It sounds ridiculous, but the Spanish capital’s Municipal Transport Company (EMT) announced this week it will be adding ‘No Manspreading’ signs inside its trains and buses.
Not familiar with the term? It refers to the practice of men sitting with their knees wide apart on public transport and covering more than one seat.
The new signs ask travellers to “remember the need to maintain civic behaviour and to respect the space of everyone on board,” the announcement reads.
In short: you only get one seat.
Dude, it’s rude
But it turns out Madrid is not the only city to tackle this social scourge.
In 2014, the New York subway system ran a campaign to combat manspreading. The US city of Philadelphia also launched a ‘Dude It’s Rude’ movement, while Seattle used a sprawling purple octopus to encourage passengers to keep their ‘appendages’ to themselves in 2015.
Some South Korean trains also feature stickers on the floor to remind people where their feet should go.
Personally, I’m in favour as long as it applies to everyone – women included. If you’ve ever been crowded out of a seat on a train or bus, you’ll know what I mean.
