I'm not a window seat person. I like aisle seats. They allow for a quick exit for crop dusting, emergency bathroom runs, hostage situations and "first off the train" sprints.
What I don't like are the people who can't wait for me to get up and give them room so they can sit in an aisle seat. Instead, they climb over you, slamming backpacks or purses into your face in their rush to claim gold.
This morning, in this man's frantic pursuit of a seat while we arrived at Ajax, he practically shoved me back into my seat as I started to get up and his gym bag knocked my glasses off my face and onto the floor. Unfortunately, another person KICKED THEM (not on purpose) and they wound up under another seat.
I retrieved my glasses. I sat back down and the guy across from me asked me if I was all right. My glasses are okay. These things happen but they are preventable. Gym bag guy was oblivious. He got his seat. Point: him.
You know I didn't let him off easy.
I was polite. Truth be told, I had already punched him three times in the head in my mind but I don't like jail, so no fists went flying in reality. I simply told him that I was attempting to get up to give him room and I even said, "Hold on, give me a minute." I told him he knocked my glasses off my face.
I did get an apology but hopefully he's learned a lesson.
5 comments:
The problem with people is that everyone thinks they're the "geniuses" and that everyone else are the "idiots" who can't figure things out for themselves.
That what gives them that condescending attitude that they think they always have to force the issue ...that's why they don't even bother trying to communicate their intentions. Because they don't think we're smart enough to "get it" anyway.
So they just act without saying anything.
Gym bag guy is oblivious once, he's likely oblivious all the time.
Glad no one accidentally stepped on your glasses.
I've tried to get a window seat on a crowded train and had the opposite happen. Rather than getting out of the way by shifting their legs these two people simply clamped their knees together giving me about three inches to get in the seat. Well if that's what they want. I simply barged past them causing all sorts of indignation.
I simply and politely told them the etiquette required to allow people into the window seats. If they won't follow the unwritten rules then I won't either. I buried my face in a book reader and ignored them the rest of the trip. I did hear them talking to the CSA about me though.
I'm far too old and grouchy to allow people like these to get off scot free.
I quit sitting in the window seat going home, if there is a free one on the way in, not a problem.
My issue is that A) people do not always move out of the way, but mainly B) they kick at you and your bag if you are trying to remove it from under your seat. You know, putting it where it doesn't impact others.
At least your glasses made it!
It's a miracle your glasses weren't damaged.
Public transit appears to be the perfect petri dish for all sorts of selfishness and nastiness in otherwise normal-seeming human beings.
Most of the commuters on the LSE line, presumably, are gainfully employed or attending some sort of educational institution. One imagines they are generally capable of functioning in their respective professional communities.
That's why it's so amazing how little it seems to take for the "Me First!" attitude to kick in while travelling. We've all seen the people in expensive business attire who do the weird jockeying-for-position routine while waiting to board the train to board.
There are also those who "close ranks" to prevent anyone from joining the procession onto the train or going up and down the stairs of the train.
Or the "grudge matchers" who appear to select a particular passenger to get ahead of. Their narrowed eyes seem to say, "I KNOW I got here before you. I may not be first on the train, but I'll be damned if YOU get on ahead of me!"
I know that people can be a bit cranky in the morning. I know nerves get worn down in stressful jobs. But... really? Do these people go into their places of business and shove their clients aside to get a preferred seat? Do they slide through closing doors and let them slam in the faces of the co-workers coming in behind them?
There's a semi-regular LSE rider who gets on at Rouge Hill and often shoves past other passengers to get to a seat or speeds up and dives into one. What makes it so odd is that it's a very early train and never full. There are usually a few empty seats on our coach, even after Rouge Hill and Guildwood. I once saw her speed up and dive into a seat even though another woman was closer and clearly was intending to sit there. The thwarted passenger jumped back, startled, and said, "Wow! Ummmm... okay. Take it" and sat in one of the empty seats a few quads over.
I think the diver wanted that particular seat so she could flirt with a youngish guy who sits there and with whom she seems to have a passing acquaintence (knew him in high school or something). I couldn't get over the bemused expression on the diver's face as she observed the other woman jumping back and grumbling. She avoided looking directly at her so she could pretend not to have noticed she had "blocked" someone.
When she's on the train, the diver often mentions to her seatmates that she's completing a college course leading to a career in the health care field. I think to myself, "Gee... I hope I never run into you if I need treatment!"
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