Always sitting in the outside seat on U/S-Bahns

Why do Germans always have to sit on the outside of the seat on S and U-bahn trains? Are they afraid that they won't get out of the train on time or do they enjoy sticking their big feet out and glaring at anyone trying to squeeze past them? Or perhaps they just want to give the impression that whole seat is taken so nobody will try to sit next to them?

I think the last one is why, I personally prefer the window seats, but many people like the aisle seats better so when both are available they sit on whichever one they prefer.

I prefer the aisle seat as I feel somewhat claustrophobic seating in the window seat, especially if I'm crowded in by an obese person. If it's a crowded train and there's only window seats as the Germans are sitting in the aisle seats, I definitely have no problem asking for the window seat.

I have to say that, while this might be annoying, it is not particular to Germany. I remember having the exact same complaints about riding the trains in Boston. I have never had a problem just pushing my way in though. As my husband always said "This ain't kindergarten!" (No saving seats)

What's the deal with getting off, especially at Marienplatz? The train stops. The doors open. The buggers either try to rush you or crowd in the way to prevent you getting off. I don't know how many times I've had to push people out of the way and swear at them. I've taken to shoulder charging lately. One day I'm gonna get me a chainsaw and come out buzzin' and thrashin'. You wait and see if I don't.

Those folks that are rushing on and preventing you from getting off are obviously Russians. That is exactly how the Muscovites behave. The concept of finite space is not properly understood, nor that they will not fit into the cattle car until I the others that are exiting have vacated that space (of course the subways in Moscow are hugely overfilled - nothing you will see in Germany).

Of course, a lot of non-locals go through Marienplatz. We can assume a fair number of them are not aware of subway etiquette.

Dunno about Munich but in FF, especially round Konstablewache, they BARGE out of the train almost knocking you into the gap if you don't stand aside!

So are you all from the country? As in a rural area.

Just about every big city I have ever been, this strange custom is the same. They all barge in or off, if you just stand there you will be knocked down.

Same goes for alot of threads here. I guess folks are just more attentive when they are abroad. The grass is always greener ...


If people are preventing you getting off at Marienplatz then the chances are that you are getting off on the wrong side of the train. The rushing is often caused by the people that take one step off of the train and then stand there trying to figure out where the exits are, forgetting that other folks might want to get off too, instead of moving away from the train first.

You can only get off one side of the U-Bahn at Marienplatz, in fact I don't know of any U-Bahn station where it's possible to get off both sides , you're confusing U-Bahns with S-Bahns.

As I travel by S bahn infrequently, I am one of those who hasn´t listened to the announcement properly and gets off on the wrong side too...

No, I just forgot about the U-Bahn and assumed we were talking about the S-Bahn. A typical case of ass-u-me I suppose. And you're right, there is no U-Bahn station where you can get off both sides

Hbf, no?

Not at the same time, though.

True.

I think the comment about people trying to rush in or stopping once they are out 8or, in if they decide they have to look for a seat before they move) sums up my experience on German public transport.

It seems that everyone assumes they are the only person getting on/off/looking for a seat/the exit.

Adapt, overcome, or climb back up into the trees.

RB

My wife always did that on the tube in London, especially when she was pregnant. If people are such arseholes that they haven't the decency to let you off first, then they deserve a swift elbow and a shitload of attitude.

Really? Which line? I need to pay more attention!

I agree with triumph bob, attitude backed up with elbows, shoulders and perhaps the odd small yet full/heavy rucksack.

Lets face it, they are waiting to get on, are they really going to not get on just to winge at you..

The reason for this is Germans are paranoid that they won't be able to get out when their stop arrives. Too often I see them getting up as the doors CLOSE and we start for the next station. Then they stand at the door already trying to pry it open staring into the black abyss...

I do that now

I once had a classic in Leipzig. The tram seats were more or less full apart from a middle aged bloke who was sitting on the outside of two seats with his hand on the window seat. I had eight or nine stops and asked if I could take the seat. He said no, it was 'reserved'! The next stop I think it was his wife got on and sat next to him.

Haha, it reminds me about a great film that shows how it is in Poland! When you travel in a crowded bus you just look out for an empty seat, then if you are seating backwards to the directon of journey you want to change it as soon as possible for an opposite seat, then if you happened to find a place only on the outside of the seat you move onto the window seat at your earliest chance Quite opposite actually to germans.

You might offend someone who's just big and not pregnant...have seen it happening before.

Although I am not German, I do it too and not only on the trains but also on the plane(s) - I always get myself an aisle seat. Reasons? 1) More leg room or at least don't feel as if I am sitting in a cramped position and am cornered by the other 3 sitting (when on the train).2) I need to stretch my leg every now and then to avoid getting cramps, esp. on the plane. 3) I don't want to inhale anyone else's CO2 emissions and 4) Since I walk around like a porter in distress with many bags at any given time, I can choose to put things beside me on the floor of the train without it bothering anyone else - and no, not on the luggage rack above for fear of forgetting about it, esp. because I am so busy staring at the Germans.

Incidentally, I once read an article in a UK newspaper on personal space and wherein the author mentioned that people prefer to sit alone when possible on trams and trains. If I find the article soon enough, I will post a link.

Yeah, I definitely prefer sitting alone. I was once on an almost empty bus, and some old guy decided to sit next to me despite the bus being half-empty, and after a few stops it pissed me off so much that I changed seats to one several seats in front of the one I had been sitting in. Then a few stops after that old guy also changed seats to the one right behind me. That is when I thought it got a little too creepy and I was glad when he got off the bus soon after.

In Stuttgart the krauts are just as bad. They barge in as soon as the doors open and you have to elbow your way out. Dont be afraid to. For whatever reasons, Germans will wait at red lights with no cars for miles but when it comes to standing in a line, they're friggin hopeless. Just get use to it and dont be afraid to push people.

Ugh, I hate the aisle sitting thing. It's just bad manners, here and in the rest of the world. It forces people to ask you to move over, then they make a big show over how put out they are (or they just duck down and swing their legs into the aisle and expect you to climb over, usually as the bus lurches forward so that you bang your head/hand/whatever). If the car/bus is empty, fine, who cares. But if every single person is sitting on the aisle next to an empty window seat, it's rush hour, and people are filing in, just move over without having to be asked, for pete's sake. You can assume that people are going to want to sit, and that you may have to give up a little bit of your personal space.

Sorry, I am really in a bad mood this week. I don't mean to complain so much.

I have another point of view on this.

To keep their tight schedule, the trains usually spend less than a minute in a station. To accomodate this, passengers don't dawdle when disembarking/embarking.

So there is a pattern:
As the train comes in to the station, those planning to exit get up and stand in front of the doors, or basically in a bunchy queue behind the ones in front of the doors. This is a signal that says "I'm getting off".
The crowd in the station waits at the sides of the doors until all those getting off have gotten off. Then they pour on.
IF you aren't part of the disembarking stream, and the stream of those getting on has started, then you are going to have to play salmon. You missed your chance for a smooth exit.
Simply be part of the disembarking stream, and you'll rarely have to elbow your way out.
At least... you'll only have to crawl over tourists/non-Germans who don't know the rule about standing to the side.

Try it for a few weeks and see if matters don't improve.
I honestly don't have problems with this, though I have plenty of personal space problems in supermarkets.

Most of the time I have observed that Germans don't sit next to each other on the bus or train unless its two people travelling together. They would rather endure standing the whole journey. I guess they presume that no-one will sit next to them when they block the window sit.

not really, you are supposed to let EVERYONE off and not just pregnant women...it's not the same as offering a seat.

I just stand right next to them and look at them pointedly - not aggressively, just indicating with body language that I want to sit, just like you do the opposite when you need someone to let you out because your stop is next. Works for me most of the time no problems, both here and back home. Same thing for the people who have their bag on the seat I want to sit in. Actually, that one's even easier, because if they make no sign of budging, you can just start to sit down - *whoosh* bag goes in their lap. Works like a charm.

Well ... that's the theory. What tends to happen in practice is that the crowds wanting to get on will only hold back as long as they are outnumbered and forced back by the stream of disembarkers. As soon as the stream has dwindled to a trickle, and they sense an advantage, the potential embarkers can't contain themselves any longer, and surge forward like a herd of stampeding buffalo, and the last few disembarkers have to fight for their lives. It used to infuriate me no end, but now I've learned to turn it to my advantage. Being the last one off, and charging at them head-on, is actually a great way to relieve stress and pent-up anger. Or not charging at them, but simply standing your ground, ignoring them, and ploughing ahead, is a good way to practise serenity. It also helps to be carrying some kind of solid object with sharp corners. Plastic shopping bags full of milk cartons, or hard-cover briefcases, are most effective when carried at shin level.

Re the original topic: I tend to take an aisle seat if I'm only going a couple of stops, because some people get really annoyed if you're in the window seat, they take the seat next to you, and 2 minutes later you're asking them to get up again so you can get off.

EDIT: What really annoys me in the U-Bahn are people standing near the doors, who, when they see you getting up to get off, are so eager to grab your seat that they try to barge through you instead of letting you past to get to the exit. Sometimes they even force you right back into your seat. Stupid.

Yes, people normally do move to the side of the doors, but many stand right in the way and then act annoyed when people bump into them. Worst are those who try to go in early while people are still getting out. For whatever reason, I've seen a lot of asians do this in Stuttgart.

As for aisle seats, I think it's not really an issue. Like anywhere else it's first come first serve. Aisle is better so you aren't cramped between people and bags. If someone wants to sit by the window I just let them in. They usually aren't annoyed nor am I.

It's entirely selfish, but personally I always sit on one seat and put my bags on the one next to me. I will move them if I see there is no sitting room and a lot of people who might actually need to sit for physical health reasons, etc, but I prefer not to let strangers sit next to me if they don't need to.

Yep, that sounds selfish to me.

Just being honest. If there's other places for people to sit, it doesn't bother me..they don't NEED to sit next to me..

I always make a point of going for the seats where someone puts their bag beside them. Too many people are reluctant to ask the person to move their bag, and end up standing.

You do pay for only one seat correct? What do you do when someone comes over and wants to sit next to you?

I'd make room for them. My passive actions disuade people from wanting to bother. I don't refuse to let people sit next to me.

Haha, offer a seat to a pregnant woman? I'm still waiting for that to happen. I stand for at least 20 minutes on the S-Bahn every morning on the way to work, not once has somebody offered me a seat. Sure, I don't really need one, I'm perfectly capable of standing, but it would be nice to be offered, particularly since I stood up for other people all the time before I was pregnant...