To think there's some things you just don't do on public transport...

[SamanthaBrique]

...and flossing your teeth on the tube is one of them?

Nails all trimmed... which reminded me of when I was a house servant au pair in Italy they made me sweep the terrace the length of the villa every morning (at 8 a.m., before it got too hot). And I discovered that they had a habit of cutting their nails on the balcony of their bedroom and lobbing the trimmings over the balustrade.

I was once sat on a crowded tube next to someone painting her nails. The smell made me feels sick. I nearly accidentally-on-purpose nudged her to get her to spill the polish all over her clothes.

I had been swimming one day and after showering went to put my costume in the spinner in the changing room and turned it on. When it made a funny noise, I checked the machine, and there was a used sanitary towel in there. It wasn't mine!

Actually, the woman I saw changing her tampon in the gym room rather than in the toilets that were just s few feet away probably wins this

Sweet holy jesus....ROTTEN

Em. I have been known to clip a fingernail on the bus. I had just broken it and as a reformed nailbiter I know if a broken nail snags on things, I will bite it.

r I should have hiked to the ladies' toilet to do it?
well, yes, that's what normal people do. Grooming should be kept as private as possible. Filing your nails in public doesn't make you look glamourous, it makes you look cheap, no one wants the dust flying around.
Putting mascara in public doesn't physically affect others, it just make you look ridiculous and lazy. I see a few in the train, can't they get up 5 minutes earlier and do it at home?

My grand-mother finds it incredibly rude to blow her nose in public, she doesn't sniff but will very subtly pat her nose with a tissue until she find a private space. We are a bit less strict nowadays, but some people are taking it a step too far

Oh god I once worked with someone who used to floss after his lunch sat around the table while chatting away with us, inspecting his findings on the floss. Most minging bus incident was when the (hungover) driver stopped to vomit out of the window

Christ some of these comments.

Sniffing. Lets ban breathing now too!

And as for the idiot who thinks body hair is unhygienic, it's there for a reason. Educate yourself before calling other people dirty bitches.

hairy or not, no normal human being likes to have a bare armpit in their face in the tube or other.

(and I smell of sweat a lot more if I don't shave mine! yuk)

I don't mind the odd PDA, but there used to be a couple popularly known as 'the get a room couple' who would spend their entire 30 minute bus journey with their tongues down each other's throats, complete with erotic moaning, wandering hands etc. EVERY SINGLE DAY. FOR YEARS.

Glad they kept their spark alive and all that, but really.... (Not envy.)

hahaha! we had that too on my train and THEY WERE NOT MARRIED

I mean, they were married, but not to each other. How did they not think someone would recognise them is beyond me

I was on a bus a while ago and the man in front of me was dry shaving his head with a disposable razor. Every now and then he’d tap the razor against the bar to get rid of the clogged hairs. Quite a few people told him off but he carried on regardless!

Two friends and I were pretty shocked to notice a woman with mirror and tweezers plucking out her chin hair. She was sitting on a bench on the station platform waiting for a commuter train.

Putting mascara in public doesn't physically affect others, it just make you look ridiculous and lazy. I see a few in the train, can't they get up 5 minutes earlier and do it at home?

I always did my make up on the train along with quite a few others. Why do you think it makes you look ridiculous?
The five minutes it saved at home was not spent lazing around in bed. It was well spent sorting my kids out before we all left the house. Stop being so weird and judgy. It doesn’t harm you in any way - I spent the rest of the commute reading.

haha at shaving your head on a bus. That's a belter.

Ask around, most people think it does make you lazy and ridiculous. If you are that bothered about people seeing you without make up that you feel the need to do it in public, why do you leave the house with a bare face in the first place? I have 4 kids, I do give myself enough time to brush my teeth and put a bit of make up in the morning, it's not that difficult!

We had that discussion at work, that's a theme that comes back often in the metro, and most people agree. You don't have to care, but others are cringing for you.

Do they really think that? Maybe everyone in your work was just awkwardly agreeing, I doubt most people care enough to label someone 'lazy and ridiculous' just for putting some make up on.

Because I am, apparently, a "dirty bitch" if my armpits are not baby smooth, makes me even more defiant about not shaving them as regularly as I might. I deeply resent anyone trying to impose body/beauty conforming BS like that on anyone.

I'm confused as to why it's offensive to put on make up in public

Ooh ikeepafork, I wonder if that was what was going on with our couple - an adulterous liaison that could only take place on the bus. Not very clever if so - they worked in the same building as half the people on that bus, so word would have got around in no time flat.

ikeepaforkinmypurse

I’m asking around right now. We are all imagining you and your Pursed lips disapproving face. I guarantee you that for most folks seeing some one popping a bit of mascara and lippy on doesmake them think the sort of dark thoughts about laziness and ridicule that spring to your mind.
I am not in the least bit bothered about people seeing me without make up in my everyday life. However, in a workplace it always looks a bit more professional and feels to me like I am putting on my armour for the day.
Best use of most Womens multi- tasking time is to apply it in dead zone time like an hour long commute. I also used the time to update on new research or watch catch up TV if I had nothing better to do. Beats staring out the window.

I dont think make up on pt is gross but theres a woman who gets my bus that does all her make up on thr bus and sighs and tuts every time the driver accelerates... thats annoying.

Theres a guy who regularly shaves on my bus with an electric razor and then blows it to get the hairs out.. people have spoken to him but he doesnt care.. i know chin hair may not be really "gross" but no one wants that blown at them at 7am.

Also a woman who occasionally brings her little girl on the bus who is always sick....always. just on the floor of the bus like its fine. Get the poor kid some travel remedies!

well, yes, that's what normal people do. Grooming should be kept as private as possible.
Obviously not what "normal" people do as several people on this post have said. I don't think your behaviour is normal.

Filing your nails in public doesn't make you look glamourous, it makes you look cheap, no one wants the dust flying around.
Sorry how does filing your nails make you look "cheap"? It has no effect on wealth.

Putting mascara in public doesn't physically affect others, it just make you look ridiculous and lazy. I see a few in the train, can't they get up 5 minutes earlier and do it at home?
How does that make someone lazy? What if their child was sick & it made them late? What if they have a disability? What if they were up all night with an ill family member? What if they put on mascara but wanted more?

What ARE you on about, @ikeepaforkinmypurse?

hahaha! we had that too on my train and THEY WERE NOT MARRIED

What difference does it make if a couple is kissing and they are or aren't married?
What era do you live in?
@ikeepaforkinmypurse

Putting mascara in public doesn't physically affect others, it just make you look ridiculous and lazy.

Eh? I have never heard anyone say that. I think it makes them look like super - organised, efficient career women and I'm impressed.

If it's not affecting you, it's none of your business. It's not smelly, infectious or unhygienic, so why on earth would it matter?

Are they maybe letting the side down by giving away trade secrets?