Subway Etiquette - Tumblr Posts

I had a funny encounter with this particular bit of subway behavior a few years ago.

I had been tie-dying with friends in central park the morning of the fateful encounter. Normally, when tie-dying, one wears gloves to prevent the dye from staining one's hands. Unfortunately for me, the people who organized the get-together failed to plan accordingly and we didn't have nearly enough gloves to go around. Being an art student and accustomed to getting dirty, I gave my gloves to someone else. By the time we were done dying and cleaning up, my hands were thoroughly purple. I didn't think much of it until I was on the subway going home. It was early rush hour and the car was full but not overly cramped. Failing to find a seat, I held onto the pole (in accordance with above regulations). As the subway jerked to a start, I took out a book and began to read. When the train came to a stop, I looked around to see where we were. While I did this, I happened to notice my very purple hand, holding on to the subway pole, but no other hands nearby. Apparently, while I wasn't looking all the other hands had migrated far away from mine. Maybe they were afraid the purple was contagious.

Subway Pole Etiquette

For reasons quite far beyond me,

The couples on subways I see

Lack any disgrace

While they're sucking-face,

And groping with unbridled glee.

~

Upper image source

Lower image source

On display all over the 8th Ave. (and 14th st) subway stop

Life Underground by Tom Otterness