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.

@viques. I think I know that woman! To be fair, she is far more interesting than you. What that woman doesn’t know about Nigerian trees isn’t worth knowing.

handlebar fair enough. Now would you like to listen to me witter on about the development of Chinese porcelain in the Tang Dynasty. No? I'll just finish my cake and leave then.

@vicques. Actually, I think I know you too!

I always used to get the last train home from uni so it would be fairly empty, especially as we got further away from Bristol.

I always remember a girl about the same age as me (early 20's then) getting on at one of the smaller stations, clocking me, and rushing over going 'oh my god! Lisa! It's been ages how are you?' and sitting next to me. I was about to say I was sorry, I think she'd got the wrong person, I wasn't Lisa, when a middle aged guy followed her into the carriage.

Her eyes just said 'help' so I played along. As soon as he saw she wasn't alone he turned around and went into the next carriage. He'd been pestering her on the platform. Creepy, creepy guy!

Ever since then I'm always a bit less bothered when people do it.

Wow, Callisto - bet she was grateful to you for playing along. Did you have a chat with her in the end or did she move away once she knew she was ok?

Good for you for quick thinking captain - I'll bet the poor girl was relieved.

I might do it if there was a slim lady and I didn't want to sit somewhere else for a fat person/manspreader to sit next to me and squash me. But not where most seats were empty, only if there were a few to choose from.

As for driving, I also find it easier to line up the car next to another one especially when the bays do not have clear markings. So yes I do it in a car park but I try to avoid spaces when the person is sitting in the car in the space next to me. I might also choose a space under trees if it's very sunny for example.

I need to get tattoos*.*@Broken11Girl

What does this mean.

dustar I mean that if I looked threatening it might put off CFs from sitting next to me unecessarily Not that there's anything wrong with tattoos, just let's face it, they aren't going to bother someone covered in tgem, and piercings etc.

Not when it's empty but if it's just over half full with empty pairs of seats I might sit next to someone. I prefer the aisle seat to the window seat, it leaves seats for people who get on in pairs and I het to make sure I sit next to someone who looks like they don't smell bad or take up more than their share of the two seats.

I used to work with a woman who did this a lot! But only one seat in particular. If the bus was completely empty bar the seat she wanted she’d always sit next to the person on “her seat”. I asked her why and she said it was because she was menopausal and that seat had both a window over it and was near the doors so she got a breeze.. still thought she was batty though.

Someone was sitting on MY seat at MY table at the coffee shop this morning! How dare he? Unfortunately, not being a CF I simply moved to another table.

We had a lovely chat Thumb - she was quite shaken so she stayed next to me until she got off. Apparently my Tom Baker scarf and quirky glasses made me look like an approachable person

That's lovely, Callisto - and yes, a Tom Baker scarf would definitely make you approachable in my book. :)

Broken11Girl It doesn't help. You just get interfering rude people asking why you've ruined your "pretty face" with all those bits of metal/lovely skin with scribbles.

Clothrabbit Mon 24-Sep-18 14:26:13
This also drives me mad in communal changing rooms in the gym. The place could be three quarters empty and you can guarantee someone will decide to get changed right next to you.

Oh God! This drives me potty. One woman at my gym brings her stuff in a small wheeled case and unpacks enough kit for a weekend away, filling up the entire bench. 😊

I've done it, similar to PickAChew, if I'm getting on a bus that I know is going to get busy I'd rather choose to sit next to a woman who looks not smelly and is only taking up her seat. So many times I've had someone creepy, huge or smelly (or all of those) sit beside me. Need to point out I don't mind huge unless they are taking up part of my seat also, squashing me.

It doesn't help. You just get interfering rude people asking why you've ruined your "pretty face" with all those bits of metal/lovely skin with scribbles

Yep, 'you'll regret that' or saying something hilarious like don't stand by any magnets -_-

Yes, in my early 20s I was the only person in the bus and a man got on and sat next to me. He then put his hands in his pockets and there was some "movement". To this day I don't know why I didn't move, I suppose social conditioning not to appear rude. The bus driver asked me when I was getting off the bus if I was ok and I still didn't say anything. It gives me the rage now when I think of it.

If a bus was empty I'd sit near or next to a woman. I was physically attacked months ago by a man (in public), to be honest I find men very intimidating at the moment and I feel safer around other women

This happened to me on a National Express Coach when I was 19 (many, many, moons ago). I was on the top deck which was absolutely empty and a male came and asked if he could sit next to me. Now he wasn't British with poor English and I sort of assumed he didn't understand British niceties so I didn't say anything because I thought I would appear rude and unfriendly!

At the next stop which, was a about 20 mins a way, the coach filled up. He then put a beige rain mac over himself and appeared to go to sleep. Except there was no sleeping involved. He basically pleasured himself for most of the 2 hour journey down to London. I was terrified (not sure why and it was clear as a I made eye contact with other passengers that everyone knew exactly what he was doing but no one offered any assistance). Thinking back it was all a very British scene with everyone knowing what was going on but no one wanting to make 'a scene'.

I remember flying off the coach into my boyfriend's arms ( who was somewhat taken about my apparent enthusiasm to see him) whilst pervert stood smirking at me on the platform.

Yup weird. Like the couple that sat RIGHT NEXT to me in the cinema. A less than two thirds full one. Not even one seat between us. We were at the side away from the entrance and there were people between us so they had to walk past perfectly good seats and around to come right to where we were. I gave them the "what is wrong with you" look but they stayed there.

One day, in a spirit of devilment, I got on and sat next to him. He almost exploded with silent rage. In my defence, there weren't lots of other empty seats (busy train), and he is a twat.

Under those exceptional circumstances, I would have done exactly the same Fingers - either that, or travelled to the previous station so that I could steal The Seat Of Glory.

HandlebarTash

Happened to me on a bus. Sat on the front seats upstairs, tons of empty seats, man gets on and sits next me. I get up, say excuse me and move to one of the many other empty seats. Man then follows me to ask why I moved. I tell him that I didn't think it was necessary to sit next to someone when there were tons of free seats. I then get five minute rant on why he needed the front seat. I did tell him to get lost in end.
I would never do this to someone