Originally published at: http://boingboing.net/2017/07/18/how-to-combat-manspreading-on.html
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12 Likes
I hate people who sit this way with a passion.
8 Likes
Me, too… Also folks who lean on the pole so no one else can hold onto it. But as tempting as it is, I’m not sure physical confrontation is really a great idea.
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What could possibly go wrong?
14 Likes
It does. And yet reading about it is extremely satisfying!
8 Likes
Manspreading and the general rudeness it’s borne out of are human grossness on display, but honestly, I generally don’t think there should be so many seats on the subway. Probably there should be 4 or so flip-down seats, perhaps only accessible by a special metrocard issued to the infirm (yes the application process would be a predictable bureaucratic nightmare, but I’m spitballing here…). Though seats are a de-facto reward for living out on the further reaches of the subways lines, most often they’re just wasting space.
4 Likes
No, the best way to deal with this if you are a man? Start rubbing their thigh. I had a guy on a plane go 110% into my tiny seat on the arm rest and with his knee into my leg. I’m not sure if he read an article about taking control of the space or what. I just started gently rubbing his knee. Then, I started rubbing his wrist. Suddenly, I had all the space I wanted.
46 Likes
Why just manspreading, maybe this should be the next craze in taking back control of public space from ways that offend you?
I encourage you to give this a shot to help put people in line who are
- Talking loudly on a cellphone
- Chatting too long with the clerk in the grocery line
- Smoking in doorways
When you don’t like it: sit on them!
6 Likes
At least she’s not stabbing the guy in the neck.
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I get that it’s annoying but as a man that “manspreads”; I don’t do it to be rude.
Simply I have to contract my inner thigh muscles in order to bring my legs close together while sitting; after a while it is tiring, and a moment of not consciously thinking about it and the legs are wide apart again. And it’s just not something that is entertaining to spend the whole ride concentrating on.
The only method to keep legs closed while also sitting relaxed is to have my legs extended; also rude and possibly tripping someone.
So if you’re ok with sitting on my lap, I’ll just have to be ok with it too.
11 Likes
Kinda backfires if he’s into getting rubbed by strange dudes.
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Your comfort in shared public space like a bus or subway is not your fellow citizens concern. Being aware of the amount of extra space and denying other people a minimum amount of comfort is your concern. Buck up and take the pain.
28 Likes
Well, then.
Obviously it’s much more equitable for all involved that two other people should be forced to stand and watch you take up three times the space you need, rather than asking you to undertake the Herculean task of paying attention to your own body.
32 Likes
Oh, you mean people that seem to be clueless about their surroundings? You know, they do things like leave a shopping cart in the middle of an aisle or stop to talk to somebody in a doorway?
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Or stand.
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It’s all fun and games until the manspreaders start carrying anti-pervert flamethrowers.
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Or if he has that much problem holding his legs together, maybe a small belt he can secure around his knees and wouldnt need to think of it anymore. added bonus, we can snicker when he stands up and forgets about the strap and falls to his face!
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AAARRRRRGH THOSE PEOPLE.
Or the ones who walk into the store just in front of you and then stop dead in their tracks two inches inside the door because they don’t actually have a clue where they’re going and apparently the rest of us need to stand behind them in the bottleneck while they figure it out.
Makes me wish I had a Fezzik.
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It’s not called peoplespreading
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I don’t know if this is going to work. Too confrontational and that’s the point. Civility is something that needs to be promoted not incivility.
There are so many people in NYC your bound to run into an asshole every now and again. The trick is to dodge them when they come.
