I don't think it's uniformly horrible in Chicago. There are some disabled passengers I see frequently on my morning bus route, and people are pretty awesome about moving out of the way and folding up handicapped seating.

I don't know what juliana, Hec, tommyrot and other present and past SFistas have observed, but it's always seemed to me that high school through college students are startlingly good and alert about giving up their seats.

I'd agree.

I currently hate my commute, since the easiest bus for me to use is the one that comes from/goes to the Marina (which is where we keep the yuppies). Overindulged asshattedness abounds on that bus.

(Which means people are not so good about giving up their seats. Or sharing the seat. Or moving out of the way so people can disembark. Jackholes.)

Most people are pretty good about making room and even helping move obstacles (or at least attempting to) when I'm pushing Dad's wheelchair. There are the occasional folks who willfully stand in the way even when facing our approach, but fortunately it turns out metal footrests are less sensitive than ankles and quite persuasive when the twain meet.

(which is where we keep the yuppies)

We have Trixies and Chads.

And I will admit to a mean pleasure in watching people who obviously don't regularly take public transit.

I have a big old physical and psychological space rant...or did. I don't have the energy to translate it though.

Basically, though, it's way past time that I was no longer surprising. I don't expect to be typical, nor demand it, but women who want to be bigger and stronger shouldn't be heralded by such wonderment and disbelief.

When I lived in SF proper, way back when, I say a fight between two 70ish women, because one of them was already seated in the preferential seating area, when the other one got on board, and the second woman was determined to make her give up her seat. There weren't physical blows traded, but the driver had to split them up.

On a completely different note (sort of), do people use the word "agita"?. Someone at work just did, and I had to look up what it meant.

Woman jailed for testicle attack

owie

Stab victim 'continued masturbating'

WTF???

She crossed through a crowded room twice, and she said that a vast majority of the women noticed she was coming and shifted themselves to allow her to pass. The vast majority of the men didn't notice her coming, even when she asked them to move.

I had an interesting experience my last time at SFO. I had been put in first class and not one of the four men standing around me offered to help put my bag in the overhead. I don't think I've ever been in coach where that has been the case.

On a completely different note (sort of), do people use the word "agita"?

I don't think I use it, but I've seen it enough, although usually for metaphorical indigestion.

I would relate public transportation experiences, but no one here ever takes it.