Do you use public transport? Why does everyone smell?

Fann Linn · 01-02-2018 02:05PM

Bambi985 wrote: »

I spend 2 hours if not more on the London tube every day. I have yet to make a journey without being subjected to the foul smell of someone’s B.O, their vile garlic hangover sweats (incredibly common that one), their stale fag smell or their halitosis.

A lot of these people are business men in suits, or travellers with rucksacks, or just people that otherwise look like respectable members of society. Until I’m forced to hang out in their proximity for up to an hour and get actively angry at their insistence at not showering or washing their clothes.

What is wrong with people? Does the average person not wash themselves every day? Am I the only person that experiences this?

Women should close their legs.

Greentopia · 01-02-2018 02:36PM

I take the tram here quite a bit and don't ever notice any bad smells really. Germans are much cleaner than the English? :pac:

biko · 01-02-2018 03:05PM

Why does everyone smell?

Is that you, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille?

eigrod · 01-02-2018 03:21PM

- people with B.O.;
- people eating putrid smelling muesli;
- people eating popcorn or crisps;
- guy this morning next to me constantly drawing heavily back through his nose while chewing gum with his mouth open;
- people who don't know how to (or don't want to) turn off the keyboard clicks via 'sounds' on their phones and texting furiously;
- people with earphones that send the sound outwards;
- people with pathetic ringtones who don't realise it's their phone ringing and only after 3 minutes of loud ringing does it dawn on them;
- people conducting a phone conversation for the entire journey (minimum 30 mins and an extremely common occurrence);

All form part of my daily DART commute.

So many of us simply don't have standard manners anymore.

5rtytry56 · 01-02-2018 03:38PM

eigrod wrote: »

-
- people who don't know how to (or don't want to) turn off the keyboard clicks via 'sounds' on their phones and texting furiously;
- people with earphones that send the sound outwards;
- people with pathetic ringtones who don't realise it's their phone ringing and only after 3 minutes of loud ringing does it dawn on them;
- people conducting a phone conversation for the entire journey (minimum 30 mins and an extremely common occurrence);

All form part of my daily DART commute.

So many of us simply don't have standard manners anymore.

prevalent and rampant on Dublin Bus.
Highlights of these conversations:

"I'm just about to run outta credit..Call me back.......My battery's aboutta die. .....Wha?.......Wha?.......Yes. that's right that's what he done..........Wha????"

_Dara_ · 01-02-2018 04:21PM

eigrod wrote: »

- people conducting a phone conversation for the entire journey (minimum 30 mins and an extremely common occurrence);

So many of us simply don't have standard manners anymore.

I don't see why people have a blanket issue with people using their phone on public transport. If they are speaking as low as someone who is having a conversation on the train, what is the problem? Who cares if it's the entire journey? Would someone talking to a travelling companion for the entire journey bother you?

Someone speaking loudly into their phone; yes, that's rude. Being annoyed at someone having a quiet phone conversation makes no logical sense.

eigrod · 01-02-2018 04:28PM

_Dara_ wrote: »

I don't see why people have a blanket issue with people using their phone on public transport. If they are speaking as low as someone who is having a conversation on the train, what is the problem? Who cares if it's the entire journey? Would someone talking to a travelling companion for the entire journey bother you?

Someone speaking loudly into their phone; yes, that's rude. Being annoyed at someone having a quiet phone conversation makes no logical sense.

It's the loud ones that are the main problem, but not exclusively.

I can't articulate why, but two people on the train who know each other having a conversation doesn't irritate me; one person talking on the phone to someone else for anything upwards of 3 minutes irritates the ****e out of me.

_Dara_ · 01-02-2018 04:38PM

eigrod wrote: »

I can't articulate why, but two people on the train who know each other having a conversation doesn't irritate me; one person talking on the phone to someone else for anything upwards of 3 minutes irritates the ****e out of me.

Well, then it's not a lack of manners, as you said. It's your own personal issue. Someone speaking quietly on a phone on public transport - not rude.

Based on your extensive list, you've very likely done something yourself on public transport to annoy someone else. Nobody ever thinks that they themselves are annoying though.

eigrod · 01-02-2018 05:38PM

_Dara_ wrote: »

Well, then it's not a lack of manners, as you said. It's your own personal issue. Someone speaking quietly on a phone on public transport - not rude.

Based on your extensive list, you've very likely done something yourself on public transport to annoy someone else. Nobody ever thinks that they themselves are annoying though.

I'm sure I have, but never any on that list.

ThinkProgress · 01-02-2018 06:23PM

razorblunt wrote: »

I would normally say I’ve never encountered anything that bad but this morning on the morning tram a woman sat next to me. She was a mouth breather and clearly didn’t brush her teeth after getting out of bed. Horrific.

Huh??

Is this actually a thing?

Wouldn't that mean you'd have to brush your teeth twice every morning? (unless you're super-dooper manky and don't brush after your breakfast) :eek:

5rtytry56 · 01-02-2018 07:49PM

ThinkProgress wrote: »

Huh??

Is this actually a thing?

Wouldn't that mean you'd have to brush your teeth twice every morning? (unless you're super-dooper manky and don't brush after your breakfast) :eek:

Indeed there certainly is a solid cohort out there on public transport who don't brush their teeth after breakfast.. "Eggy breath" is a prominent sign.

Jack Kanoff · 01-02-2018 08:24PM

splinter65 wrote: »

The garlic comes out through the pores in your skin over 24 hours or so. It also wafts out of your mouth from you digestive system .

Not to mention your hole

Herb Powell · 02-02-2018 12:00AM

splinter65 wrote: »

Garlic should be a weekend thing.
If your loved ones are happy to share space with you stinking to high heaven then that’s fine but don’t inflict it on strangers and colleagues.

Erra fuuck off outta that. Garlic is delicious and very healthy.

razorblunt · 02-02-2018 10:39AM

ThinkProgress wrote: »

Huh??

Is this actually a thing?

Wouldn't that mean you'd have to brush your teeth twice every morning? (unless you're super-dooper manky and don't brush after your breakfast) :eek:

Ok, I didn't actually mean just out of bed, read it as a "before she leaves the house", with or without breakfast.

Chrongen · 02-02-2018 04:10PM

Bambi985 wrote: »

I spend 2 hours if not more on the London tube every day. I have yet to make a journey without being subjected to the foul smell of someone’s B.O, their vile garlic hangover sweats (incredibly common that one), their stale fag smell or their halitosis.

A lot of these people are business men in suits, or travellers with rucksacks, or just people that otherwise look like respectable members of society. Until I’m forced to hang out in their proximity for up to an hour and get actively angry at their insistence at not showering or washing their clothes.

What is wrong with people? Does the average person not wash themselves every day? Am I the only person that experiences this?

You have to single out some lovely Afro-Carribbean beauty or polished London bombshell and sidle up next to her. Her cocoa butter body lotion, perfume and fragrant conditioned hair can be used as a filter for the stenches around you so get in close for maximum effect. Failing that smear some Vicks on your upper lip to mask the gut-wrenching odour of the rest of the passengers.

Riskymove · 02-02-2018 04:12PM

Bambi985 wrote: »

What is wrong with people?

Sartre was right

L'enfer? C'est le autres

02-02-2018 05:07PM

I read a book once about a guy who was writing a piece on nutrition habits and he noticed that when travelling on the subways of new York and London, they basically stank. when he did it Japan standing in a comparatively equal size cabin, there was no such smell. He puts a lot of it down do diet, meat, general shyte going into the body...Now consider that, then add your garden variety smelly non teeth brushing, shower avoiding, same shirt and jocks wearing skankbag, and you know why public transport stinks!

Capt'n Midnight · 02-02-2018 11:53PM

Oldtree wrote: »

As an addendum to your plight, you will notice that as a tube train is coming toward a station a breeze will proceed it. The breeze can be somewhat dusty. That dust is made up mainly of human tissue, skin and hair and you inhale it. Wipe the inside of your nostril with a tissue before you leave the tube the next day and clearly see the dark residue.

Saw a TV documenatry on the Tube about how they clean the trains.

Train drives into a long corridor with air locks, and then they open the doors and massive fans just blow right through, and lads in space suits and high pressure air hoses blast away at a months accumulation of dirt in the filters and upholstery and what not. It's like a sandstorm.

andekwarhola · 03-02-2018 12:55AM

_Dara_ wrote: »

I've never taken the tube at peak time but I've taken many a rush hour city bus, Luas and Dart where lots of people are standing and I very rarely encounter smelly folk.

Yes, but that kind of equanimity doesn't provide grounds for the 1050th iteration of a Trivial Things That Irritate Me thread does it?

JupiterKid · 03-02-2018 01:32AM

Unless you do physically exerting work or cycle a fair distance to your workplace, there really is need to shower every day. I myself shower every second day. I don't have a problem with smelling bad.

Showering more than once a day is OCD in my opinion and indicates that a person who does this religiously has issues with any sort of dirt.

Some people on public transport smell bad, but I'd wager these people only shower or wash once a week or even less. There are also unfortunates who have naturally very strong BO /bad breath/etc and no amount of washing helps that.

harry Bailey esq · 03-02-2018 04:10AM

SuperSean11 wrote: »

Why are yous smelling people anyway, is it a fetish thing OP?

More of a kink than a fetish. I spend half my day on public transport, zegna is my current go to aftershave, its classy stuff. I don't overdo it, but it covers up my scampi fetish perfectly.

KellyXX · 03-02-2018 04:31AM

Two people who work beside me take the bus in the mornings and tou can smell the bus off them.

I remember another time I was on the bus and a woman opposite jumped and screamed. She had a wet patch on her arse. She went to the driver and told him someone had pissed in that seat. He said he would sort it and she got off.

Very next person got on the bus and sat in the seat too. Driver did nothing. That bus was probably going around for weeks giving everyone in that seat the hum of piss.

Do you use public transport? Why does everyone smell?

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