Men who can't keep to their own side of a double seat on public transport

My DH is 6'6'' and manages to keep to his own space on public transport. If he can, anyone can.

I've put up with this for way too long, and now I spread out like a man. Most move their legs when mine bump into theirs, but occasionally a man looks at me, and I just love holding their gaze until they move their leg. Only once have I had to say 'your leg is in my space.'

How true! This afternoon I was on an absolutely crammed bus, loads of people standing, and across the aisle was a fat young woman sitting on the aisle seat, with her bags on the window side. None of the people standing (a lot!) asked her to move up - I wondered whether it was because she was so obviously fat and they thought she’d a) be embarrassed, or b) that there’d hardly be room even if she did move up.
But a couple of stops later a young, slim woman did ask her to move up, and she did. There was actually quite enough room for a reasonably sized person as well, so I couldn’t help wondering why on earth she hadn’t moved up to make space in the first place, given that so many were having to stand.

I have said if they can’t close their legs because of their balls they really should see a doctor.

Difference is a woman probably won't swear at you or threaten you if you ask her to move her bag. Not scarey whereas challenging a man often gets you vile abuse and threats from men. Reprisals even in my experience.

I shove them back with my rucksack

If l spread my legs like that I’d either be showing my fanny to the world (skirt) or ripping my crotch (trousers)!

Plenty women are spreaders too. Don't just blame men

A couple of months back I had a guy sat opposite me on the train, his legs spread out full to the point they were under my seat, I had very little space for my legs in between his and he got kicked numerous times. But then again being sat on a bus a woman sat on top of next to me, her right butt cheek was fully on my leg and I was completely crushed against the window by her top half. So no it’s definitely not a gender thing.

Many elderly woman also use these trolleys as walking aid. Many carnt handle carrying bags. They still need to use public transport. They carnt magically make the trolley disappear. Maybe show some awareness next time.

I think someone needs to invent some sort of rod, like a long ruler, that you can wedge in between seats to avoid man spreading.(Only half joking at this point).

Yes this is massively annoying! I told a man off for doing this who nearly smacked a woman in the face. He was outraged and said ‘but I didn’t actually hit her though did I’? What a twat.

And that's the thing, the seats are too small for some of us to sit comfortably.

Dickheads will spread into other people's space without a care. The rest of us will do our very best to keep to our space

Some people are just arseholes

Flying to Greece last year, husband in window seat, me in middle (but this was row A, so no seat in front) and a huge, rugby-player type man got on to sit in the aisle seat. I sighed internally, dreading the inevitable squashing. But he kept himself contained in his own space, keeping his legs together and no doubt suffering being squashed in the too-small-for-him seat.

No, but I regualrly have to ask women to move their things so other people can use the seat next to them. I rarely have to ask a man that (sometimes have to ask schoolboys).

The other thing young women seem to do is have their legs up or be stretched over the seat. Or just sit in totally inappropriate places!

Last week at Liverpool Street Station where you walk down from the trains to the tube, there was a young woman, uni age, just sat on the bottom step of the stairs going down to the tube. Nearly tripped over her!

It’s not about hogging space. It’s about inserting yourself into another person’s personal space in an aggressive way, ie man spreading. You never see a woman get on the tube, sit down and spread her legs.

It's labelled as a gendered phenomenon because people are oblivious to their own actions.

You know, this idea that people hog space isnt just said by women about men. Black people often discuss this as an issue with white people, particularly white women, as they have been made to think they are so ickle and dainty that they can't possibly be in the way.

There’s a reason it’s called manspreading. It’s because it’s a male phenomenon. Google it and look at the images. Women just don’t do this.

OP, YANBU. I call them Bertie Big Bollox. Being of a certain age I’ve seen a significant number of mens’ bits and no man is so large he needs to sit like that.

The reality is that some obese people cannot close their legs. Their feet are constantly at ten-to-two and their thighs stop them from getting their legs close together. This was the situation I was on the bus yesterday next to a very large woman. You cant be large and make yourself small.

THIS. Yes, there are other types of insconsiderate public transport users, but this form of spreading out their legs so that you are huddled in your seat is a uniquely male thing. I have a similar picture I took last week where you can also see the woman who is scrunched into herself to make herself smaller.

Also, there's a much higher proportion of people who don't fit in the seats who make zero effort to scrunch up who are men, than women.

And I've experienced lots of women doing it to.
So I don't see your point.

I’m sure there are women who this

but I’ve only experienced men doing it. Lots of men

Strongly disagree. I think more people nowadays are oblivious to their size.