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Original poster

Ear stroking on tube - is it odd?

109 replies

Limpi · 02/02/2025 00:35

Travelling on the tube this evening and noticed a that a woman was stroking the ear of man sitting next to her. She was long away from him and her hand was vigorously stroking massaging the ear furthest away from her. This wasn’t gentle stroking but quite vigorous massaging. Both were impassive.
it found it quite unnerving ! No one else seemed to notice and neither of the passengers were making eye contact.
just seemed a bit weird or is it me?

OP posts:
Globalwalker · 02/02/2025 11:47

Fetish? Whatever rocks your boat and all that..

ArtTheClown · 02/02/2025 11:45

Were they a pair of Ferengi?

raralalala · 02/02/2025 11:44

I'm too busy trying not to make eye contact with people on the tube to notice something like
this! 🤣

thehorsesareallidiots · 02/02/2025 11:43

All part of the rich tapestry of London life, innit. I would have enjoyed the show.

Definitely better than the worst thing (so far) which has happened to me on the tube. I'm a shortie and a guy on the Central line sneezed full force into my hair.

DeepFatFried · 02/02/2025 11:39

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 02/02/2025 11:18

I've seen just that same sort of behavoir in distracted Pirates.

Show quote history

Tell us more…

BringOnFebBankHoliday · 02/02/2025 11:34

spacepies · 02/02/2025 10:03

Did it hurt you.
Did it upset you.
Are you outraged.
Obviously not let people be.

Did the OP posting on MN hurt you? Upset you? Outrage you? Obviously not, let OP be.

Without threads on MN about random things we'd all be... a lot less entertained or maybe a lot more productive (me anyway 😆).

NowThatYouSayIt · 02/02/2025 11:25

GentianCoffee · 02/02/2025 11:19

They did it so that someone would start a Mumsnet thread about it.

Though in terms of ‘weird things I have seen on the tube’, it doesn’t rate with the oddest, or anywhere near?

KnickerFolder · 02/02/2025 11:23

Maybe she was giving him an accupressure massage because he had a headache, felt sick, something ached etc

GentianCoffee · 02/02/2025 11:19

They did it so that someone would start a Mumsnet thread about it.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 02/02/2025 11:18

soupyspoon · 02/02/2025 08:55

I thought you were referring to someone doing it to themselves. I do it a lot if Ive forgotten to put earrings in.

I've seen just that same sort of behavoir in distracted Pirates.

DeepFatFried · 02/02/2025 11:18

This is why we have See It, Say It, Sorted.

KimberleyClark · 02/02/2025 11:16

Perhaps he was nervous about some big meeting/presentation he had to give and rubbing his ear was relaxing him.

Original poster
Limpi · 02/02/2025 11:13

Agix · 02/02/2025 09:14

Maybe he experiences anxiety/panic on the tube or even travel sickness and this somehow helps? I can imagine how it may help with anxiety tbf. Or if he's ND and this is something that helps ground him and prevent meltdowns , and she's a carer?

Maybe- it did relax him.

OP posts:
Original poster
Limpi · 02/02/2025 10:54

Person1234 · 02/02/2025 10:43

Weird behaviour.

I once went to a concert and the woman in front of me gave her partner a back massage for the entire duration – approx an hour. I wanted to scream. He didn't even seem into it, totally impassive.

This was similar. It was her vigour - not a gentle stroke of his ear lobe, and the fact they made no eye contact or said anything. Pretty impervious to a lot on the tube but this was unsettling.

OP posts:
NormasArse · 02/02/2025 10:47

SirQuintusAurelius · 02/02/2025 01:17

She was long away from him

She could only have been an arms length away so couldn't have been that far away from him.

Unless she had tools.

Like Inspector Gadget?

Person1234 · 02/02/2025 10:43

Weird behaviour.

I once went to a concert and the woman in front of me gave her partner a back massage for the entire duration – approx an hour. I wanted to scream. He didn't even seem into it, totally impassive.

GinToBegin · 02/02/2025 10:34

Many years ago, on the East London line, couple opposite were clearly in the fluffy unicorns and frolicking bunnies stage of their relationship. He tells her she’s got toast crumbs at the corner of her mouth, and proceeds to lick them off.

Strugglingrightnow · 02/02/2025 10:06

Go go gadget ear tweaker

myotherusernamesarebetter · 02/02/2025 10:03

Limpi · 02/02/2025 01:20

The not so dull district line

You can go completely mad waiting for a district line tube to show up, she’s probably lost her marbles because of that 😁

spacepies · 02/02/2025 10:03

Did it hurt you.
Did it upset you.
Are you outraged.
Obviously not let people be.

MrsWinkly · 02/02/2025 09:58

Wouldn't that class as "heavy petting"?
Just thinking of the old swimming pool signs "no smoking, no dive bombing..."
I'd verbally draw the line at tube chiropody I think.

DiscoBeat · 02/02/2025 09:51

Maybe he had a problem with his ear and she was massaging it. Almost certainly a boring explanation, things usually are!

Original poster
Limpi · 02/02/2025 09:48

Agix · 02/02/2025 09:14

Maybe he experiences anxiety/panic on the tube or even travel sickness and this somehow helps? I can imagine how it may help with anxiety tbf. Or if he's ND and this is something that helps ground him and prevent meltdowns , and she's a carer?

Nah he seemed pretty chilled. He’d been shopping in Harrods from the looks of it. Just enjoying a Saturday afternoon out from the looks of it.

OP posts:
Original poster
Limpi · 02/02/2025 09:45

NowThatYouSayIt · 02/02/2025 09:12

Were there several other tube passengers between them, and she has an extendable prosthetic arm??

Show quote history

On the seats next to him - I meant to say not that far, but did stretch to get to furthest ear

OP posts:
Agix · 02/02/2025 09:14

Maybe he experiences anxiety/panic on the tube or even travel sickness and this somehow helps? I can imagine how it may help with anxiety tbf. Or if he's ND and this is something that helps ground him and prevent meltdowns , and she's a carer?