Thankfully, impromptu performances or people dressed in weird outfits don’t seem to bother people as much on the subways.
What bothers them more is hearing someone talk loudly, seeing someone eat a full meal on board, clipping fingernails or even cleaning their teeth mid‑ride.
According to a survey, about 50% of people said listening to somebody talk on their cellphone is the most annoying behavior on public transportation, followed by people who won’t give up their seats for handicapped or senior citizen passengers.
Many commuters said erratic or odd behaviour is a reason they’d ride less often.
Part of the fascination with weird subway encounters is also how they break everyday patterns.
People expect subways to be boring and when someone carries a coffin through a station or plays Squid Game in the middle of the platform, it’s surreal compared to their usual commute.
