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.

Cross post re explanations

This happened to me once (when i was in a foul mood), and without thinking i just blurted out "WHY"...stunned faces, i moved and glared as if daring the person to move and sit next to me again lol

Agree it probably is a cultural thing.

I doubt it. Anyone normal from anywhere in the world would know not to push into someone else's personal space unnecessarily. If there are lots of empty seats on the bus I'd sit on the one next to the aisle, as if you're only going a few stops. Then if someone else decides they want to sit on the same seat you can stand up to let them in then just scoot across the aisle.

I've never done this myself, but it happens to me fairly regularly when I am sat at the front of the top deck of a London double decker. I mean I know it's the best spot, that's why I sit there, but not if there's already someone there

I was one of only 4 cars in a huge car park. I had my door and boot open loading my shopping.

A car appeared and signalled to go into space next to me (I was blocking it with open door). I glanced up from loading my shopping, at the car and then at the entire empty car park and thought they must actually be going into one of the rows of empty spaces next to that one.

But no, they beeped me and gestured to me to shut my door. Then they parked right next to me so I couldn’t finish loading my shopping.

I was so curious why anyone would do this I asked them. They told me they always park in that space

Are you a woman, and was it a woman that sat next to you?

This has happened to me a number of times, and I have assumed it's because the woman's religion doesn't allow her to sit next to a man. The only way to guarantee that that won't happen on a bus is for her to sit next to a woman.

To the PP who mentioned cinema seats. Chances are you have selected a seat with a good view of the screen.
The other person also wants a good view of the screen. Hence they selected, pre booked online perhaps that seat. Get over it.

To all who are uncomfortable with sharing space with others remember you at on a public bus. You don't own the space

Secondly by sitting next to you the other person us actually ensuring that no really smell fucker sits next to them.

Calamity There isn’t a chance I would’ve closed my door, think I’m stubborn enough to have finished packing and still stand there with it open until they drove off

Even if they just did a lap and came back to it

because the woman's religion doesn't allow her to sit next to a man.

That's an interesting point, one that would never have occurred to me.

Isn't it Sod's law that now I am mentally and verbally equipped in my 30s to give short shrift to the creepy fuckers who harassed me in my 20s, they have moved onto new 20 yos?

Never.
But I saw it happen to another passenger on a train. Virtually empty carriage, me and the dc's and another lady further along. Loads of empty seats. Another woman got on and plonked herself down next to the other woman. I was horrified and even 11yr old DS was giving me faces about it.
The original woman got up after a couple of stops and sat somewhere else.

Stop projecting Lolly you had bad experience with Men but half the thread is about Women, how do you know the OP intentions?

bet it's Leeds

I get up and move when it happens to me, if the bus/whatever is empty I don’t want to be sitting next to someone!

I would never do that on a bus or train. Or anywhere.

I was in my GP's waiting room the other day - there were probably 30-40 chairs, and only 5 people waiting, so loads of space. A lady came in and sat right next to me, despite there being loads of easily available seats all over the room.
I found that a bit odd too.

Ooh ooh I've gone one! I was on a train going back to Wales and I was pregnant, I was standing up as it was full. I noticed a woman get up and assumed she was getting up to get off the train. So I sat down, and she came back and said to me (in her very posh voice) "you're sitting on my paper" so I said oh I'm sorry, I gave her the paper back and she continued to stare at me quite intensely at this point, I smiled. She said "no, what I meant is you're sat in my space, I put the paper there so nobody would take my seat" so I said well there's two seats here you're welcome to sit next to me, she pulled the most disgusted face at me and said ugh and walked off.
She obviously doesn't like sharing.

Anyone normal from anywhere in the world would know not to push into someone else's personal space unnecessarily

But isn't the very concept of personal space culturally relative?

I was on the bus. A man got on and asked to sit next to me. I pointed out at the empty seats available and got “no, I want to sit next to you”. So I moved so he could sit by the window and got “no, I want to sit in the aisle”. So I moved downstairs.

It’s a bit like being on a lovely empty beach with tons of space and some family turn up and the wankers plant their arses next to you.

Wtaf do people do this???

We get up and move but thankfully don’t travel by public transport.

TheQueef

Stop projecting Lolly you had bad experience with Men but half the thread is about Women, how do you know the OP intentions?

Is she not allowed to post her experiences just like everyone else is doing?

Have to agree with the person who said in some cases it's a cultural thing. I once taught English in an international business college, with huge range of different nationality students. The Scandis and Northern Europeans would scatter themselves in lonely islands around the classroom, each sitting as far from others as they reasonably could. On the other hand, I had some students fresh out of African villages. To a man (and woman) even when there were 6 of them in a room meant to hold 30, they would all bundle together in a tight little group, practically sitting in each other's laps.

I was also told by someone from Bali that Balinese like to sleep in the same bed and in a 'cuddle' with someone else (this was told to me in relation to women friends not in a sexual r'ship) even if they have the choice of having a separate bed.

However in relation to Brits who've been here for a while, I am as mystified as the next person and can't bear the habit.

I am sure that, this being Mumsnet, several ppl from Bali and African countries will pop up and insist that they are as isolationist as the old-school Brits, but I can only describe my own (limited) experience.

This happened to me once. They proceeded to eat an apple and offer me a bite half way though 😂😂😭

Absolutely Juells but the other post quoting mine wasn't necessary really.

I think I would have had to have said something to the bus driver, if that happened to me

Why on earth would you tell the bus driver? Are you a child?

I just 'obtain' a really jiggly leg when people do this. Then they look at me annoyed and I smile as they've brought it upon themselves.

Same... I have no issues with people sitting next to me, just when thier are shitloads of empty seats, why? I always seem to attract the not so nice smelling people. Sometimes I put my bag on the seat next to me until there isn’t an empty set of seats. I know I shouldn’t but generally people still come up to you regardless so I move it anyway.