Have you ever done this on a bus?

[MrsHoodwink]

Not really an AIBU but I really need to know. If the bus is empty except for a couple of people, have you ever sat down directly next to someone? And if so why

I mean a stranger obviously, and if this has happened to you what (if anything) did you say to that person?

I can’t comprehend the logic in it at all So far I’ve just sat silently wondering why me but in the future think I might say something!

This doesn’t include people with disabilities that have no social boundaries or would like to be close to someone (maybe due to fear or anxiety), I can totally respect that.

I hate this!! why oh why do people do it!? Im so glad I have kids as it means it never happens to me anymore as I rarely travel alone.

No idea why people do that, sometimes even with loads of shopping bags so we're even more squished.

It's weird. It creeps me out.
And that's why I drive everywhere now. Screw buses and their odd folk with no boundaries.

God it winds me up lol

I don't drive yet, but it's always gotten me when you park your car in an virtually empty carpark and someone goes an park's right next to you

A friend of mine did this as part of a study she was conducting into social interaction habits in London. Around 30% of the time the person she sat next to moved but most people stayed in their seat, presumably fuming and/or thinking there was something 'wrong' with her.

I can't understand people who do this.

Likewise, people who come into a practically empty cinema and plonk themselves beside one of the few occupants.

Sitting next to someone is one thing, once woman sat on my seat. I was with my pram, so sitting next to buggy space (London bus). One other lady on the bus. Woman with 2 walking sticks got on. Walked passed 4 empty priority seats and stood next to me. I stood up as thought she wants to sit next to the window. She sat on my seat and wouldn't move, so I ended up standing on empty bus

I agree, I hate it, but it is a British thing to hate it.
Culturally places are very different. In some places you would choose to go and sit next to other people on purpose. You would feel isolated on your own seat with them on their own seat

I agree OP. It is very odd. If I'm on a busy bus and it empties and I'm sat next to someone, I will then move. Far more comfy to have as much of the journey as possible with two seats to yourself.

I hate people who do this. I always always put my bag on the seat next to me to stop someone sitting down next to me.

Obviously if the seats are starting to double up I will move it but if there are spare 2-seaters, fuck that, I guard my territory

Tiddler What? I hope you said something.

Tiddler7 I think I would have had to have said something to the bus driver, if that happened to me,
Did she say why she wouldn't sit in one of the priority seats ?

@Tiddler7 I'm going to guess that she was one of those crotchety bitter nasty so-and-so's that grumbles about "lazy mothers these days" taking up buggy spaces on buses etc.

I would have kicked off about that.
Or sat on her lap!

The other lady did first, I was too shocked for a while. Than she was arguing she can sit wherever she wants. Mum taught me not to argue with crazy people

Then you definitely should have sat on the bitch.

Buses yes, weird. To the PP re car parks I don’t think thats necessarily so weird. If it’s empty then from security point of view best to group cars together. Also it’s possible that even though it’s empty and loads of choice, you’re choosing (even subconsciously) to park in somehow desirable bit that others would want too ie next to payment machine or exit or it’s out of wind etc.

Cindersdonegood

Maybe she was shit bored and needed some attention I wasn't going far, but don't think anything weirder ever happened to me. Except maybe my son's bike being stolen, and replaced with same one just previous model Crazy world out there.

I remember once getting on a train where there was me and one other man in the carriage. A woman got on and sat beside him. Actually beside him. He kind of glanced around all the empty seats and I laughed (I was facing him but a few tables back on the opposite side) then he laughed. The woman was completely oblivious

Another time i got on a train and there was a man sitting in the seat I had reserved. There was one other seat with a reserved ticket on the back and the rest of the empty seats were unreserved. I was a bit at his stupidity.

I get up and move if someone does this to me

Strange fuckers

Once I got on an empty train carriage and spotted a friend. She was sitting next to a man our age. We were the only people in the carriage. I sat with them and chatted away, trying to involve him in the conversation but he never said a word. He then got off at the next stop and my friend told me she'd never seen him before in her life, he just plonked himself down right next to her.

I also know someone who can't park in a bay unless she's next to another car because she can't line her car up properly.

I would only do that if I felt threatened in some way and didn't want to sit alone, ie if the man behind me in the queue was a creep.

Doing this in a cinema should be a hanging offence.

Same with car parks. It's empty and some nugget parks right next to you.

Better to stay at home really

This happened to me in church once. I was on my own in a church that seats around 3000, a guy came and sat a few feet away from me. Why? Why would you do that?!

I also know someone who can't park in a bay unless she's next to another car because she can't line her car up properly.

^^
Should this person be driving is the question

Don't come to Yorkshire.
If you get on a bus you are obliged to chat. If there's only one person on the bus, that's who you are chatting to.