I go by “feel” as well. If I’m next to a normal, quiet, non-stinky person and I move I risk the chance in a few stops that a loud, large, stinky person will sit next to me. Just don’t be one of those passive aggressive assholes that sit on the aisle side and put their bag on the seat next to them and glare at anyone who looks remotely interested in sitting down. Bonus points if you let a little old lady or a pregnant woman go by.
I move if it’s still a long trip to my stop and if I know the rest of the way won’t get re-loaded with new passengers. If I know the bus will re-load to being very crowded again in 2 stops, then I stay put, especially of the person next to me is unobjectionable. I’d rather stay next to them than risk a weirdo at the next seat.
It depends on the route I’m traveling and on the time of day. If there are just a couple of stops to go, I’ll usually just stay put because I get up one stop before mine anyway, and I feel like it’s weirder to switch seats for 4 blocks, then get up again to get off. If anything, I’ll just stay standing if I feel the need to get away from the person I was next to. Frequent seat-switchers are thought of as weird, too.
I have taken either the bus or the train to and from work everyday for the past 4 years. Not a single time comes to mind where I’ve been left with an empty car and a person boxed in next to me. At first I thought this was weird, but then I realized I rarely box anyone in. I generally only sit down if I can get the window seat. Otherwise, I stand.
That drives me NUTS! I can forgive the person if they’re a woman - possibly sexist, but generally women have more problems being bothered on a bus or train. But a man? Unforgivable. I’ll deliberately hit them with my backpack. Or, especially if it’s the last available seat, say “EXCUSE ME!” and move to sit in the window seat.
I just sit on their bag.
Not really, but I usually smile at them and gesture that I’m going to plant my ass there. They may glare at me but they usually move their bag.
There was a girl at my college who was part of a famous girls band (huge scandal when she was accepted; the girl was dumber than a box of rocks) and she used to put her bag on the seat next to her when in class, even when there weren’t enough seats to go around. Whenever someone approached her with a “Excuse me, is this seat taken?” she’d tell them “This seat is for my bag.” The guys still drooled over her though.
I usually move seats, I think most of the people sitting next to me. Say to themselves “Thank you”
when I do.
If you really want to freak someone out though get on a relative empty bus and sit right next to a lone individual. Let the fun times roll. I had one person on a relative empty bus ask for my seat because he told me it was his favorite. Since he wasn’t challenged nor wearing a helmet I told him to eat dirt.
I look around and say ooo! seats! and then move. But I’m the dorky person no-one wants to sit next to anyway.
I would suffer in scilence if I was on the inside, and the person on the isle didn’t move.
I don’t move. Some people do (hell, some people practically crowdsurf those getting off the bus to get to their seat) but I never saw much need to. I might be a grumpy antisocial urbanite but I’m not going to go shuffling around a bus just because I’m sitting next to another human for 20 minutes. If it bothers the other person that much, they can move.
I say “excuse me” once. Then their bag will meet my ass.
I’m with you on this one. Sometimes I move, sometimes I don’t, especially if I’m really tired or almost at my stop. Why go through the trouble of making the effort, resettling myself, my bags, etc. (on the floor, if necessary, I must add).
In addition to which, if I’m moving to create free space around me or you (and I don’t care if you get offended), who’s to say passengers getting on at the next stop won’t just end up sitting next to one or both of us, recreating the same seating situation?
I will move closer to the front of the bus, explaining “I don’t see so well, so I like to look out the big front window.”
I move. As soon as I can. I don’t say anything to the person I was beside.
This is what I’ve seen almost everybody do on the bus. Therefore I think it’s what everybody expects.
I’d grab my crotch and say “No, it’s for MY bag.”
OK, I probably wouldn’t.
Yeah, I’ve seen your type on the bus. I move far, far away, even if I have to stand.
Public transportation is its own special brand of horror. David Schmader of The Stranger has written entire columns on crazy shit people do. Latest wack nut was “Stainbelly”
Uhmmm, I don’t think the stain’s on his belly.
Oh you say that, but then throw her bag on the floor and sit down. She’ll either A) get mad and leave in a huff (win) or 2) grumble about it (awkward win).
Thanks Guys!!!
This morning I felt comfortable moving to an new seat on the bus; with a clear conscience! 
When all of the paired seats have one person in them, so that I have to sit by somebody, I sometimes make a point of looking for people with a bag on the seat next to them, “holding” it for them.
Most of these folks will move their bag as the bus fills up – they’re not monsters who would deny everyone a seat, but they are staking a claim that if the bus does NOT fill up, they want to sit alone, and they don’t mind trying to deter everyone else. The problem I have with that is that the considerate, nice people who did NOT hog a seat to try and scare off newcomers will wind up with other considerate, nice people seated next to them while the selfish people ride blissfully alone.
So when I’m in the right mood, I like to not be quite so considerate.
You lowered my self esteem.