Comments on: New York Minute

By: Boatzilla

Boatzilla — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 05:23:58 +0000

Welcome to my world, Alex. In Japan, the last place most Japanese people will sit is next to a foreigner. And I have been here so long, my mannerisms and demeanor are that of a local. If someone does sit next to me and another space opens up next to a Japanese, the person will often move. And it’s not just me, it happens to all foreigners.

Rather than getting upset or bent out of shape, I enjoy it. I relish the space.

Occasionally, a Japanese will plop down next to me. It’s usually a high school girl or a jaunty young lady, often dressed in a slutty manner. Teenage and college age girls are fearless here. Even better for me! Unfortunately, sometimes it’s a cocky young guy or a drunk salary man.

By: joejoejoe

joejoejoe — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 00:18:51 +0000

Given an option I avoid sitting next to book readers on public transit. They could be nice as pie but they have low awareness of other events on the train because their focus is on the printed page and they underestimate the amount of elbow room that page turning takes.

You could have had your eyes in the book and somebody in their sightline did something they did not like so they moved, leaving you to wonder at the cause. I see that kind of thing all the time as a regular transit user.

By: Chyll Will

Chyll Will — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 19:03:34 +0000

[5] And when it happens, I always say to myself, “yeah, if thelarmis was here…” >;)

By: thelarmis

thelarmis — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:52:51 +0000

[4] now, now, chyll. we both know that I’m a rather intimidating figure! it’s my imposing size, brute strength & violent nature that cause waify women to switch seats. ; )

By: Chyll Will

Chyll Will — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:05:44 +0000

[3] I might have one. Some people are less secure than others. This happens to me a lot and it used to bother me, but you can’t let things you have no control over get to you. I’m a rather intimidating figure if you don’t know anything else about me, but I’m usually quiet and keep to myself. Nevertheless, people often have notions of what makes them comfortable; it’s not personal towards you, it’s towards themselves.

I stopped wondering about it a while ago, and your concern only confirms what I suspected. Not my problem if you’re scared of me when I’m minding my own business (not you guys per se, but you get my drift).

By: ms october

ms october — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:23:03 +0000

[2]ok – got it.
ha, i figured you were a thin dude and weren’t one of these guys that spread their legs so far apart they need all 3 seats but i’ve seen people move because of that.

your original ending is probably where this is – doesn’t seem like there really is a good answer.

By: Jon DeRosa

Jon DeRosa — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:18:05 +0000

[1] in “wedged” i meant wedged in the way that anyone who sits in the middle has to wedge. i’m thin and i make sure there’s a full seat next to me at all times. but yeah that might account for jeans. maybe she thought there was more room across the way. but taken as a pair, it’s hard to see jeans and short/neat doing any better in their new seats.

By: ms october

ms october — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:12:59 +0000

it might just be one of those weird things.

one thought – you said jeans woman wedged herself between you and the other woman. could be your 3 seat bench was crowded. i’m not saying this is how you are, but some guys take up a lot of space to the point where it is not comfortable to sit.

i almost never sit in the middle. even after my knee surgery if someone offered me the middle seat i can’t remember taking it.
i get seat on the b fairly often. almost always the pole seat but if not the 3rd seat. i feel that if someone sits in the middle and someone on either side gets up middle seat should move so the middle is vacant again until someone else takes it. many people don’t seem to agree though.