If a male passenger in the front seat of my car crosses his legs so that the sole of his shoe is pointing at me I do not like it and I ask them to uncross. For some reason it is unpleasant to me. Knee over knee style does not bother me.
Except in Britain, where the index+middle finger extended (usually upward, with the back of the hand showing) is a sort of F-U gesture. I think it has something to do with Agincourt.
Gahhhhh. Please not the “pluck yew” folk etymology.
I do whatever I please with my legs, and nobody has yet complained . . . well, except when I accidentally kick my partner (or a cat or dog) in bed. I lived in NYC for 25 years and rode lots of trains and buses, and never a problem.
I’ve always felt that one shouldn’t be rude on purpose when it comes to cultural sensitivities, but that people should realize that there are people of all nationalities living here and that your regional customs aren’t imported.
Like, if I were traveling somewhere that’s not in the US, and I see someone use their middle finger to point at me, I wouldn’t automatically fly off the handle and demand they respect my custom. My first instinct would be that they and I find different things offensive and they didn’t know what it means. I wouldn’t even mention it to them because if they don’t know what it means, its not like they’re trying to insult me so I shouldn’t be offended. But apparently lots of people expect everyone around the world to adhere to their personal notions of what’s offensive and not
The average person isn’t aware of cultural differences, and I don’t think many people try to be rude on purpose.
I’ve never had anyone complain to me either about “crossing my legs” or whatever. I do it quite often, but again, that’s only because my legs get restless.
Perhaps I have particularly offensive legs–twice, in two different cities! 
Wouldn’t the average person know that if someone who looks like he’s from the other side of the world do something you find offensive, that different people might not take it the same way? I guess living in LA, always having a lot of ethnicities around me growing up, might play a role in why I believe most people should know that cultures are different.
Most people really don’t care.
You’re going to be more aware if you live around people of different cultures; however, the majority of people just don’t care.
Are you tall or take up a lot of space? Do you have large feet? Were they short people?
The thing is, finger pointing can be seen as agressive, especially if one takes an inopportune photo and displays it out of context, it is easy to make the person look angry and accusative. Thus the thumb pointing for Clinton and other politicians. Because they are frequently photographed and targets for misrepresentation.
[quote=LawMonkey;15773554 A woman in another seat, probably ten feet away or more, becomes visibly agitated and tells me to put my foot down. Bemused, I ask why. She says, “Because it’s DIRTY!”… .
He starts giving me the hairy eyeball around the dude in between. The guy in between gets off at the next stop, and older gent leans over and asks me to put my foot down. Both a) baffled and b) suddenly remembering the crazy lady from Cincy, I ask why. He says, “Because it’s offensive.” Bemused, I explain that while I’m sorry, I certainly don’t mean him any harm and I fail to see how this could possibly be offensive. He “explains” that when I cross my legs like that, it’s a very offensive gesture. I say again that I’m very sorry, and I really don’t mean to give him any offense… He asks where I’m from. I tell him Cincinnati,* and he replies that this explains it: They clearly did not teach me right, and he is doing me the service of explaining to me that crossing my legs is very offensive and I will not do so in the future. [/quote]
This is rather annoying, someone sees something they consider rude, so they take another rude action themselves to point it out. Even when the original person didn’t mean it offensively. Some people need a hobby.
I’m pretty sure that’s related to skirts and the need to not display the intermediary zone like so many papparazi catch the celebutants these days.
And believe me, when you wear a mini skirt (I haven’t done this for years), you need to sit with your knees pressed together in a really prim-little-miss kind of way. Or you can TOTALLY distract every male in the room.
My husband and I took a river cruise up the Murray-Darling River in SE Australia a few years ago. I love Ozzies (with a few exceptions). But we had a German immigrant to Australia on board, an older woman with (I swear to God) a paid companion–another woman, kind of cowed and subservient. And I’m eating American style. Cut meat with knife in right hand, put knife down, transfer fork to right hand and commence eating. Mrs. OberFrau glares at me and says pointedly and condescendingly “In Europe, ve are taught to eat with the fork in the left hand! So sensible!”
I chewed a bite before answering. “Different customs,” I said peacably. “In the US, we are taught not to criticize the table manners of guests.”
She never sat with us again.
Anyway, OP, I sympathize with your confusion. It’s annoying to have people react to something that is obviously not intended as a rude gesture.
By the way, in Australia, the “thumbs-up” gesture that means approval in the U.S. is the F** You gesture. I managed to stop myself from using it almost the entire time I was there. Although I occasionally had to transform it into an awkward kind of fist-up thingie.
No it’s not. Though it does sound like the kind of thing an Aussie might tell an American tourist.
perhaps the same is true for the OP? they’re distracted by your junk, seen or unseen? i am thinking of that Friends episode. i don’t know about rude, but it was a crude way to sit, visible junk or no.
I think that’s your problem, they probably saw nothing but shorts leg openings and bulge from their point of view. People don’t like obvious junk.
I LOVE your response! 
Direct and to the point, while not being rude yourself!
I thought it was the 2 finger “Victory” salute?
The backhanded V gesture was considered rude when I was a kid. It’s gone the way of the dodo now. Palm-outward V is for victory, though it was generally avoided because of the chance of confusion.
This Bush faux pas caused some mirth at the time, though the gesture was obsolete and no one was genuinely offended.
Thumbs up is unambiguously positive in Australia.
Part of me wants to hear that it was Mrs. OberFrau who told AuntPam that it was offensive to Australians. AuntPam, I admire your dedication to politeness
If someone has their legs crossed such that the bottom of their shoe points at me, I find it very off-putting. I couldn’t tell you why, though; it’s not a cultural thing for me. I don’t think I’d ever actually say something to a stranger about it, though.
Miss Manners also uses a variation of “don’t be a jerk” as a key rule of thumb. She would be unhappy to discover that someone has been citing one of her books to justify inconsiderate behavior.