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Original poster

Ear stroking on tube - is it odd?

109 replies

Limpi · 02/02/2025 00:35

Travelling on the tube this evening and noticed a that a woman was stroking the ear of man sitting next to her. She was long away from him and her hand was vigorously stroking massaging the ear furthest away from her. This wasn’t gentle stroking but quite vigorous massaging. Both were impassive.
it found it quite unnerving ! No one else seemed to notice and neither of the passengers were making eye contact.
just seemed a bit weird or is it me?

OP posts:
Original poster
Limpi · 02/02/2025 08:50

Franjipanl8r · 02/02/2025 02:27

😂😂😂

Show quote history

Normal length arms, though she did have reddish hair

OP posts:
Original poster
Limpi · 02/02/2025 08:53

RickiRaccoon · 02/02/2025 00:55

Do you think she knew the man?

Well - he didn’t flinch, no expression and didn’t say anything so probably her husband! 🥰

OP posts:
soupyspoon · 02/02/2025 08:55

I thought you were referring to someone doing it to themselves. I do it a lot if Ive forgotten to put earrings in.

Original poster
Limpi · 02/02/2025 08:59

Purrrrrfectpaws · 02/02/2025 02:17

I do this with DP when I’m feeling anxious, I don’t even realise I’m doing it sometimes 😂.
I do it when I’m sitting right next to him though, I wouldn’t stretch over to do it.

He has very soft ears and I’ve been using them as a comfort vice for years, I just realised when reading this how weird it is. He’s so used to it that we would come across exactly like this if we were on the tube.

I just showed DP this thread and he said he doesn’t like the sound of tube womens vigour, he said it sounds aggressive. Apparently mine is more of a gentle stroking action and quite relaxing, he said he prefers that to having his hand squeezed!

Your okay - gentle stroke wouldn’t have drawn any attention but this was full ear, lobe, pinnear, all over! She may have carried on all the way to Wimbledon - thankfully I disembarked at East Putney.

OP posts:
BringOnFebBankHoliday · 02/02/2025 08:59

MrsMust · 02/02/2025 04:36

This reminds me of when I saw a man lick a woman's armpit. It was the central line. Around 7.30am. I wish I never got out of bed that morning.

🤢🤮

Original poster
Limpi · 02/02/2025 09:02

BringOnFebBankHoliday · 02/02/2025 08:59

🤢🤮

Show quote history

Maybe low on electrolytes! 😝

OP posts:
feelingalittlehorse · 02/02/2025 09:02

Just really laughed at “she probably knew him”

I mean, it’s the District Line. So you never know- she probably didn’t.

God, I miss London. No ear action (gently or otherwise) in the rural NW, alas.

2JFDIYOLO · 02/02/2025 09:11

Mornington Crescent

NowThatYouSayIt · 02/02/2025 09:12

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 02/02/2025 01:34

How far away from him was she? 👀

Were there several other tube passengers between them, and she has an extendable prosthetic arm??

Agix · 02/02/2025 09:14

Maybe he experiences anxiety/panic on the tube or even travel sickness and this somehow helps? I can imagine how it may help with anxiety tbf. Or if he's ND and this is something that helps ground him and prevent meltdowns , and she's a carer?

Original poster
Limpi · 02/02/2025 09:45

NowThatYouSayIt · 02/02/2025 09:12

Were there several other tube passengers between them, and she has an extendable prosthetic arm??

Show quote history

On the seats next to him - I meant to say not that far, but did stretch to get to furthest ear

OP posts:
Original poster
Limpi · 02/02/2025 09:48

Agix · 02/02/2025 09:14

Maybe he experiences anxiety/panic on the tube or even travel sickness and this somehow helps? I can imagine how it may help with anxiety tbf. Or if he's ND and this is something that helps ground him and prevent meltdowns , and she's a carer?

Nah he seemed pretty chilled. He’d been shopping in Harrods from the looks of it. Just enjoying a Saturday afternoon out from the looks of it.

OP posts:
DiscoBeat · 02/02/2025 09:51

Maybe he had a problem with his ear and she was massaging it. Almost certainly a boring explanation, things usually are!

Threewheeler1 · 02/02/2025 09:58

Wouldn't that class as "heavy petting"?
Just thinking of the old swimming pool signs "no smoking, no dive bombing..."
I'd verbally draw the line at tube chiropody I think.

spacepies · 02/02/2025 10:03

Did it hurt you.
Did it upset you.
Are you outraged.
Obviously not let people be.

myotherusernamesarebetter · 02/02/2025 10:03

Limpi · 02/02/2025 01:20

The not so dull district line

You can go completely mad waiting for a district line tube to show up, she’s probably lost her marbles because of that 😁

Strugglingrightnow · 02/02/2025 10:06

Go go gadget ear tweaker

GinToBegin · 02/02/2025 10:34

Many years ago, on the East London line, couple opposite were clearly in the fluffy unicorns and frolicking bunnies stage of their relationship. He tells her she’s got toast crumbs at the corner of her mouth, and proceeds to lick them off.

Person1234 · 02/02/2025 10:43

Weird behaviour.

I once went to a concert and the woman in front of me gave her partner a back massage for the entire duration – approx an hour. I wanted to scream. He didn't even seem into it, totally impassive.

NormasArse · 02/02/2025 10:47

SirQuintusAurelius · 02/02/2025 01:17

She was long away from him

She could only have been an arms length away so couldn't have been that far away from him.

Unless she had tools.

Like Inspector Gadget?

Original poster
Limpi · 02/02/2025 10:54

Person1234 · 02/02/2025 10:43

Weird behaviour.

I once went to a concert and the woman in front of me gave her partner a back massage for the entire duration – approx an hour. I wanted to scream. He didn't even seem into it, totally impassive.

This was similar. It was her vigour - not a gentle stroke of his ear lobe, and the fact they made no eye contact or said anything. Pretty impervious to a lot on the tube but this was unsettling.

OP posts:
Original poster
Limpi · 02/02/2025 11:13

Agix · 02/02/2025 09:14

Maybe he experiences anxiety/panic on the tube or even travel sickness and this somehow helps? I can imagine how it may help with anxiety tbf. Or if he's ND and this is something that helps ground him and prevent meltdowns , and she's a carer?

Maybe- it did relax him.

OP posts:
KimberleyClark · 02/02/2025 11:16

Perhaps he was nervous about some big meeting/presentation he had to give and rubbing his ear was relaxing him.

DeepFatFried · 02/02/2025 11:18

This is why we have See It, Say It, Sorted.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 02/02/2025 11:18

soupyspoon · 02/02/2025 08:55

I thought you were referring to someone doing it to themselves. I do it a lot if Ive forgotten to put earrings in.

I've seen just that same sort of behavoir in distracted Pirates.