Minding Your Legs As Well As Your Ps & Qs
On Tuesdays we bring you a tidbit of transit news or trivia, either from our own backyard or from around the globe. Thanks for joining us.
This week’s selection comes from the venerable Grey Lady. The New York Times recently profiled a campaign from our sister transit agency, the New York MTA in “A Sourge is Spreading. M.T.A.’s Cure? Dude, Close Your Legs,” by Emma G. Fitzsimmons. The message from the NYMTA is part of a larger etiquette campaign and is aimed at “manspreading.”
As Muni Diaries readers and other Muni customers are likely aware, “manspreading” is when men spread their legs into a V-shaped slouch that often takes up two additional seats. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has a similar campaign directed at passengers who take up multiple seats with bags on the seat, “Dude It’s rude…Two Seats—Really?”
We are looking to do additional outreach regarding Muni etiquette. This year we will begin to survey riders about concerns they have and use that information to develop strategic campaigns to improve etiquette.
Based on the survey results, outreach could include things like: not leaning on doors, which can cause delays for maintenance, asking passengers to move to the back and not stop at the doorway, manspreading, not leaving large bags in aisles and on seats, and others. We’ll go ahead and assume that our readers would never engage in such impolite behavior on transit.
If you disagree that manspreading should be eradicated, you may enjoy this piece on Muni Diaries highlighting a Canadian group’s petition to fight similar local efforts.
The above video from the NYT features an interview by Ms. Fitzsimmons with the Glove and Boots viral video star, Johnny T.
When you’re finished with Ms. Fitzsimmons’ detailed NYT piece, head on over to Glove and Boots' YouTube channel to check out the full Johnny T’s rules for subway etiquette video. (Editor’s note: Some may find the intended humor offensive.)