Guy on the bus gave me a lecture about my backpack

This guy on the 7:15 AM bus tapped my shoulder and told me I was blocking the aisle with my bag. He was right, I didn't even notice, but he said it real loud and everyone stared. Made me shift my bag to my lap every day since then. Anyone else get called out by a stranger on public transit?

2 comments

2 Comments

emery_black10d ago

Hear me out but I actually think that guy did you a favor. I mean yeah he was loud about it and that sucks, but how many times have we all been stuck on a crowded bus where someone's backpack takes up a whole seat worth of space? I've definitely been the person who's had to stand because someone's got their bag taking up room in the aisle. Maybe it's just me but I'd rather get called out once and fix the problem than keep accidentally annoying people every single day.

the_grace10d ago

Is it just me or do people forget that we're all just trying to get through our day on public transit? But honestly, I've been on both sides of this and I think there's a middle ground here that nobody's talking about. Yeah, the backpack thing is annoying (I've definitely been hit in the face by someone's bag turning around), but the way you say something matters so much. A simple "hey sorry, can you move your bag?" goes a long way versus yelling at someone like they're a criminal. I've had people just nudge my backpack with their knee before instead of saying anything, which honestly felt gross. So maybe the favor was just the reminder that we all need to pay attention to our space, but the way he delivered it was still not cool.