American in the UK is 'stared at' on train after making key etiquette mistake

An American living in the UK has shared that he can't understand the etiquette on public transport, admitting that he didn't know whether he was doing something "wrong" when he was on the train. TikToker@kjordyy travels around the UK ranking the cities, and he said that he "loves" living in the UK, but there's one thing about the culture that he just can't get his head around.

He reckons Brits are "overpolite," but to "a fault," saying that it's "no secret" that there's a "huge apologising culture" in the UK, but it does confusehim a little bit. Some of this confusion happened when he was travelling on a train recently.

"I was on a super-packed train from Birmingham to London, and every single seat was taken except for one right next to me," he explained.

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The American continued: "There's an older gentleman who just got on the train. He kept looking at me. It's not my job to tell you to come and sit. If he wants to sit, he's a grown man; he can come sit. He would even look at me and then look away.

"His wife had found a seat and was kinda looking at me like I was doing something wrong, but in reality, he could've easily just sat next to me. And part of me wanted to offer the seat next to me to him, but I was like wait a minute, it's an open seat, he can just come grab it if he wants to sit there."

The content creator admitted that because he's "from the US," it can be "hard to judge" some situations, because the cultures are so different.

"I don't know whether he's actually being too polite, maybe he's not too fond of me, or, it just doesn't make sense," he shared. However, he admitted that he does "love the UK".

In the comments, someone pointed out: "I think he wanted you to give up your seat so him and his wife could sit together".

TiKToker @kjordyy responded, asking, "Why didn't he ask?"

Another replied: "Because you might tell him to eff off, he was hoping you would ‘have some consideration’ and offer. It’s an old fashioned concept, culturally dying out now as we become more individualistic like Americans. Back in the day, we were taught to offer our seats to the elderly, infirm and pregnant".

Someone else defended the TikToker, however, saying: "Exactly, he should have asked if his wife could swap seats so they can sit next to one another. What are we back in the 1950s? Just getting up to give away a seat, when there is a perfectly good seat open next to you. You are not a mind reader!! I said, what I said!!"

A man wrote: "You were totally right to do what you did. He could’ve asked. However, a great gesture and display of kindness - which would be appreciated by the strangers - is to say ‘would you like to sit together?’ and offer your seat.

"You saw they were together and you’re travelling solo (I assume from the empty seat), so it would make it easier on them. I assume the guy staring at you would’ve liked this. I do this sometimes, but it’s all dependent on the situation, and only you and they will know.

"The old guy staring isn’t on, though. However, if they were quite elderly, it’s just good manners to offer your seat to older people. It’s a tricky and subtle one to find the right balance and the right thing to do here".