Personal Space Etiquette

Ok, so another post from the bus. I have had a crazy week. Monday we got snow. Not lots of snow, especially by Utah standards. We got a couple of inches, but combine a couple of inches of snow with 100,000 commuters and it equals massive delays. 3 hours worth of delays. Monday I got on the bus at 6:00 a.m. and got off 40 miles down the road at 8:40 a.m. Average speed 15 mph.

Tuesday, A little more snow and more massive delays. I got on the bus at 6:00 a.m. and got off the bus at 9:35. Gack, why am I commuting again? It really is better most days and only takes about 15 minutes longer than the drive. There is also the added bonus of it being easier to nap on the bus.

But what really gets me is how people don't understand the rules on the bus. When riding the bus etiquette of personal space demands that when seats are empty close by you move. If I sit down next to someone, it is understood that at the first convenient opportunity I will vacate the seat next to them so they can have their personal space back. I as the vacatee don't mean anything offensive like, "ewww you stink and I can't stand to sit next to you" It's simply polite to vacate the other person's space. Also the person on the aisle is obviously the person expected to vacate. I can't as the window seat stand up and push through the person, because then I am saying "ewww you are icky and I must move to reclaim my personal space"

Guess what! Uh huh. A guy sat next to me today. It's always a guy, never the cute college coeds. Sat down next to me early on and by the second drop off stop there were vacant seats and he didn't follow the etiquette. He stayed right next to me all the way home. Now, I am no homophobe, but it's a little awkward when there are only four people on the bus and one of them is the stranger sitting next to you.