[kylebrown]

I once talked with someone from Seattle about our similar experiences riding the train in D.C. In mine, I was looking around too much for the young professional seated next to me. He removed an earbud to ask me if I had a problem, I said "no, just my first time riding the train here... So what do you do?" His response was scathing, "I mind my own damn business." She remembered being scowled at for offering another passenger a piece of gum (a girl with an iPod, earbuds, and newspaper).

Being from the midwest, I've taken the train in Chicago many times, without ever having an experience like I did in DC. I would say that commuters in Chicago tend to be comfortable exchanging glances with one another and making smalltalk, quite unlike DC.

[cafard]

DC public transportation does seem to have an ethic of space--the other week a guy moved when I sat down next to him--and reserve. That said, I haven't seen a lot scowling when one is intruded on. I will not myself initiate a conversation unless the person is next to or across from me and there is obvious reason to--reading matter or possible recognition.

[Bahamut]

The context people operate in around DC is that there are more unpleasant people that ride public transportation than you'd expect. I've seen my fair share around here in DC, and someone in my unit has plenty of stories to tell about late night shenanigans of passengers (he's a bus driver).