I take the New York City subway daily. I actually kind of enjoy it. There is always something to see or hear and for a people watcher it is pretty much heaven. Last night me and about ten strangers all watched a bum that was laying across three seats. He was passed out drunk and the train was rocking something fierce. He was teetering between falling off on to the floor and not falling. Every time we thought he would fall he wouldn’t and then suddenly BOOM!!! He fell with a thud and we all looked at eachother as if to say “I told you he would fall”. Some people took pictures. I had left my newly purchased video cam at home (DAMNIT!!!). The bum stayed passed out even after the fall but I began to wonder about his privacy or lack thereof.
Privacy is not to be expected in a subway or any public place for that matter. However, I do feel there is a one foot radius around all of us that is a ‘no-fly zone’. And lately there have been many incidents in my ‘no fly zone’. The most annoying of these incidents are those that involve snooping. You know, when someone looks over your shoulder to read your newspaper, look at what you are doing on your phone or maybe even to see what song you are playing on your ipod.
Gadgets like ipods seem to draw the most attention. This is especially true if you own the latest device de jour like an iPhone. I play solitaire on my iPhone while riding the subway and sometimes I will write emails that I send when back above ground. I don’t mind people staring at my screen when I am playing solitaire but when I am writing an email I find it extremely rude.
So what is one to do? Well, you could just turn to the person and tell them to stop. But they will deny that they were looking and confrontation sucks. So here are a few ideas for you for the next time you find yourself being snooped on while in public.
