7 ms·

Madrid cracks down on 'manspreading' on public transport

13 points by skbohra123 9y ago

tyingq 9y ago
Curious if signs have any effect on behavior that the perpetrator probably already knows is rude. Maybe it just works by allowing those seated next to them to point at the sign?
albertgoeswoof 9y ago
It would be great to see tube tickets priced by weight as you step through the barriers. Lots of fat people and tourists (with bags) taking up room makes traveling on the tube much more uncomfortable than it needs to be.
- mcv 9y ago
  It's not a weight issue. Many manspreaders aren't particularly fat, they just try to take up as much space as possible.
- ibotty 9y ago
  That's irony, right? If so, please keep it to yourself. If not, do so anyway.
staticelf 9y ago
There are so many things that are stupid about this, here is some examples: 1. IMHO this is directly sexist towards men. There are numerous socially awkward things you may do at a public transport. Why only crack down on one of them? 2. Even if manspreading would be an issue, which it is my belief that it is absolutely not, it would affect men more than women since men are generally speaking physically larger than women. Have anyone heard a man complain? EDIT: What I meant by this is that if this really was a problem, men would suffer more extensively from it. 3. This will most likely create the opposite effect and make more people spread their legs just because it is sexist in the first place. EDIT 2: Those who simply state that "this is an issue". Have you ever actually asked the person in question if they could take up less room? This "issue" needs a sign just as much as "women who places their handbags on other seats" or "dont stare at people intensively" or "dont dig out your nose in front of everyone" or "dont talk very loudly in the cellphone" or "dont play a music instrument". Also, since this is a it and startup related forum, where the fuck is the actual evidence that this is an issue? If you would make a sign of every single bad behavior on a public transport, there would be no room for anything else. Just talk to people and if you are too afraid to, that itself is a way larger issue for you than people taking up too much space. I know at least that if this would come in my hometown, I would manspread in every fucking ride.
- anodin4 9y ago
  Madrid mayor is a woman from a Marxist party. This is just virtue signalling. You just have to see how this was asked for by a feminist group "Women in struggle"
- CarolineW 9y ago
  > Even if manspreading would be an issue, which it is my belief that it is absolutely not, ... This leads me to believe that you haven't actually see it in action, and I wonder how much you travel on public transport. Absolutely it is a problem - I can't tell you how often my physical space has been unnecessarily "spread into" by this sort of thing. > ... it would affect men more than women since men are generally speaking physically larger than women. My observation is that men simply don't "manspread" into another man's space. It's very much a dominance thing. It's ugly, it's obnoxious, and it's borderline threatening. I have no faith that this initiative will have any effect, but it most definitely is an issue.
  - staticelf 9y ago
    I have seen it in action and said "excuse me" when I sat down. He made room for me. Would you believe that?
    - CarolineW 9y ago
      I have seen people sit next to a manspreader, said "Excuse me," and been completely ignored, thereby being forced either to push them physically, or shrink away from them. Would you believe that? Not everyone is happy with asking someone who is encroaching on their space to move. You may feel this isn't a problem. My observations tell me it is. Would you believe that?
      - staticelf 9y ago
        Yes I would believe that. But I would not believe it is the case that is a societal problem that needs a sexist sign.
- 9y ago
anodin4 9y ago
I'll tell you what's annoying in public transportation: people who stink. Also, people who play music. Why not crack down on them? It wouldn't even be sexist, like this thing is.
mnx 9y ago
Funny thing is, I see women taking up more space than they need about as often as men. Not with their legs spread wide, perhaps, but by sitting sidewise, or plopping their bag on a seat. It's rude, but it's not gender-specific. I mean, call it what you will, but I think pretending only men do it is only likely to make people treat this less seriously. (And the sign doesn't actually say man-spreading, so no real issue there)
Alkah 9y ago
There's a reason men spread their legs: it's hot down there, we need to cool it. Also, how about shebagging? And all the other unacceptable behavior people have in public transportation? I've seen people clipping their nails, blasting music(?) on their phone, etc We're headed down a dangerous path with these regulations.
- albertgoeswoof 9y ago
  what is shebagging? Sounds like we should stop coining phrases like these that fuel debate on sexism
  - DanieI 9y ago
    It's the practice by a female passenger on public transport of placing a bag on the seat next to them.
  - shenanigoat 9y ago
    I agree...though one must admit it has a clever ring to it. :)
- bryanlarsen 9y ago
  It's not a regulation, it's just a sign.
bottled_poe 9y ago
Finally, the real societal issues are getting the attention they deserve.
razenha 9y ago
This is a bullshit issue. I take the bus and the subway almost every day and this never happens. I hate first world feminism.
- mobiplayer 9y ago
  Because you're probably the one spreading. I am a man and I suffer it all the time, including in fucking flights.
zakk 9y ago
I am much taller than average, way above the 99th percentile. On public transportation and on planes, as a matter of fact, I occupy more space than most people. Sometimes seats are designed so that I cannot help but invade someone else's space. Usually it takes just a second a tiny bit of common sense to ask someone to move a bit. Most often just eye contact is enough. On the other hand I saw my fair share of jackasses on public transportation (feet over a seat, bringing in bikes during peak hours when it is explicitly forbidden, screaming on phone, drinking beer and then throwing the can on the floor, occupying more than one seat) and -- surprise surprise -- males and females were equally represented among jackasses. This feminist trend of making up problems and sticking a "male" label on it really makes me sick!
- foota 9y ago
  I'm not quite that tall, but I think manspreading is generally perceived as being an issue when people sit in seats that are aligned with the major axis of the vehicle, as opposed to those are are in rows.
- mobiplayer 9y ago
  And your point is? That women sit spreading their legs as much as men? That the problem doesn't exist? You are surely kidding? And in 30 years using public transportation in 2 different countries I call bs on the claim that assholes are equally represented among men and women. It might be a matter of education (women be quiet, men be loud and mainly), but 90% of the times there's issues these are caused by men. Usually in groups.
  - zakk 9y ago
    The point is that this feminist trend of sticking a "man" label over common problems makes me sick. It's unnecessarily confrontational, just like your comment. And btw yes, the problem, as it is described by the sexist slur "manspreading", exists just in a feminist's mind. In my experience men and women are equally represented among assholes. I'm glad you shared your different personal experience, though.
    - 9y ago

13 points by skbohra123 9y ago

Curious if signs have any effect on behavior that the perpetrator probably already knows is rude. Maybe it just works by allowing those seated next to them to point at the sign?

albertgoeswoof 9y ago

It would be great to see tube tickets priced by weight as you step through the barriers. Lots of fat people and tourists (with bags) taking up room makes traveling on the tube much more uncomfortable than it needs to be.

mcv 9y ago
It's not a weight issue. Many manspreaders aren't particularly fat, they just try to take up as much space as possible.
ibotty 9y ago
That's irony, right? If so, please keep it to yourself. If not, do so anyway.

staticelf 9y ago

There are so many things that are stupid about this, here is some examples: 1. IMHO this is directly sexist towards men. There are numerous socially awkward things you may do at a public transport. Why only crack down on one of them? 2. Even if manspreading would be an issue, which it is my belief that it is absolutely not, it would affect men more than women since men are generally speaking physically larger than women. Have anyone heard a man complain? EDIT: What I meant by this is that if this really was a problem, men would suffer more extensively from it. 3. This will most likely create the opposite effect and make more people spread their legs just because it is sexist in the first place. EDIT 2: Those who simply state that "this is an issue". Have you ever actually asked the person in question if they could take up less room? This "issue" needs a sign just as much as "women who places their handbags on other seats" or "dont stare at people intensively" or "dont dig out your nose in front of everyone" or "dont talk very loudly in the cellphone" or "dont play a music instrument". Also, since this is a it and startup related forum, where the fuck is the actual evidence that this is an issue? If you would make a sign of every single bad behavior on a public transport, there would be no room for anything else. Just talk to people and if you are too afraid to, that itself is a way larger issue for you than people taking up too much space. I know at least that if this would come in my hometown, I would manspread in every fucking ride.

anodin4 9y ago
Madrid mayor is a woman from a Marxist party. This is just virtue signalling. You just have to see how this was asked for by a feminist group "Women in struggle"
CarolineW 9y ago
> Even if manspreading would be an issue, which it is my belief that it is absolutely not, ... This leads me to believe that you haven't actually see it in action, and I wonder how much you travel on public transport. Absolutely it is a problem - I can't tell you how often my physical space has been unnecessarily "spread into" by this sort of thing. > ... it would affect men more than women since men are generally speaking physically larger than women. My observation is that men simply don't "manspread" into another man's space. It's very much a dominance thing. It's ugly, it's obnoxious, and it's borderline threatening. I have no faith that this initiative will have any effect, but it most definitely is an issue.
- staticelf 9y ago
  I have seen it in action and said "excuse me" when I sat down. He made room for me. Would you believe that?
  - CarolineW 9y ago
    I have seen people sit next to a manspreader, said "Excuse me," and been completely ignored, thereby being forced either to push them physically, or shrink away from them. Would you believe that? Not everyone is happy with asking someone who is encroaching on their space to move. You may feel this isn't a problem. My observations tell me it is. Would you believe that?
    - staticelf 9y ago
      Yes I would believe that. But I would not believe it is the case that is a societal problem that needs a sexist sign.
9y ago

anodin4 9y ago

I'll tell you what's annoying in public transportation: people who stink. Also, people who play music. Why not crack down on them? It wouldn't even be sexist, like this thing is.

mnx 9y ago

Funny thing is, I see women taking up more space than they need about as often as men. Not with their legs spread wide, perhaps, but by sitting sidewise, or plopping their bag on a seat. It's rude, but it's not gender-specific. I mean, call it what you will, but I think pretending only men do it is only likely to make people treat this less seriously. (And the sign doesn't actually say man-spreading, so no real issue there)

Alkah 9y ago

There's a reason men spread their legs: it's hot down there, we need to cool it. Also, how about shebagging? And all the other unacceptable behavior people have in public transportation? I've seen people clipping their nails, blasting music(?) on their phone, etc We're headed down a dangerous path with these regulations.

albertgoeswoof 9y ago
what is shebagging? Sounds like we should stop coining phrases like these that fuel debate on sexism
- DanieI 9y ago
  It's the practice by a female passenger on public transport of placing a bag on the seat next to them.
- shenanigoat 9y ago
  I agree...though one must admit it has a clever ring to it. :)
bryanlarsen 9y ago
It's not a regulation, it's just a sign.

bottled_poe 9y ago

Finally, the real societal issues are getting the attention they deserve.

razenha 9y ago

This is a bullshit issue. I take the bus and the subway almost every day and this never happens. I hate first world feminism.

mobiplayer 9y ago
Because you're probably the one spreading. I am a man and I suffer it all the time, including in fucking flights.

zakk 9y ago

I am much taller than average, way above the 99th percentile. On public transportation and on planes, as a matter of fact, I occupy more space than most people. Sometimes seats are designed so that I cannot help but invade someone else's space. Usually it takes just a second a tiny bit of common sense to ask someone to move a bit. Most often just eye contact is enough. On the other hand I saw my fair share of jackasses on public transportation (feet over a seat, bringing in bikes during peak hours when it is explicitly forbidden, screaming on phone, drinking beer and then throwing the can on the floor, occupying more than one seat) and -- surprise surprise -- males and females were equally represented among jackasses. This feminist trend of making up problems and sticking a "male" label on it really makes me sick!

foota 9y ago
I'm not quite that tall, but I think manspreading is generally perceived as being an issue when people sit in seats that are aligned with the major axis of the vehicle, as opposed to those are are in rows.
mobiplayer 9y ago
And your point is? That women sit spreading their legs as much as men? That the problem doesn't exist? You are surely kidding? And in 30 years using public transportation in 2 different countries I call bs on the claim that assholes are equally represented among men and women. It might be a matter of education (women be quiet, men be loud and mainly), but 90% of the times there's issues these are caused by men. Usually in groups.
- zakk 9y ago
  The point is that this feminist trend of sticking a "man" label over common problems makes me sick. It's unnecessarily confrontational, just like your comment. And btw yes, the problem, as it is described by the sexist slur "manspreading", exists just in a feminist's mind. In my experience men and women are equally represented among assholes. I'm glad you shared your different personal experience, though.
  - 9y ago