The other day I went to the airport to meet Mum and Dad who were here for a brief visit. Qantas arrives bright and early - at 6am - so I took the first train for the morning from Nippori (5:07). There was a woman sitting opposite me, sleeping, like most people on the train. But she had her bag on the seat - a serious breech of train etiquette. This is fine if there is no one standing, but there were quite a few. She sat the whole way from Nippori to Narita City.
In the whole hour and a half, not once did anyone attempt to shift the bag or wake her so they could sit down. I am simultaneously impressed by the self restraint and appalled by the lack of initiative.
6 comments:
I've done it! Though only once. I picked up a woman's bag and put it on her lap. She didn't even wake up. (It was in the evening and I think she'd had too much too drink.)
If they're awake, I indicate that I want to sit down, or - when I'm feeling obstreperous - I simply start lowering my butt. That bag disappears quickly enough. :D
I'd expect nothing less from a barbarian! :)
I just give them a death stare... It tends to work well enough! ;)
I just listened to a story on a Canadian radio program about an older man who asked a young punk to remove his bag so the man could sit down. The punk swore at the old man but a young business man ce to the rescue and humiliated the punk. It was meant to be a heartwarming tale, but proved to me just how few people are willing to help another or do what is right,
I have kind of mixed feelings about the giving the seat up. I got a death stare standing up for a woman who evidently... wasn't ... pregnant... I've also been snapped at in Aus for standing up for someone whom I apparently insulted by suggesting they sit...
I am all for - no passive aggression, taking responsibility for oneself and just asking if one needs a seat. Obviously there are no brainers - like the man who'd had a stroke using a walking stick on the Chuo line today...
Sometimes I find it easier to stand than be continually conscious about whether someone needs the seat more than I do...
Having my first experience riding the train I saw first hand how it works here. The young are oblivious and self absorbed. One teen that sat next to me was asleep-several times his head dropped onto my shoulder. I nudged him while staring right into his face-that woke him up. I was the only one who even bothered to get up for an elderly woman who obviously was having trouble standing and trying to hold on to the hoops suspended from the ceiling. I will always try and do the right thing, even if sometimes I goof. So much for the commercials that talk about respect for the elderly.Thanks for all your help. I had a few bumps in the road but without your help it would ahve been a total nightmare trying to figure out the train system.
I am not really sure that it's the young people who are the worst offenders in the manners stakes. The 40-50 age group are often much worse. The teens rarely push to get off the train.
When you find a teen falling asleep on your shoulders, it's good to keep in mind that he or she has often been at juku till 10 pm the night before, many commute an hour or 90 minutes if they are going to a private school. Sleeping on the train is time well spend to be able to recharge themselves.
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