Public Transport: Aisle Seat Etiquette

[Sput]

And I have noted that with that coiled-springlike poise he's able to advise for all but the trickiest of public transport seating worries.

[Nini]

Well, he does say he's versed in all things etiquette, guess that would involve this also.

[Sput]

Precisely! I wonder if he'd know the correct way to address a prostitute.

[Nini]

If he can say "Oi slag, you doing blowies tonight?" in a gruff enough manner he could get away with it.

[cdd]

I feel quite let down by Hanson, now. He offers plenty of advice on how to set dinner tables for snooty dinner parties full of people you don't like, though, and who hasn't had to do that hundreds of times in their lives? He has a wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hanson

if person who has alighted wishes for "your" window seat they should look at you with an inquisitive face as if to say "may i?", at this point you stand politely.

You're right that that should work, but unfortunately it didn't work in my experiece earlier today. It was exactly this attitude that got me into such hot water in the first place. And as Nini says, by being in the aisle seat in the first place, you're regarded as an "Aisle-seat camper" (good name) before anyone even comes to look inquisitively for your seat.

Perhaps laminated signs are the answer. "This window seat is FREE!" Or I could just continue my current behaviour and not give a damn to the moral opprobrium, and take my chances getting stabbed by someone who' s had a bad day with a probable aisle-seat camper pushing them over the edge.

[Nini]

Or I could just continue my current behaviour and not give a damn to the moral opprobrium, and take my chances getting stabbed by someone who' s had a bad day with a probable aisle-seat camper pushing them over the edge.

Why do you have to be the person who sets others over the edge?

[Nick Harvey]

I wonder if he'd know the correct way to address a prostitute.

97 Manchester Road, Swindon, the last time I checked.

[Ebeneezer Scrooge]

The aisle seat camper.. dicks. For everyone else looking for someplace to sit on a crowded bus, you're that aisle seat camper even if you just prefer it and will sit in a window seat.

I agree wholeheartedly and although cdd claims not to be such a type, there is no doubting he'd be assumed to be an 'aisle seat camper'.
I hate them with all the hate I can muster (which admittedly isn't a great deal), especially those on trains who put their bags on the seat and only begrudgingly move them after being asked - even when carriages are crowded and there is ample overhead baggage capacity!

I think most people would prefer to use the aisle seat, I for one get a bad back sat in aircraft style seating anyway, made only worse by having to squeeze into the window seat, but if the only seats left in my carriage (or bus) are single seats, I'll move as soon as I see a fresh group of passengers being herded in, so as to not appear to be an arrogant and ignorant aisle seat camper.

And as for those who use the aisle for bags... why I oughta...

[Lorns]

You mean you people don't drive or have a driver? The only public transport i take has a captain at the helm. Ahoy there, me ole shipmate!
I haven't been a bus or train since i was 19. The rules then were you gave up your seat for the oldies and pregnant women. And discarded your gum under the seat.

[Finn]

I haven't been on a bus or train since i was 19.

*waits for environmental lobby to ride in (on public transport) and rip Lorns to shreds*

[Alexia]

I haven't been on a bus or train since i was 19.

*waits for environmental lobby to ride in (on public transport) and rip Lorns to shreds*

Lorns is not THAT old!