Commuter Illiterate: Premature evacuation.

I generally like it when passengers get off the train.  It leaves more space for the rest of the riders.  It is especially beneficial when the alighting patron happens to be seated.  It gives another person a chance to get off their feet.

What I don't like is when, halfway through to the next station, a passenger decides that it is now the proper time for them to arise.  So when you have a packed train car, the standing patrons end up with even less room because someone is too impatient to wait until the train actually arrives before standing up.  So you end up with uncomfortable people put in even more awkward position, and all the while there is an empty seat right in front of them.

Sometimes the passengers get to witness a funny little dance as one of the standees make their way to the empty seat as the other arises.  Or sometimes two will approach at the same time, and either one is too quick for the other, or one will yield realizing the other wanted it as well.  Sometimes no one will take it and after a moment, someone will look around to the left, then to the right, and if the coast is apparently clear, take the seat.

But why do people get up so quickly sometimes?  It could be paranoia, some kind of fear that the train doors will open and close before they can exit.  I've never actually seen that happen though.  And most instances of premature evacuation that I witness occur during rush hour, a time when most of the riders are daily commuters, so most of them must know that there should be enough time for you to get out.

The best guess as to the reason would really be impatience.  I see this at the end of the line, at 33rd Street in the morning or at Journal Square in the afternoon.  It's a pretty good assumption that everyone will be let out, yet by the time the train approaches the station, almost everybody is on their feet and crowding around the doors.

Impatience.  It's the same reason why people can't wait to let other people off before entering the car.  Then they go for a mad dash to the empty seats.  And then halfway to their stations, they just end up abandoning their seats anyway.


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