Reader MightyQuinn wants to know what to call the icky “straddling” phenomenon that involves complete strangers rubbing knees and inner thighs together as they squeeze into opposing seats in Metro-North’s five-seaters.
Great question. I’ve thought of this myself and have not been able to come up with a good Word of the Week for it (For-knee-cation? The Patella Rhumba?). Maybe I could think of one today if I wasn’t so wrecked from spending late nights in Grand Central.
Dear readers?
Quinn writes:
I am fascinated by what I call the “straddling” phenomenon, and am wondering if you have addressed it in your ‘word of the week’. If so, I am sure you have a better name for it.
‘Straddling’ occurs in the oppositely-facing bench seats, I think they’re 5-seaters.
This awkward situation arises for example when the 5-seaters are full and the riders facing each other have to decide what to do with their knees. There are a few options, the first most awkward and apparently most popular one: one person widens his legs while the opposite person clinches his or her legs together to fit in between the straddler’s.
Option 2: both people split their legs, each person’s knee alternating
Option 3: both people keep their knees together and angle in opposite directions.
I understand this decision like other seating decisions are ride-long commitments that have to be made in a split second, but the fact that people willingly do this fascinates me. I prefer the non-straddle knee-clenching option, but avoid the 5-seaters altogether.
“KNEE-KNOTTING”?
usually see option 3 on NJT, since mostly long-legged folks grab the 5-seater, and hope that nobody sits across from them. But on a crowded train, shyness is often trumped by a soft seat.
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