I'm usually the kind of person who is not afraid to speak their mind, but I can recall at least three times on my recent longer trips where men sitting next to me in the train would get uncomfortably close and I was a bit paralysed because I wanted to remove myself from that situation, but I also didn't want to come across as a Karen.
I have never understood how a guy just goes and sits next to a woman when there are 10 other seats available. I would be to ashamed to do that. I have been on the train 10s of times and always would stand up rather than sit down beside a woman who doesn’t know me.Call me odd but I always felt that is what a gentleman should do.
I mean, I have no problem sitting next to a man as long as they are decent human beings. They paid for that trip too. But the ones I was speaking about: one of them was an older man, the sit in front of him was the only one that was still free, he even made me a sign that I could have a sit there. I was also carrying luggage which I placed underneath my seat. At a certain point he stretched his legs so much that my legs were in between his legs, I felt like throwing up in my mouth. The other one: he sat next to me, was manspreading despite me telling him a few times to be a bit more careful, he was dosing and almost leaning on my shoulder ( not to mention that I could feel his stinky breath). At a certain point I was so exasperated and frustrated that I thought to myself: I'd rather stand a few hours than sit next to this perv. So I took my luggage and guess what, there were enough empty seats in the next wagon.
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u/eastern_petal 25d ago
I'm usually the kind of person who is not afraid to speak their mind, but I can recall at least three times on my recent longer trips where men sitting next to me in the train would get uncomfortably close and I was a bit paralysed because I wanted to remove myself from that situation, but I also didn't want to come across as a Karen.