I HATE! When People Try to Fit into Subway Seats that Are Too Small for Them

Imagine this: You’re sitting on the end of a three-person seat on the subway. Another person is sitting in the seat at the other end of the three – leaving one seat in between the two of you.

Everyone who rides the subways in NYC knows that subway seats are pretty narrow; they’re not nearly wide enough to fit three normal-sized people across with comfort. Granted, I realize that comfort is probably not one of the MTA’s top priorities, but the narrowness of the seats leads me to my next pet peeve – when someone tries to squeeze into the middle seat when there is clearly not enough room for him or her to do so.

If it looks like there’s not enough room for you to fit between the two already-seated riders, please, don’t try to squeeze yourself in. It will only make everyone uncomfortable - you included.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not complaining about overweight people here. If I board the train and upon assessing my seating options, see the above scenario, and I determine that the empty seat between the two seated riders in not large enough for me to sit in comfortably, then I will remain standing. I won’t even try. And through this blog, I am urging every other MTA rider, big or small, to do the same.

Of course, part of my abhorrence of this scenario comes from my extreme dislike of rubbing up against people I do not know. Even when I just see someone trying to squish in the middle subway seat, I cringe. If I am sitting on one of the end seats in a three-seater and someone wiggles his way between me and the other passenger seated on the other end of the three-seater, I will probably get up and move. I would much rather stand than be sandwiched between two potentially dirty, sweaty, and germ-ridden strangers with bad breath, body odor, and lice looking for a new home. The thought of this makes me want to vomit.

And I don't care if you're offended by my getting up the moment you sit down, practically on me (that's how small the subway seats are); you shouldn't be trying to squeeze your huge ass into the tiny sliver of orange or yellow plastic that remains between me and the person at the other end of the three-seater. I would get up even if Prince Harry himself sat down next to me (and I love me some hot prince ginge). I just don't like touching other people!

But seriously, the point is, it won't kill you to stand for two more minutes until someone sitting in a non-middle seat gets up! People are just so damn lazy! (Note to self: I Hate! Lazy People)