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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to enjoy winding up people who think their bag needs a seat

212 replies

motheroftwoboys · 13/03/2013 13:20

I usually wimp out of asking people to move so I can sit down but yesterday and today have, with a smile, asked to sit down. You would think I was asking the earth. Young woman yesterday, sitting on the aisle seat on a busy bus with very small handbag on seat. She sighed dramatically and made a big play of making me sit at the window instead of moving across herself. I got off before her and she actually tutted when I politedly said excuse me. I said thank you in over loud and friendly way and I was still chuckling when I got off the bus. This morning there was a bloke who thought his paper needed a seat when he was reading it. Same tactic. Same response. Wonder what my journey home will bring. [wing]

OP posts:
TheChaoGoesMu · 13/03/2013 16:20

YABVU. How do you know that her bag wasn't tired and needed a rest? Hmmm?

MrsBertMacklin · 13/03/2013 16:31

I don't get the big whoop about aisle seats. Why would you choose to sit where you're going to get a bum or balls thrust in your face as everyone brushes past?

I've just answered my own question, haven't I? Grin

atthewelles · 13/03/2013 16:38

YABU. Try walking a mile in the bag's shoes before you judge.

msrisotto · 13/03/2013 16:40

What about children on the tube?
My parents always made me give up my seat if there was an adult standing.

This doesn't often happen but I was really irritated once by a family on the tube with their 3 young children rolling around on the seats kicking each other, bumping into the people on either side of them etc.

shewhowines · 13/03/2013 16:42

Won't anybody think of the poor baaags.....

WildThong · 13/03/2013 16:46

I don't hate public transport, I do hate ignorant entitled members of the public.
Particularly those who just have to get on the train first, and block the door so nobody can get off, those who sit diagonally across two seats and fill any space with their bags, those who think its ok to put their feet on the opposite seats 'cos obviously they are entitled to do so, those who allow their children to stand on seats, oh I'm sure little feet are so much cleaner than adult feet Hmm. And dont even start me on the pushy elbowy scrum to get through the ticket barriers.

stealthsquiggle · 13/03/2013 16:46

Of course my normally fairly well behaved bag has been known to throw a tantrum at being asked to vacate it's seat, and hurl itself on the floor and it's generally fairly embarrassing contents all over the bloody train.

CloudsAndTrees · 13/03/2013 16:46

'Actually it'll be a lot easier for us both if you just slide over'

If someone was rude enough to say that to me I'd tell them they were mistaken, because while it might be easier for them, it actually wouldn't be easier for me. They would be welcome to take the spare seat or have no seat, but they don't get to have my seat just for being presumptuous enough to try and tell me what they think would be easier for me.

Thankfully, I hardly every have to use the train. Threads like this remind me why I do actually want to pay my road tax.

WildThong · 13/03/2013 16:50

clouds arsey comment re road tax, I choose to use the park and ride, so pay road tax and train ticket, think that trumps you. Would love to come across you on my train btw....

HoobleDooble · 13/03/2013 16:55

I've had to face the rush hour tram battle in 2 different cities, and can conclude there are entitled arseholes all over this fine land!

My tactic with the aisle hoggers is to face away from them and try to let out a little trump right on head level as you squeeze past.

Window seats are better as you don't get the bums and armpits of the standing passengers at the end of long hot summer days. Especially pleasant when I was pg and had travel nausea plus an increased sense of smell!

jerrykyle · 13/03/2013 16:57

yabvu not to let out a fart in their general direction and then point out loudly how bad their gases are.

jerrykyle · 13/03/2013 16:58

you beat me to it hooble

CloudsAndTrees · 13/03/2013 16:58

Trumps me? Hmm

I'm not trying to get one up on you, I'm saying I'm thankful I have a car and don't need to use public transport more than a few times a year. I'd love to come across you too, we could have a nice little debate about what constitutes 'easier' and whether 'easier' made it worth sitting somewhere you didn't want to sit.

MrsKoala · 13/03/2013 16:59

'Actually it'll be a lot easier for us both if you just slide over'

i'm looking forward to someone saying this to me, then perhaps i will tell them about the extensive knee surgery i have had and why the metal screws in my bones make it extraordinarily painful to sit with my very long legs squashed against the seat in front at a 90 degree angle for more than a few minutes. I will happily stand and let someone get to the window seat, but no, i will not be 'sliding over', i will continue sitting in the aisle seat so i can stretch my legs into the aisle at opportune moments.

WildThong · 13/03/2013 17:03

clouds em I'm not bothered which seat you have, I didn't refer to it at all.

LadyClariceCannockMonty · 13/03/2013 17:04

I LOVE doing this! I actively target wankers fellow passengers with bags/other guff on the seat next to them and ask ultra-sweetly if they could excuse me please.

Don't get me started on people who let their kids put their shod feet up on the seats.

Moominsarehippos · 13/03/2013 17:09

It's not only kids who put their mucky feed on the seats! I don't know which idiot decided that buses needed facing seats.

expatinscotland · 13/03/2013 17:11

Not bothered about people not giving up aisle seat, tbh. Sure they have a reason for it, and I prefer the window.

I wouldn't ask someone to slide over. A lot of times, they get off before me anyhow.

LadyClariceCannockMonty · 13/03/2013 17:12

No, it isn't, Moomins, and if I'm feeling brave I'll ask an adult foot-propper to move their fucking feet too.

But they don't generally have the excuse of not knowing any better, which kids do; kids' parents do, however, know better, and insist on allowing them to have their feet up anyway.

GreenShadow · 13/03/2013 17:14

Yeah, also much prefer window seat.

Used to bug me when I used the trains a lot and someone was sitting in the aisle seat next to a vacant window seat but instead of letting me squeeze past to the window, they moved over themselves.

Basically goes to show you can't win.

expatinscotland · 13/03/2013 17:14

Bags on seats, fat arses who push over into my seat and keep applying pressure to my body, men who spread their legs and put their legs all over my thigh, feet on seats when it's busy, 'saving' seats, and pervs, those fuck me off.

I've had a few pervs on crowded buses. They operate on peoples' fear of embarrassment to put their hands on you. I let one get his hand on my thigh and then picked it up and yelled, 'Who's hand is this and what the HELL is it doing on my body! I didn't ask you to put it there so get it the hell OFF me!' He got up and went to the door and left next stop.

Creep.

Nancy66 · 13/03/2013 17:18

Mrs Koala....please don't.

Why is asking someone to slide over rude - but them expecting you to climb over them isn't ?

expatinscotland · 13/03/2013 17:19

'Why is asking someone to slide over rude - but them expecting you to climb over them isn't ? '

Because they were there first and chose that seat for a reason. They're a person, not a bag or an invisible being.

complexnumber · 13/03/2013 17:21

Where do you all live with such angry bus people around?! I get the bus a lot and rarely get this problem

Nor do I.

MrsMangoBiscuit · 13/03/2013 17:22

Mrs Koala said she was happy to stand to let someone into the window seat, that's not expecting anyone to climb over.

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