‘Why?’: Public transport commuters baffled by common act

It’s a common sight you often see on trams, but many have been left wondering … why do we do this?

A seemingly simple act on public transport has left Melbourne commuters puzzled, sparking a debate online about why many choose to stand rather than sit on a tram, even when plenty of seats are available.

A user posted a photo on Reddit of an empty tram seat, surrounded by standing passengers, with the caption: “People who prefer to stand than take a free seat on public transport, why?”

The original poster elaborated: “Hear me out, I know people like to stand up and be ready to go, but when the tram is clearly full and people are struggling to get on, what’s the reason for not sitting?

“Even when the tram isn’t full, why not sit while in a moving vehicle?”

They also mentioned witnessing a woman “smash her head” on the tram floor after falling backwards from a sudden stop.

“She was bleeding, and at her age, lucky to be alive,” they said. “Maybe we are all complacent until we see someone bleeding”.

Why do people stand on public transport when there are seats available? Picture: Reddit

Reasons for standing

The post quickly went viral, attracting hundreds of comments from Melburnians offering various reasons for their preference to stand.

Many said it helps avoid getting trapped as the tram fills up and makes it easier to hop off at busy stops.

“I’ve always thought people stand to avoid getting stuck and unable to get off,” said one commenter, with another adding, “Agree, especially if it’s a short stop and you’re getting on before a rush of people”.

Others said it was sometimes “awkward” to navigate crowded aisles to reach a seat, so they just don’t bother.

And for some, standing was just a welcome break from sitting at a desk all day.

“I sit down in my office all day, so I prefer to stand,” said one, while another echoed: “I sit enough”.

Commuters have shared multiple reasons for standing, including hygiene and personal space. Picture: News.com.au

Seat size plays a role

The size of public transport seats was another point raised.

“I’m a 6’1 man and the seats are made for tiny munchkin people,” said one. “Even if I’m lucky and the person across from me has short legs, we’ll still knock knees. So I have to sit with my feet crammed under the seat if I don’t want to play footsie,” complained a fed-up commuter.

“There is no socially appropriate way to sit in those seats,” chimed in someone else. “Either your feet block the aisle or you’re knee to crotch with someone else”.

“There’s no such thing as personal space in those seats,” agreed a third.

Meanwhile, some people said for them, it was more about hygiene.

“Hear me out … people are gross,” said one. “I’ve seen enough disgusting hygiene on public transport to know I want to be nowhere near those seats”.

Others just didn’t want to ruin their nice clothes by sitting down on a potentially dirty seat.

And some felt sitting for just a few stops wasn’t worth it.

“I’m often not going far,” said one commuter.

“If I sit down, I’ll probably just have to get up for someone who needs it more,” added another.

A different person mentioned they didn’t see the issue with standing in the first place, as it’s not physically taxing.

Safety considerations

News.com.au contacted Transport for Victoria for a comment, who directed us to their safety page.

It states: “Because our trams often share roads with other traffic, unexpected stops can occur. Always sit whenever possible and hold on to a pole, handle or strap if you’re standing”.

The transport authority also advises commuters to adopt a “feet apart, strong stance” when standing to prevent falling over.