To think that men on the bus can sit with their legs together?

[Kayte198999]

Is it an anatomical impossibility that I'm not aware of? Is it really that uncomfortable for them?

I'm fed up of men taking up 1.5 seats so the second person has to have one bum cheek off the chair to avoid touching them (or their leg in the aisle if they are also a man). Two women sitting next to each other will generally make themselves as narrow as possible so they can both get their bum on the chair.

I have just sat next to a man who moved his knee in when I sat down but almost instantly moved it back out again so our bare legs were completely touching. I know touching another human is not the end of the world and the seats aren't very big, but surely we would all like to not rub skin with strangers for half an hour. Also, it's kind of the principle of it as nearly all women just don't spread their legs in this situation.

AIBU to think it wouldn't hurt them to sit with thighs together for 30-40 min, and WIBU to ask them to put their legs together so we can both fit? (how could I word this?)

Can’t engage with this thread any further, other than to vote YNBU as I need to watch my blood pressure 😅😉

One thing I don’t miss about commuting in or to London was the hoards of manspreaders on the train/tube.

I'm more co corned about the hygiene and smell of people than this. It makes me heave

Ah yes - the 'quarter to three' brigade.

'I need two seats because I have testicles the size of Jupiter' - No you don't, put your legs together and stop being a selfish entitled twat.
Or buy your bollocks their own tickets.

Just ask them to move and if they say they can't, start asking really loudly if they have a problem down there, is it really bad? It must be sore. Is it oozing? 🤣

Funny how men manage to operate a brake and a clutch at the same time, and would argue that they're top top at doing that, but suddenly when there's a woman they can shove out of the way they're billy big balls.

This really annoys me too. Slightly different, I was sitting facing someone yesterday, having a conversation - and his legs were spread impossibly wide (in fairness he was a quiet respectful student chap, I think he just wasn't aware). So wide I was wondering how his didn't pop out!

As for on a bus, I read a reply many years ago, probably on here, where someone said "Tidy yourself up - my arse is bigger than your balls" or words to that effect. Hilarious, and would love to think I'd have the guts to say it... but I probably wouldn't!

Quarter to three 😂Haven't heard that before but that's exactly it!

That's a good point! They can drive a car without having to swing a leg over the handbrake for comfort!

Made me giggle.

@WhitePhantom I'm gleefully imagining asking a random man if he could tidy himself up so I can sit down 😁

To be honest on the buses I use in South London it's not just men. Plenty of women spread out too.
This is not a man thing. It's a people thing.

Although I do largely agree with you I think a bit of mansplaining might for once be in order.
When driving one's legs are extended and slightly apart which is painless for me. It is uncomfortable for me to sit on a bus, with thighs effectively parallel to the floor and legs too close together. I do not however need to sit with my legs at quarter to three, but somewhere between ten to two and five to one would be ideal. O'clock would be impossible without sitting on my testicles which isn't great.
I imagine that the above does vary according to testicle and thigh size. I can't help further as I have no experience of the size of other men's testicles.

However, I am old school patriarchy so was brought up that it is appropriate for men to suffer discomfort to accommodate the comfort of women.

I think the response mentioned above is even better than the one I thought of, to say, if getting off the bus first, to thank the man for letting us all know he is inadequate in the bedroom (or words similar).

Usually, when the woman leaves and another man sits down next to them they instantly realise that they are more than capable of closing their legs after all.

Well at least you know that you're mansplaining 🤷🏻‍♀️

For the record, we all know that a driver's seat isn't exactly identical to a bus seat. The point is that if you sit on a bus seat with your legs in exactly the same position as they are when you're using the brake and the clutch at the same time, then you're unlikely to be sitting on some poor woman next to you. It's just funny that lots of men seem to insist they need far more space than that on a bus. But only next to women, though. Strange old world innit.

No because then the poor lambs would feel less ‘manly’ and may not have enough space for their (no doubt enormous) tackle.

I was sitting on a busy bus, with people standing in the aisle, and the bus braked suddenly. A bloke standing up sort of fell back into my lap, which is fine, accidents happen. But then he refused to get up again! I ended up having to yell at him and wrestle the fucker off my person, a struggle that lasted all the way to the next stop. I'm quite tiny, and having some man on my lap was bloody painful, not to mention just completely weird and humiliating. He didn't say a word, just seemed non plussed that I was making a fuss! I'm pretty sure he would not have attempted to sit on a man's lap for an entire stop.

Vote for “buy your bollocks their own tickets” to be available on a London Transport badge

I'd be careful doing this sort of thing in parts of London these days. At best they'll just ignore you or you'll get a mouthful back. At worst, they'll follow you off the bus.

I usually shove my bag down between us. I’m small enough that it’s always just on my seat so the manspreader can’t reasonably object.

I personally don't have any issue sitting with my legs close together or crossed, generally find that more comfortable and don't often spread out.

I know from where I'm from there was this thing of if you sat closed legs or crossed you were deemed inferior somehow...like a man must sit like a man kinda thing which was just ridiculous to me...so never really did that.

Love this! 😂😂😯

Omg cannot relate enough! And they seem so oblivious about it!! I got off a stop early once cuz the man spreading was making me feel that uncomfortable.

I just say something. I don't put up with this nonsense from men.

Omg