Oh the people you meet on public transportation

[BCL]

Granted I've overheard stuff that's too much information, but today was a first where someone was directly addressing me and I'm not even sure what the problem was.

I was talking Santa Clara VTA light rail this morning. I'm getting off in two stations so I figure I'll just stand.and in the meanwhile just check some stuff on my phone before exiting. I'm near a door and leaning with my back against one the handrails. I wasn't really noticing anything around me until some guy sitting down across the entrance interjects.

Could you f-ing sit down and not stand there? What if this f-ing thing stops and you come flying into me? (I was actually a good four feet from the seated guy.)

And are you f-ing taking pictures of me? This isn't your private car where you can do any f-ing thing you want. (Again - I didn't even notice the guy and told him I wasn't taking pictures of him).

I just walked to the other door and leaned against the rail there. He's still at it telling me to sit down and to &*(^&^ delete any pictures he thinks I might have taken of him. Besides the fact that I don't know him and have no reasons to take a picture of him, I can't figure out what the issue is other than he might be paranoid.

I don't know how to describe it, but the guy didn't seem mentally ill per se. He seemed more like a middle-aged curmedgeon. I think others in the car noticed but didn't really find anything all that unusual nor speak up.

 

[Rail Freak]

Something similar happened to me on the Silver Star. One of my 1st train trips & I took some pix of the lounge(cafe) car. I went back to my seat in coach & this guy comes out of the cafe car to my seat & starts raising hell about me taking pix of him & his lady friend. The guy was so upset the attendant called the conductor! Made me wonder if the two were mairried but not to each other!

 

[leemell]

This legal explanation of taking pictures in a public or private space seems to cover both situations.

 

[BCL]

This legal explanation of taking pictures in a public or private space seems to cover both situations.

In my case I never even had the camera function turned on. This guy just seemed to be angry about anything. I think he even barked at me to destroy the phone. It was really odd. This is my phone and the back is only vaguely pointing in his direction.

I also felt no obligation to move, but did so because it was just getting a little bit weird. I didn't sit down though. At the point I moved there was only one more stop.

 

[leemell]

You did the right thing.

 

[BCL]

Here's a photo of an empty car. I didn't take this picture.

The guy who yelled at me was sitting in the seat closest to the right "WATCH YOUR STEP" sign. I'm leaning on the railing on the opposite partition across the right-side door. That's got to be a good four feet. What business is it of this guy that I choose to stand there away from him? I even walked to the other side of the car, and he still yelled at me to sit down.

 

[SarahZ]

He sounds like a loon. You didn't do anything wrong.

 

[DET63]

I was talking Santa Clara VTA light rail this morning. I'm getting off in two stations so I figure I'll just stand.and in the meanwhile just check some stuff on my phone before exiting. I'm near a door and leaning with my back against one the handrails. I wasn't really noticing anything around me until some guy sitting down across the entrance interjects.
Could you f-ing sit down and not stand there? What if this f-ing thing stops and you come flying into me? (I was actually a good four feet from the seated guy.)

And are you f-ing taking pictures of me? This isn't your private car where you can do any f-ing thing you want. (Again - I didn't even notice the guy and told him I wasn't taking pictures of him).

Sounds like the guy had an f-ing problem.

 

[MikefromCrete]

You're letting this bother you too much. The guy has problems, you don't.