Ethics Question

sabadabadasabadabada 5,966 Posts
edited March 2012 in Strut Central
My new commute, which is somewhere between interminable and never-ending, begins at the Oyster Bay trains station. I know, I could drive to Hicksville or Syosset, but that takes just as long and is worse because there is one road, everybody is on it driving like an asshole, and the trains from there are packed with typical Long Island meat-heads (no offense if you are one). When I take the train from Oyster Bay, there are only like 20 people on the train, the train begins there so it waits for me instead of me waiting for it, and the ride is picturesque and way more chill. Anyway, here is the ethical question:

The train consists of those double-decker cars. And, some of you may be familiar with them, each car has only one seat on the top floor that faces the direction the train is going, but has no seat in front of it, so you can stretch out. When I get on the train, there is nobody in the car, only like 20 people get on at Oyster Bay, everyone else is must be stuck behind a school bus on the way to Syosset. I sit in that seat.

When the train gets to the first station, an well-dressed, older gentleman gets on, starts up the stairs, sees me, frowns, and then turns around and walks down and into the next car. This has now happened two days in a row. I have clearly stolen his seat. What should I do?
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  Comments


  • asstroasstro 1,754 Posts
    Fuck him. As long as it's not a handicapped seat and he's not disabled he has no more right to it than you do.

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    first come first served

  • FlomotionFlomotion 2,391 Posts
    A grown man asked if I'd mind swapping my front of bus seat with his the other day because he liked to see where he was going. When I hesitated he offered me a sandwich. Either he was in the band Men At Work or he was a loon but I let him sit there.

    I didn't think Saba entertained ethical dilemmas. Maybe give him have the seat a couple of days a week?

  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    I think if it's bugging you, you already know the answer.

    Then again, it may not even be that. Next time, break the ice and ask "Was this your regular seat?" If so, swap it out like suggested above.

    It would be a classy move and little gestures like this make cities better places to live.

  • skelskel You can't cheat karma 5,033 Posts
    Generate good karma and let him have the seat. Tell him you sit in it to ensure he gets possession.
    He is elderly and may remember you in his will.
    Stranger things have happened.

  • sabadabadasabadabada 5,966 Posts
    I thought next week I would sit in the seat facing that one and across the isle reading a newspaper. He would come in and start up the stairs as usual and when he didn't see me, he would think, "Oh, good, he's gone, must have just been some chap visiting or something, oh well, glad that's over and I got my seat back." Then, he would sit down, and see someone sitting in the seat opposite, and at that exact moment I would lower the paper and he would see that it was, in fact me, the mysterious seat-stealer and I had been there all along. And then I would say, "Enjoy the ride old man, because that's the last time you're going to sit in that seat!"

    And then laugh maniacally.

  • Am I the only one who was expecting this thread to be about the Philly soul group?

    Anyway when I saw this part:

    trains from there are packed with typically Long Island meat-head

    I couldn't help thinking of this:



  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    How can you own a public seat?

  • It's sort of sad that wondering whether you should be kind to another person ranks for some as an ethical dilemma.

  • skelskel You can't cheat karma 5,033 Posts
    Young Neil, such empathy marks you out as a Myers-Briggs 'introvert' type.
    Saba is clearly Extrovert Sensing type, aka a selfish bastard

  • DJ_EnkiDJ_Enki 6,473 Posts
    sabadabada said:
    I thought next week I would sit in the seat facing that one and across the isle reading a newspaper. He would come in and start up the stairs as usual and when he didn't see me, he would think, "Oh, good, he's gone, must have just been some chap visiting or something, oh well, glad that's over and I got my seat back." Then, he would sit down, and see someone sitting in the seat opposite, and at that exact moment I would lower the paper and he would see that it was, in fact me, the mysterious seat-stealer and I had been there all along. And then I would say, "Enjoy the ride old man, because that's the last time you're going to sit in that seat!"

    And then laugh maniacally.

    I like this.

    But seriously, it's not like it's "his" seat, it's just the seat he would like to have. If you want to do a little good deed/build up some positive karma/whatever, give it to him, but there's no obligation to do so.

  • moving out of the city has already made you soft.

  • keithvanhornkeithvanhorn 3,855 Posts
    i would say that this has nothing to do with "ethics" but feel free to give up your seat if that makes you feel better.

  • sabadabadasabadabada 5,966 Posts
    bassie said:


    It would be a classy move and little gestures like this make cities better places to live.

    That's the great thing about it, I'm not IN the city any more. It's full-on, free-for-all -every-man-for-himself. now. He obviously can afford to live without my kind gestures judging by his shoes.

  • sabadabadasabadabada 5,966 Posts
    keithvanhorn said:
    i would say that this has nothing to do with "ethics" but feel free to give up your seat if that makes you feel better.

    KVM, it's me, remember. You think giving something up is going to make me feel BETTER?

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    Chip away at their sense of entitlement.

  • sabadabadasabadabada 5,966 Posts
    batmon said:
    How can you own a public seat?

    But by this standard, if he got up to use the bathroom real fast, I could jump int there and take the seat. Even though there are 20 other open seats.

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    sabadabada said:
    batmon said:
    How can you own a public seat?

    But by this standard, if he got up to use the bathroom real fast, I could jump int there and take the seat. Even though there are 20 other open seats.

    U could, but thats not classy. Going on the offensive for someone's LIRR seat is suspect.

    But if you just randomly sit down and someone gets pissed down the line..... Fuck them.

  • GrandfatherGrandfather 2,303 Posts
    My commute is about an hour everyday. I ride a commuter bus. In the second to last row of seats, you can lean back more and have more leg room.
    Its always a race to get to that last row and get the best nap of the ride. I'm not always first but all other passengers have that same common understanding that the last row is always up for grabs.

  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    sabadabada said:
    bassie said:


    It would be a classy move and little gestures like this make cities better places to live.

    That's the great thing about it, I'm not IN the city any more. It's full-on, free-for-all -every-man-for-himself. now.

    Purposefully difficult.
    Once you leave the beautiful interior of your home, you also leave your beautiful manners behind?

    sabadabada said:
    He obviously can afford to live without my kind gestures judging by his shoes.

    Oh what? Now you're all "eat the rich?".

    What a dilemma!! Perhaps this chart can help?


  • The_NonThe_Non 5,691 Posts
    sabadabada said:
    bassie said:


    It would be a classy move and little gestures like this make cities better places to live.

    That's the great thing about it, I'm not IN the city any more. It's full-on, free-for-all -every-man-for-himself. now. He obviously can afford to live without my kind gestures judging by his shoes.
    Sit in that seat in the morning reading a copy of Lord of the Flies. Or, more your style, Atlas Shrugged.

  • The_NonThe_Non 5,691 Posts
    Or, put a sign in the seat saying "Interesting Trades For Seat Considered," sit next to it and stare homie down.

  • Approach him and ask him how much the seat is worth to him. Make sure you have a pistol underneath a folded newspaper just in case...

  • EIGHTYEIGHTY 224 Posts
    Leave the seat for him and as soon as he sits down just annoy the shit out of him the whole ride to work. Do this five days a week for three weeks straight and the seat will be yours for good.

  • RockadelicRockadelic Out Digging 13,993 Posts
    Divorce his daughter and move on with your life.

  • DB_CooperDB_Cooper Manhatin' 7,823 Posts
    If the corner sandwich spot made a particularly good sandwich that some random old guy liked as much as you, and they ran out of it every day, would you voluntarily sacrifice getting one yourself on the chance that the old man would then be able to enjoy a delicious sandwich, whilst you had none?

    No.



    Fuck that guy.


  • mateomateo 163 Posts
    sabadabada said:
    I have clearly stolen his seat. What should I do?

    it only matters if you believe in karma...

  • facesdfacesd 236 Posts
    Hell, Saba, I ain't embarrassed to use the word...I'm talkin' about ethics.


  • DORDOR Two Ron Toe 9,903 Posts
    neil_something said:
    It's sort of sad that wondering whether you should be kind to another person ranks for some as an ethical dilemma.



  • Somebody had that seat before him and somebody will have it after you.
    Sit down and enjoy that mf'er. Every dog has his day.
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