Is it rude to sleep on public transport?

[JazbayGrapes]

There are often complaints that people are rude and inconsiderate if they scroll phones or read and don't pay attention to fellow passengers who may need to be offered a seat (but they wouldn't ask).

So is it rude and selfish to be asleep?

Another train thread! 😂

My son is currently on a train home to us, he’s been travelling and awake since yesterday morning so he’s just text and said he’s going to try sleeping as he won’t get to us until about 10pm. He has to change trains so hopefully his alarm will wake him and no one will steal his bags.

Since when was playing on your phone or reading a book rude? As long as the phone noise is silent? Why do people think they can dictate what other people do?! 😤

And to answer the question posed, no, it isn’t rude to be asleep, as long as you aren’t accidentally leaning on someone else or snoring ridiculously loudly.

It's rude to read or look at your phone? What do most people do on long journeys, stare straight ahead with their hands placed neatly on their lap?

This!

I'm concerned they (or I when I do it, but I'm literally just dozing) might miss their stop. But rude? No.

Neither is reading or phone scrolling.

Not rude in Japan, totally expected thing. So funny to see! Really very much a thing over there.

I sleep in public transport (planes and trains) all the time.

It makes the time pass faster.

I really don't care if people don't like it.

There was a guy asleep on the tube last week, 8:45 and he was sort of contorted around 2 of the arm rests under and over, it was truly a spectacle - I’d never seen anyone do it like that! I kept looking and wondering how on Earth he was so flexible 😂
it was quite a quiet tube, plenty of seats. I saw opposite him and just marvelled to be honest. Would far rather someone quietly asleep minding their own business than someone awake and being a bloody nuisance which is often the case when I’m coming home again.

Not rude but maybe a bit risky. I have had help from other passengers to climb over sleeping men who absolutely wouldn't wake up on two separate occasions when I was younger so I would say if you're going to have a deep sleep take the window seat! I've also seen a man arrive at our end of the line stop where I got on, remain asleep and continue back in the opposite direction. He was drunk and had been a pain so the passengers getting off at the end of the line recommended leaving him asleep. The conductor was aware. I think he was simply riding the line all day for a nap.

I get travel sleep
I can't help but fall asleep

Oh I do!
I'll often doze on the bus home from work. I just set an alarm for 30 minutes. I'd wake up if someone sat down next to me but often I get an upstairs seat to myself.

Of course not. Whether it's wise is another matter - I had an ex who's friend we had to navigate home from the arse-end of nowhere every Friday because he'd slept to the end of the line on the last train.

It's pretty standard on London buses, tubes and to a lesser degree (for some reason) the local trains.

I wouldn't be able to, personally, but there have been many long days where I've wished I could do a little power nap to or from work!

It's also not rude to read or look at your phone.

It's ruder to talk on commuter trains- certainly at a level where I can't hear my music or audio book over your voice.

Well, it's not exactly rude but it's normally so peaceful and quiet so you really notice it when people have a conversation, or talk on the phone.

The noisiest train I've been on was full of pensioners going to the Hampton Court Flower Show. Extremely garrulous lot. 😆

weird, right?
for 4 years i had a nearly 4 hour round trip commute and i used my time to study for a degree on the OU.

😂

The noisiest train I've been on was full of pensioners going to the Hampton Court Flower Show. Extremely garrulous lot. 😆

😂I can totally imagine that!

Is this idea that it's rude to read on public transport another of those only on mumsnet things? Like people complaining about neighbours barbecues or saving tables in cafes?

I've been rude for years, in that case. I always have a book on the go when I'm travelling. Should I have been walking up and down the carriage indulging in light social chit chat instead?

When did it become rude to read a book or scroll your phone on public transport!?
If you slump over more than one seat when you're asleep then that's rude; simply nodding off, then I would assume the person was simply very tired.

It's surely not even a smartphone related modern evil, people have always read books and newspapers on public transport.

@MrsDanversGlidesAgain that happened to me! A man fell asleep on my shoulder. Was really worried that he'd died.

Otherwise it's not rude.

Yes apparently we're all supposed to be paying full attention to everyone boarding, being on and exiting the bus at all times. We need to scrutinize every badge someone has on their person, examine their movements/body/age (without making them uncomfortable) to vet who should sit where.

In fact, riding the bus or train is a constant game of musical chairs with a secret ranking system as to who gets to sit where and for how long.

If you are reading, sleeping, thinking or doing anything other than staring at everyone else, you're being rude.

Apparently.

To be clear^^, I only think it's rude if someone is keeping their eyes fixed on their book or phone deliberately to avoid having someone sitting next to them, or to avoid offering their seat to someone who needs it far more (which is what I thought the OP was getting at). I don't think it's rude to be reading or on your phone full stop. Otherwise I'm rude too.

I sometimes read a book on my phone, does that make me doubly rude?

Sleeping, reading looking at phone - Not rude

Facetiming/video calling with speaker on so I can hear full conversation- Rude