In a post that gained more than 500 comments, one curious-minded person asked locals: “What gives you second-hand embarrassment [in London]?”
The Reddit post quickly became a long list of embarrassing things you should never do on the Tube.
From having your phone on loudspeaker to holding the Tube doors open to pushing your way through the crowd, Londoners came out with a long list of embarrassing things you should never do.
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The most embarrassing things you should never do on the Tube
Stopping at the top of the escalators
One Reddit user said that they thought the top embarrassing thing you could do is stop at the top of escalators at London Underground stations.
As one Londoner shared: “I once had someone do this at the bottom of an escalator, with an umbrella up, perched on their shoulder for some weird reason.
“I was so annoyed I temporarily broke my British character and shoved them out of the way, tutting furiously as I walked on.”
Having your phone on loudspeaker
Something that was branded both embarrassing and rude was people who don’t use headphones and have their phones on loudspeaker.
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As one person put it: “Not using headphones when on a call on public transport.”
Another Londoner added: “I had this a couple of weeks ago, I mimed ‘putting phone to ear’ to them and they obliged.”
Stopping in the middle of a path
Described as both embarrassing and “inconsiderate” were people who stopped in the middle of a path.
One Reddit user recalled how they get second-hand embarrassment from people who also take up the entire path: “or they walk along it with 2-3 mates/family members next to them, all walking at a snail’s pace and leaving no room to walk around them.”
Pressing the Tube door button
Something that only applies to the London Underground is when passengers press the button to open the doors, says one local.
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Sharing on Reddit: “When people press the buttons on tube doors on lines where the buttons don’t do anything (not the overground), just touching the grimy door for no reason.”
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Getting stuck in the Tube door
Something that should always be avoided is getting stuck in the Tube door, often done by people in a rush.
As one local put it: “Second-hand embarrassment for sure when I witness it.”
Another Londoner said: “When someone runs for the tube or bus only for it to not move for five minutes (I get so embarrassed when this happens to me for some reason).”
