Japanese Train Etiquette
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| Internet photo |
The Japan Private Railway Association just published their 2021 "Ranking of Annoying Acts in Stations and Trains", using responses to a questionaire on their website submitted by 2,006 people from October to November this year. In reverse order, here are the top ten annoying behaviors:
10. Eating and drinking in crowded carriages - 11.6% (up from 14th place last year)
9. Sound leaking from headphones 16.3% (down from 8th place last year)
8. Riding in a drunken state 16.9% (up from 9th place last year)
7. Leaving garbage behind, like empty cans, etc. 18.3% (same as last year)
6. The way people hold/place their luggage 19.0% (same as last year)
5. Smartphone use, like walking with smartphones, using them in congested areas, etc. 21.0% (same as last year)
4. Coughing and sneezing with no consideration for surroundings 27.2% (same as last year)
3. Manners when boarding and alighting, obstructing the door, etc. 29.8% (same as last year)
2. The way people sit in their seat, squeezing in, leg-spreading, sleeping on others, etc. 37.4% (down 1 from last year)
1. Noisy conversation/being a nuisance 39.1% (up two from last year)
What annoys you when riding the train or passing through the station? I can't stand when someone tries to sleep on my shoulder. I push them upright and wake them up. Really. I hate that the most. I don't like coughing or sneezing either, but someone trying to sleep on me is the worst.
7 comments:
I haven't been on enough trains or subways for any length of time to have a "worst" but I'm inclined to agree with you on the sleeping!
In NYC right now the worst is failing to wear a mask on the train and in the station, or wearing a mask underneath one’s nose or chin, which is basically the same as not wearing one at all. (We’ve got more than 35k new cases each day currently).
In ordinary times, IMO the absolute worst is engaging in personal hygiene on the train, like nail-clipping (ugh!) or putting on makeup. Loud talking or using a speaker phone are also annoying. Clearly, people in Japan are more civil than some people in NY!
Sleeping on you is super annoying! I don't like people who take up two seats by having their bag/briefcase on the seat next to them.
Yay! I agree, the leaning on one and sleeping is soooo awful! I remember this used to happen a lot when I used to travel on the tube - many years ago. Just creepy!
🙁
I would find all those annoying, but the ones I used to hate the most when I travelled to work by train were: men who sate beside me and spread their legs super wide so they took up half my seat as well as theirs, and men who sat facing me in carriages where the seats were too close together and put each of their legs on either side of mine (so that my knees were trapped between their legs).
Japanese may be more likely to
sleep when they get on the train in other countries.
This is from old times.
Mysteriously I get up just before the station where I get off.
However,leaning against someone is a violation of etiquette.
I haven't had someone try and sleep on my yet, but most of the others happen here as well! I don't take public transport enough to seriously get annoyed, though.
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