I've just played Manspread Skittles on the train. Guess how many points I scored

[GunpowderGelatine]

Just got on a train at the opposite end where I needed to be (that's where I was standing on the platform and I panic in case I don't hop on in time so I just got on) and walked through 7 carriages before I got to mine. I carried my little suitcase in front of me, and came across a number of manspreaders who seemed to occupy the half the aisle (no exaggeration) with their knees (only once did I see them sat next to someone). Note - no women were doing this. I decided to have me a game of Manspread Skittles (just carried on walking meaning my suitcase knocked into their knees).

Anyone likes to guess:

1. How many men I knocked in total over 7 carriages and
2. How many said sorry for being in my way?

I only wish I'd needed to pump as my bum was at prime position to his revolting face

I've never thought to weaponise my flatulence before. Tempting.

Bravo OP! I might have purposely stood on the guys foot who was attempting to manspread into my space at the theatre last night. Yes the seats are narrow, yes you were warned when you (or more likely your wife ) booked the tickets. No that doesn't mean you can steal some of my space.

Please tell me the rules of patriarchal chicken I wanna play!

DH is so tall he often can't get his legs and feet behind the seat in front. Public transport (and planes) are a fucking nightmare for him.

He's not a wanker in the slightest - maybe have a bit of kindness towards others in this...They're not all man-spreading tossers.

@EThreepwood when walking in public do not move out the way of men; even if this means getting barged into. Prepare to be amazed how few men move for you. It's good fun

Had this in the car this morning... Both vehicles had cars parked on their sides of the road, but man in the white van thought that he couldn't/shouldn't possibly reverse a car length as it was my duty to get out of his way. As he was doing the 'I'm not moving smirk' and I needed to get to an appointment I reversed three car legnths but gave him an eye roll as I did so. Cue red faced fist waving and yelling... My only solace is that his cockwombelling behaviour seemed to enduce enough stress to assume he might soon be suffering the consequences of high blood pressure. Honestly I have fucking had enough of entitled male pricks I really have.

@GunpowderGelatine 😂😂😂😂
I'd have never guessed that many in 7 carriages, nor that not one apologised!!
Manspreading skittles is a game I'd like to play except it's be me falling!

Like @BruceAndNosh, I want to be your friend too!

I walk with a stick and can't begin to say how frustrating it is, the number of manspreaders (yes men, not tall women who seem to be more aware) who trip me up or won't let me safely by, even when they are clearly watching me walk slowly towards them. I understand if they were asleep or talking looking other way as I'd say "excuse me, can I just get by?" but the entitlement is shocking from some manspreaders- hugging that I dare to be disabled unable to step over their stretched legs and knees.

Some men however are really helpful, offer me a seat or to help carry my bag if I have a heavy bag to my seat, but they aren't the diehard manspreaders.

Ps. My tall teenage son manspreads but only next to empty seats and is quick to move aside or bring his legs in when he sees anyone trying to get by or wants to sit next to him, as he's aware of others around him. I hope he keeps that up when I'm not there....😀

Yeah see, this patriarchal chicken is all well and good except i got barged from one side of the hallway to the other! I like to think after calling him a tosser and everyone giving him the stink eye, he learnt a lesson. probably not

But, good work OP! I can not stand some men on trains, it really, really isnt that big you have to be practically doing the splits into the aisle 🙄

*huffing. Not hugging. 😂

I congratulate you OP.

I always take up my full space on a seat these days. I run and am no stranger to a squat at the gym, so my legs are strong. I plant my feet on the floor and refuse to move them when the spreading starts and it is comical to watch the confusion on their faces when they realise that my leg is staying exactly where it is, and it's not moving so that Johnny Big Balls beside me can have half my seat as well.

DD (she is quite small and slim) sat next to a spreader once and decided to mimick him.
So she spread out on her seat as wide as she could, slumped down, and mimicked his expression as well. She managed to get him back into his seat under the silent applause of the ladies on the bench opposite.

i played patriarchy chicken with the bin lorry this morning and won. We live in a small road that curves around and behind a church. Being an old road, it is narrow. The bin men shouted at me shortly after I moved here as I didn't realise I needed to park my car behind my bins to allow them to get the bin lorry down.

I got to the top of the road this morning, just as the bin lorry started to turn in. As I was just at the top, I sat there with my arms crossed until he reversed. It made up for him swearing at me in Flemish two years ago.

I didn't know what Patriarchy Chicken was, so looked it up, and came across this: difficultrun.nathanielgivens.com/2019/02/26/thoughts-on-patriarchy-chicken/
He is basically saying the guys who do not give way are jerks and they do it to everyone, not just women; and further that he was socialized to always give women priority and space so they do not feel threatened by . him. He writes well.

Men can be arses but they can also be too tall for public transport seating to fit comfortably. Moving into the aisle to prevent physical discomfort seems fairly sensible to me, the issue should be with train companies, not tall blokes.

I do this too, OP

I love it.

My favourite game is walking across the train station foot bridge as though I'm Naomi Campbell walking for Karl Lagerfeld's spring/summer collection; head high, shoulders square, eyes front, strutting on one single track. It confuses the fuck out of men primarily because I refuse to jump out of their way but, secondarily, because I'm strutting like Naomi Campbell but look more like Minnie Mouse late for a fucking bus.

Your title confused me though. I assumed you meant edible skittles. I thought you were demanding a bag of skittles from every man-spreader you saw today

they can also be too tall for public transport seating to fit comfortably

Women have wider hips but they’re still expected to squash up and give up some of their own space.

I always take up my full space on a seat these days. I run and am no stranger to a squat at the gym, so my legs are strong. I plant my feet on the floor and refuse to move them when the spreading starts and it is comical to watch the confusion on their faces when they realise that my leg is staying exactly where it is, and it's not moving so that Johnny Big Balls beside me can have half my seat as well.

I do this too. I love it. I especially love it when you get into a seat next to an already seated man and take up your full space. They're doubly confused because not only am I a woman-flavoured human but I also took my seat after them. Ergo, I am failing to meet expectations on two levels.

I’ve only ever played “Phone Walker” chicken before, but I’m equal opportunity on sex with that.

Essentially if someone is walking towards you while reading their phone, hold your path. When you’re about a foot away they look up and gasp and step to the side. It’s fun to play, especially at the train station!

I understand that it might be more comfortable for tall people to stretch a leg into the aisle. I have neuropathy and it’s less painful to stretch that leg out. So what I do is, I put,my leg in the aisle, and then I watch and listen and when someone is about to walk past I move my leg in. It’s not difficult!

I am going to try this next time I get the bus.

nice one OP

I also do the thing of not shifting when manspreading starts. If they continue, I push back. This has prompted a surprising number of apologies from the manspreaders.

The more I read these types of thread on MN the more it makes me think that British men must be especially awful. Between the threads on cat-calling, patriarchal chicken and man-spreading they don't come across well!!!

I live on Ireland have never been cat-called, not experienced patriarchal chicken (As in I've tried it and realised I rarely have to move anyway) and man-spreaders exists but in the numbers the OP's stats suggest.

Probably doesn't help that the only time I've had a man lose his head at me for not 'getting out of my fucking way, bitch' was in a shop Wales. The charmer.

I've been on trains a fair amount for work recently and have started to 'stand my ground' in regards to leg space. I'm very careful to not encroach on anyone else's space, but hold my leg firmly in place if someone tries to spread out of their space by pushing against my leg.

It has never once been a woman doing it, only men.

If a thigh starts to spread into your space, use it as a table and pop your handbag on it

Oh ffs really? If that had been 6ft 5 Dh you'd have just bashed the knee had operated on....nice. It's not okay to bash people on purpose because you think you're right.