[Lateralman]

Taking all your clothes off. Why because you want to get back to nature.

[M Paul Lloyd]

Fine, it isn't actually against the law (here in the UK) but you will most likely be arrested and.......... do you really want to put your naked flesh on a seat on public transport?? Eew!!

[MikeG]

When I mentioned taking off my coat, I was referring to the article, which mentioned draping your coat on the seat next to you, to pretend that it is taken.

[M Paul Lloyd]

Thats ok MikeG, I knew what you meant, but as usual Lateral was being a bit 'Literal'............

[Jamie]

On the rare occasion that I take public transport, I always seem to get the old smelly old man, whose pants are held up by string, sitting next to me. I must have one of those faces.

[ChrisH]

I heard the best way is to pat the empty seat and smile lovingly at the person.

ps
I've not be on here for a while as my old laptop died and I find it a bit fiddly using an Ipod Touch, Got a new laptop this week

[Shadowwolf]

I always love how the thing adds, "Sent from my Ipod," to your emails as if you're bragging to all and sundry about how you have a wonderful Apple device, blimmin marketing.

I heard the best way is to pat the empty seat and smile lovingly at the person.

Muttering to yourself whilst feigning the occasional shoulder twitch would likely also work.

[M Paul Lloyd]

On the rare occasion that I take public transport, I always seem to get the old smelly old man, whose pants are held up by string, sitting next to me.

So it was you after all.