Metro Manners

To my fellow RATP riders - it is generally NOT a good idea to lean on the hand rail when it’s crowded. There are other people who need to hold it without trying to force their fingers between it and your back/side (or backside).

Rant

If you have big hair, long hair or a ponytail - please be careful with it while on public transportation. Your fellow riders don’t want a face-full of your hair.

Rant

If you take public transportation and want to listen to music, use headphones! Just because you like the music, doesn’t mean the rest of us do.

Rant

I recognize that different cultures have different personal space boundaries and I tend to adjust mine according to where I am. That said, there is something that still bugs me about riding the metro here – people with newspapers invading the personal space of others. It’s one thing if the metro isn’t full and you have plenty of space for your paper, but if there are people next to you have some consideration and fold the friggin’ thing! Just because you decided to catch up on recent news during your commute doesn’t mean you should take up someone else’s space in the process.

rant

I understand you smokers have an addiction and you need your nicotine fix, but please have some consideration and exhale completely BEFORE getting on the bus/entering the building. Breathing out a trail of smoke as you come in is quite obnoxious for us non-smokers.

rant

If any of you plan on visiting Paris, below are a couple of tips to avoid irritating those of us who live here.
1) When you are walking down a sidewalk, do NOT walk several abreast causing someone to have to go into the street to get around you or say something to go through you.
2) When you get off the metro – GET OUT OF THE WAY!!! Do not step off and immediately stop to look around for the exit or metro connection. There are people behind you who also need to get off (and know where they’re going) and others in front of you who are trying to get on.