Playing With Train Seats

[Mulboyne]

I remember being unreasonably impressed when I first came to Japan and discovered that the seats on some long route trains could be swivelled around so that a group of four could sit facing each other rather than all facing the same way. Tobu railway has decided to introduce even more flexible seating for a commuter route between Ikebukuro and Yorii. During peak periods, the seats will be fixed in a bench array but, at other times, it will be a free-for-all. Simple pleasures for simple minds and all that.

[Catoneinutica]

The black box of Japanese socio-cultural norms inside my wife's head really intrigues me with regard to the swivel-able seats on the shinkansen. Beyond a certain percentage of occupied seats, it seems to become a kind of meiwaku to swivel the seats in front of you and put up your feet. Actually, I guess it's no different than putting your bags on the adjacent seat and defiantly refusing to acknowledge any of the weary commuters passing by in search of place to plop down.

-catone

-a while back I was trying to swivel the seats around on the Asama shinkansen, and for some reason they wouldn't snap into place. I kept trying to shove them into place, when I looked up and saw a mightily annoyed-looking old bag whose reclined seat back was blocking the row of seats from rotating all the way.

[AssKissinger]

I've found that everybody rushes in to turn the chairs so that they don't have to sit facing some Goddamn stranger but if you get stuck with the wrong one there you are. Or you think you're safe and then someone turns a chair against you!

[Behan]

Catoneinutica,

I hope you gave her a few good whacks upside the head.

Just kidding.

Not really.

[Tsuru]

I clearly remember my eyes nearly rolling out of my head and mouth agape when I saw the technological marvel that is the Japanese train seat for the first time... The very first ones I saw had the backrest that you would flip over to the other side of the seat to change the bench's direction. It was the first of many things where I thought to myself: "Why the hell haven't we got those in Europe?"

[Bucky]

I looked up and saw a mightily annoyed-looking old bag whose reclined seat back was blocking the row of seats from rotating all the way.

Reminds me of years ago when I was in Hokkaido. I had boarded a train in Sapporo bound for Asahigawa. I had my skis with me as I planned to do some skiing. I was putting my skis on the over-head luggage shelve when the tail-end of the skis fell and conked an obasan on the noggin. Even after multiple sumimasens:bowdown: it made for an uncomfortable ride until she got off the train.

[akatsuka]

ikebukuro to yorii... is that the tobu tojo line? I guess only the fast trains have these seats, huh...

[Mulboyne]

ikebukuro to yorii... is that the tobu tojo line? I guess only the fast trains have these seats, huh...

That's the line. They'll be introduced in June at the same time the new Fukutoshin line opens.

[Mulboyne]

Some of the overnight buses which run between Osaka and Tokyo are now offering premium seating on a par with the airlines. One bus company has also started offering women-only rows.

[IkemenTommy]

One bus company has also started offering women-only rows.

Maybe I am missing something, but can someone explain to me what the real logic behind the women-only row on a bus is?

I can see how they can close off and dedicate a women-only section at say... the back of the bus.

[Kuang_Grade]

Maybe I am missing something, but can someone explain to me what the real logic behind the women-only row on a bus is?

Probably to make women feel better about riding that line and not facing the chance of having some mouthbreather sitting next to them trying to look down her shirt while she is sleeping.

[IkemenTommy]

Probably to make women feel better about riding that line and not facing the chance of having some mouthbreather sitting next to them trying to look down her shirt while she is sleeping.

I can totally understand how someone can propose a "women-only" (alert: lesbo) bus but the women-only row section of a bus is just plain idiotic.

Before anyone gets the wrong idea about the picture above and start giving me negative feedback, I am against all forms of discrimination, including reverse discrimination of having a women-only bus. Just imagine what the PMS level is on that bus!

[Mulboyne]

Maybe I am missing something, but can someone explain to me what the real logic behind the women-only row on a bus is?

The real logic is that you can charge more for the tickets.

[Behan]

(alert: lesbo) ...
Before anyone gets the wrong idea about the picture above and start giving me negative feedback, I am against all forms of discrimination, including reverse discrimination of having a women-only bus. Just imagine what the PMS level is on that bus!

I got a good laugh before starting the work day reading this.

[Greji]

I can see how they can close off and dedicate a women-only section at say... the back of the bus.

She really pissed you off, didn't she?