AIBU to think there’s no legitimate reason why men need their hoods up on a train.

[outofofficeon]

Disclaimer- I’m old and from the country and yes, this is a very silly question, I mean it light heartedly.

But honestly, why WOULD you keep a hood up during daylight and when it’s warm (todays example being on a train) if you had nothing to hide.

I don’t mean a normal tracksuit hood if they’d just been working out, I mean where it’s so pulled forward that the face is obscured. AIBU to think there’s absolutely no legitimate reason why this is necessary. As a woman travelling alone I find it very intimidating.

I’m 😳😱 that you think someone with their hood up must have “something to hide”??! Like what?

I have my hood up on buses and trains as I hate sitting in front of people makes me feel self conscious don’t know why

I'm a woman and I do this all the time, is it only men who shouldn't?

I do it because I hate other humans and want to give off the biggest "fuck off" vibes I possibly can, I find pulling my hood down quite effective in minimising people trying to talk to me on public transport.

The caveat being I'll pull it back and talk properly to the ticket inspector.

I keep mine up on trains. Less of me touches surfaces that others touch that way, and I can block out the world better.

I do t see a problem with them doing it.

I do find it pretty antisocial but that seems to the purpose. So many people seem to be anxious all the time and wanting to block out life and other humans but this has the effect of making some other people a bit anxious and worried as it is also the uniform of little thugs.

It’s cosy and helps you block out people - hood, headphones and even sunglasses.

This is me on a plane !

Basically it’s the social construct of manners - which sounds painful but actually is positive as in “ think of others”.

My very successful, professional 65 year old DH ( arts/media) has taken to doing this. He thinks it’s just part of the look when he actually looks like a crack addict. He also used to wear stupidly large headphones on a trains. Before he nearly got decapitated leaning over the platform to look, when a fast train came the other way.
I’m in education. I know how not to wear a hoodie.

Why should anyone be obliged to appear social on public transport, though?

What about Women?. When I'm not going out for work I use public transport. I generally like to put in my earbuds and put my hood up. It keeps me warm and helps avoid eye contact with the bus crazies.

Not women, I said I find it intimidating when men hide their faces and was wondering why they need to if they have nothing to hide.

I appreciate (thanks to this post!) that there are plenty of reasons.

In a middle aged woman and often have my hoody up when I’m on the train. Especially if it’s a long journey and I want to sleep.

I tend to be a hood up person, I just like the blocking out/privacy it gives you on public transport especially

Perhaps because once upon a time people used to speak to each other?

I do it because I'm always cold and I like to rest my head. The DDs do it to hide their headphones.

Often the state of my hair which I really should have washed, but 10mins extra in bed won out.

Did they?

Indeed they did and sometimes still do. I was on a very chatty bus a few days ago.

Great.

But nobody is obliged to entertain you. If someone wants to sit with their headphones in, nap, read or just stare out of the window, they should be perfectly free to do so.

If someone tried to talk to me on the train and didn't stop, I would get up and move.

Who decides what a 'legitimate' reason is though?

It's clothing. Who cares?

I also hate it when people say, "I'm old," as a justification for holding any opinion. I don't know what "old" is, but I'm in my 50s and, tbh, I can't get worked up about hoods.

They don't 'need' to. They want to. Or,.at least, they want to keep their hood up.

Why shouldn't they?

Of course they aren't and I wasn't one of the chatters anyway. However I think it's a sad world when people sit there with hoods up ignoring each other. Only mad people and morons chat away without a response from others so I am with you there. Seems that society is pretty broken these days.

Why is society broken because people want quiet time?
I'm 'on' at home, with my friends, at work...sometimes I just want to be in my own world sometimes and public transport is the perfect time to do that. My attention isn't required by anyone and I can enjoy my book/music/thoughts in peace.
I don't think people looking after themselves makes society "broken"

Why is society “broken” just because people want some quiet time?

Not talking about the odd person wanting quiet time as so do I. I usually check my emails etc on bus. It's just the general trend we see and hear about all the time with people thinking it odd, scary, intrusive, anxiety inducing etc if someone speaks to them or even makes eye contact. I find it odd and sad and makes me wonder how anyone even makes friends or meets people at all. I'm no weird chatty person but I'm not angry or anxious if people do talk to me. It's the whole stand offishness which is peculiar but I don't see it much in real life and wonder if Mumsnet just attracts introverted people.

Obviously it's not intimidating if a woman does it, and also they get cold. Men can walk around in shorts and be fine. So I don't buy the "oh I do that too".

I think being intimidating might be the aim really. Boost to the good ol' ego. Not saying they're up to no good necessarily.