Move your bags please

It’s early in the morning; the bus is crowded with both students and government workers heading to their respective destinations. As the bus grinds to a halt to allow several people off, those still standing shuffle forwards, hoping to get one of the newly available seats. Most of those seats are quickly reoccupied, seeming to leave most out of luck. Then someone spots a seat that isn’t occupied by a person, but a bag. They make their way over, asking the person if they can sit down.

I myself am guilty of leaving my bag on the seat to save it for a friend getting on later, but I do move it if I see the bus getting crowded. I have also witnessed people moving their bags or giving up their seats entirely for those who need it. However, there are still too many cases where people refuse to carry out the simple courtesy. They go so far as to place their bag on the seat furthest from the aisle, and shoot dirty looks at whoever asks them to sit.

It’s also not just an Ottawa issue either, as it has frequently sparked debates on popular talk shows. On Canada’s The Social, Jess Allan, a frequent guest, told a story about a woman who wouldn’t move her bags off the seat beside her so that a pregnant woman could sit, until other passengers got involved.

No matter where it is or who it’s with, there’s no denying how annoying it is when people don’t move their bags to make space on crowded transportation. So don’t be that person.