Don’t Eat On The Train, Millburn: 5 Commuter Pet Peeves and Etiquette Tips

Do you eat or drink on the PATH train?

Your commuter courtesy knowledge can use a brush up, according to the Port Authority of NY/NJ.

The agency recently released a meme reminding PATH riders that no eating or drinking is allowed on trains “for good reason.”

“Spills and litter can be harmful to you and fellow riders,” Port Authority officials wrote in a Twitter post.

Here are four other commuter courtesy violations that you may want to avoid.

PUTTING ITEMS ON THE SEAT

“Riders should be aware that they should not fill up an additional seat with packages or other oversized items without paying for the use of that second seat,” the Maryland Transit Administration advises.

“Passengers boarding at the end of a route should not have to ask for items to be removed from a seat so they can sit,” the agency adds.

DOOR-BUNCHING

One of the worst faux pas a train or subway rider can make is what Tech Insider calls “door-bunching.”

This frustrating phenomenon happens when - instead of making their way to the center and ends of the car - riders insist on standing right in the path of entry and exit, Tech Insider writes.

“That means people trying to get out of the train need to fight their way through bags, books, strollers, and headphone cords,” Tech Insider states. “People trying to get onto the train have to pound through a similar obstacle course, all while the offenders give them the side-eye for daring to infringe upon their personal space while they themselves are standing in the middle of the path of everybody on the train.”

COUGHING

“OK, we all get sick once in a while, but if you absolutely have to cough or sneeze on the subway, cover your mouth,” a BuzzFeed article recommends.

“Or better yet, stay home,” the article suggests. “We don’t need your germs.”

PHONE ETTIQUITE

If you talk on the phone the whole ride or chat loudly on a Skype call, you might want to save the conversation for another time, TheDishh.com recommends.

“It’s fine if you need to make a phone call, but make it quick and keep it quiet,” the article states. “Don’t be super loud and don’t make it so that everyone in the train car can hear what you’re saying.”

Let us know about your own personal pet peeves in the comments section, local commuters. We’ll share the best replies in an upcoming article.

Sign up for Patch NJ email newsletters here.

File photo: David Fulmer, Flickr Commons