If you depend on a string at least sometimes , you know that you often get a show admit for costless . Someone might attempt to sell you something , preach to you , sing a Song dynasty or carry on a very loud ( and red-hot ) conversation . A pot of hoi polloi do n’t seem to bang or care that all these thing are agitate to other rail passengers . And etiquette enumeration for a lot more when you ’re jammed up close with entire stranger .
Of course , unmannered train traveller are ground everywhere , not just in New York City , which is why most other deportation authorities have exchangeable etiquette campaigns . But even without a campaign , there are a lot of affair you could do to make the journeying more pleasant for yourself and others . The first rule is formenonly .
10: No ‘Manspreading’
The message is plastered all over New York City ’s subway railroad car on 46 - column inch ( 117 - centimeter ) or 72 - inch ( 183 - centimeter ) notice : " Dude … Stop the Spread , Please . " The message refers to the dreaded " manspread , " the pattern many males have of sit in a slouched situation with their leg spread widely candid in a " V. " What ’s the big mickle ? When a guy manspreads , he typically takes up two seats – and sometimes three – as his knees and legs extend into the seat blank on either side of him . That ’s rude . And utter . Further , the position is a bit of an intimate one , which makes some people uncomfortable . Women sometimes watch manspreading as an aggressiveposture , which can be a bit formidable .
Interestingly , this was also a problem in the forties and ' 50s . The New York Transit Museum has a X - old public service campaign poster that portray a cat manspreading , although in the poster he ’s more courteously dubbed a " space hogg . " So if a dude ca n’t manspread , what ’s the alternative ? One etiquette expert said the proper position is legs parallel , rather than in a V - shape . Or he can hybridize his legs at the ankle . The short train drive wo n’t impress manfulness [ source : Fitzsimmons ] .
9: Take the Pack Off Your Back
No longer just the province of college students , you ’ll find backpacks on schoolkids , working adults and sometimes even elderly people . trouble is , people often forget they have them on . Or bury how much space they take up behind them .
If you ’re hop on a crowded string with a backpack , make certain you do n’t whack somebody with it when you deform around or back up . Scored a place ? come out the pack on the floor , between your leg , and as unaired to your body as potential . If you leave it bulge into the aisle , someone ’s bound to falter over it . And for heaven ’s interest , do n’t set it down in the gist of the aisle , as convenient as this may be . Neither put it on the rump next to you , unless you paid for two tush or the train is empty . These normal , accidentally , also utilize to other bulky items , such as strollers , suitcases , packages and big purse [ seed : Seid ] .
8: No Sermons, Even If It’s Sunday
On Atlanta ’s subway system scheme ( the MARTA ) you might chance a man who placard himself as the MARTA Rail Preacher . The good " reverend " preaches a sermon short enough to finish between stop , and then walks up and down the aisle taking up a " appeal . "
Chances are you have a similar type ( or several ) on your tube system : Someone is trying to spread the gospel , recommend for the ethical treatment of animate being or rail against the government . This person will talk and talk and talk , secure in the cognition that he ’s got a jailed audience . This person may even be you . You may have the right to spare speech , but others have the right field not to pick up it . keep your lectures for the park or the street , where citizenry can walk away if they wish . If you resolve to go forrader and prophesy to riders , be prepared for some pushback .
In January 2015 , Rob Maiale , a Brooklyn representative actor , got feast up with a subway preacher who began haranguing a lesbian duo and their child . So he got up andbegan belt out " I ’ve develop a Golden Ticket,“a song from the movie and phase output " Charlie and the Chocolate Factory . " His warbling drowned out the preacher man ’s row , much to the delight of the other riders .
7: Pack in, Pack Out
You ( hopefully ) do it in various parks and nature conserve , and you ’re expected to do it on trains , too – take your refuse out with you . That admit the wrapper from your Burger King Whopper , thesodabottle with a sip or two leave in it , even the newspaper you ’ve end read . ( You may offer up the latter to your seatmate but if she declines , take it with you . )
Most of all , do n’t park your discardedchewing gumunder your seat or on the back of the seat in front of you . Can we say " crying ? " foregather all your trash when leave the train and overleap it in one of the refuse containers on the station platform .
6: Keep the Volume Down
depict this : one-half of the people riding the train with you are get tacky , animated conversation on theircell phones , express mirth or arguing with the mortal on the other end . The other one-half of the rider are blast tunes on their medicine devices . The opinion of such a scenario is enough to give you a headache . Which is why tatty music and loud chatter are no - no ’s on a train .
By all means , listen to your favorite tune . Just useearbuds or headphones . And keep the volume moderate so the person next to you ca n’t get wind the musicthroughthe headset . ( Despite that pop song , it ’s not all about that freshwater bass ! )
And attempt to stay off your cell phone . As scintillating as you think your conversation may be , no one else wants to hear it . If you do require to make a call , make it quick and apply your " inside voice . " Many people seem to utter louder on the earpiece than they would in someone . To find the right level , move your telephone set a fraction of an in away from your ear . This help you to pick up your own voice more naturally without one ear blocked by the phone , and so find a fairish level for talking . Put the phone back up to your spike when speaking [ source : Seid ] . best yet , tell your caller you ’ll call up her back when you get off the train and go under your jail cell to vibrate .
5: Poles Are for Safety, Not Fun
You ’ll be sitting there on the subway , check outFacebookon your smartphone , when all of a sudden someone yells , " exempt me , Ladies and Gentlemen ! " Then there ’s a swoosh as a guy ( it ’s usually a guy ) wash past you , grabs a safety pole or handle barroom and do ashort acrobatic routine– sort of like breakdancing on a pole . Clearly , this is not a good thing to do on a train rocket 30 , 40 or however many naut mi per hr down the tracks , especially if it ’s loaded with passengers . Sure , some people might enjoy the show . But what if the performer slips and careens into other passengers , namely infants , the disabled or the elderly ? What if the train suddenly stops and the performer bang up his skull into the terminal ? Pole tricks are so rearing that New York ’s transit authority came out with a poster stating , " celestial pole Are For Your Safety . Not Your Latest Routine . " Here ’s hoping it helps .
A less dangerous , but equally objectionable practice is hog the terminal . That ’s when you lean against the whole perch as if you own it , disallowing anyone else to seize a spot . The purpose of the train pole is not for performing acrobatic motion , nor providing a comfortable back keep – it ’s for steadying yourself when stand on a moving fomite . With that in mind , utilise your hand to keep back on to one section of the pole and make room for others to do the same .
4: This Is Not a Dining Car
The intellect for these restrictions are pretty obvious . You may guess your gyroscope , egg salad sandwich or steaming container of chicken curry is nothing but a delicious repast , but others may find the smell gross or abdomen - churning . All the more so if you get jostled and the nutrient tumbles onto them . Worse , if the train lurches and your magnanimous Gulp dump into your neighbor ’s lap . That someone ’s not going to be very glad with you . In worldwide , it ’s dear to leave all intellectual nourishment and drink at home . But if food is allowed , stick to item like weewee in a closedwater bottleand non - mussy , non - smelly collation like grape or an energy measure . ( But only one that does n’t collapse . )
3: Back Away From the Doors
doorway etiquette on trains could be an only separate family . But it should n’t be this operose , as everything is vulgar good manners . brook on the political platform and the doors open ? have those interior get off first before boarding . Do n’t try out to smash in between those who are disembarking .
If you ’re approaching a car and the door start to close , do not rush forwards and tug them open . Train doors are not likeelevatordoors – they wo n’t open up back when they sense an obstruction so your metrical unit , briefcase or branch might just get gravel . Inworst - caseful scenarios , the train operator ca n’t get the door to reopen and conclude properly after an obstruction so all the passenger have to set down and wait for the next carrier [ source : Hedgepeth ] . guess how popular you ’ll be , then . Just keep it dim-witted and await for the next train if you ’re run latterly .
Once within , take a posterior , grab a pole or find a spot to put up – but not directly in front of the door . The only exception is if you ’re going to get off at the very next stop . contract off in two stops ? Back aside , especially if you have a grip or big pocketbook with you . If you do n’t , you ’ll be blocking those trying to get on and off at the next full point . If the caravan is so crowded that you ’re forced to support next to the threshold anyway , get off at the next stop to admit others to disembark and then reboard .
2: Offer Your Seat to the Elderly
Why is it that some people sense perfectly justified to occupy a seat while an elderly Isle of Man or largelypregnantwoman stand ? uncollectible , this round might be in reality sit down in a seat beneath a sign that tell " reserved for the elderly " and sense no self-reproach about it .
This is just badkarma . Imagine if it was you who was spite , meaning or elderly , and no one offer you a seat ? grant , not everyone with these conditions wants to sit but you wo n’t roll in the hay unless you inquire them . You ’ll sense so much better about yourself ( and possibly bring in a grin ) if you do the right thing .
1: No Personal Grooming Allowed
You could n’t assist it . You were running lately . With near reason ! The baby was screaming all night . You stayed up until 3 a.m. tending to your nauseated hubby . You did n’t try your alert . So clear , you had no choice but to complete your dressing on the train .
Uh , not clear . If you did n’t have sentence to put on yourmakeuptoday , you ’ll have to go do without or apply it in your company ’s bathroom . And do n’t even guess about shaving , flossing your tooth , plucking your eyebrows or nip off your nailsen path . Those activities cause parts of your body , or items stick in part of your trunk , to go sail into the air – where they may perchance land on an unsuspecting victim . Beyond disgusting . Here ’s the simple trueness : Grooming is for the bathroom or your own personal distance . It ’s not something that ’s done in public . Or worse , on a sealed container with no way out , like a train .
Lots More Information
All of these train etiquette rules are nothing more than common good sense and good manners . It ’s sad how many people have neither .
