For the Love of Food, Please Stop Eating on Public Transport!

I recently took a 3-hour bus trip with a gluttonous, annoying seat partner who couldn’t keep his mouth shut. It was absolute hell for me. Then it hit me… People are eating all the time, everywhere, which is disgusting. Don’t get me wrong. I love food, but I’m often nauseated by people eating foods with obnoxious smells. I’m actually personally offended when passengers arrogantly dump their garbage on the bus floor as if they are the only people who matter in the world.

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t eat on a 3-hour bus trip but hey! Bring your table manners with you. It’s the least you can do. And if you are on public transport in the city, probably a 30-minute ride home, please hold onto that tuna sandwich until you get home. If you really are hungry, I don’t see why you couldn’t have eaten that burger in the office or that pizza in the fast-food restaurant where you bought it.

The only exceptions are pregnant women and people with medical conditions that require them to eat and drink regularly. Speaking of exceptions, the fact that you have to eat on public transit isn’t a good enough reason to leave your rubbish everywhere or to throw your food around. If you are a messy eater, what about you try eating with your mouth shut this one time? Trust me, no one is excited by the sight of your chewed food!

Okay. I get it… you must eat while on the move. You just cannot help yourself. But could you please stop behaving like you are the only person in the universe? And pulling that off is simpler than you probably thought. Allow me to share with you 5 important things to keep in mind when eating on buses or even trains.

Stinky foods aren’t nice

Salmon and other fish products, boiled eggs, burgers, onion & garlic, and any peanut products should not be consumed in closed-off areas, not just the bus. I can bet that everyone but you is affected by the pungent smell coming from your food, and definitely not in a nice way. It matters less if that tuna sandwich smells like heaven to you; at least one person in that bus will disagree with your judgment. People have allergies for heaven’s sake! And to paint you a picture of how inconsiderate you are for fellow passengers, just imagine that the smell will linger around for long even after you are done eating- sometimes long after you get off.

Splashy foods? A capital NO

Unpeeled mangoes and other fruits, spaghetti and other noodles, and most soups have the potential to splash on your seat partner on public transit. If you cannot abstain from eating on the move, then at least opt for snacks that are least messy and troublesome. And before we proceed, please note that sucking each finger after every bite is terrible behavior!

Crunchy foods? Pass!

Those nuts, cereals, or crisps that you love dearly can be too crunchy for your fellow commuters’ liking. Stop getting on their nerves. And for food’s sake, don’t exacerbate the noise by eating with an open mouth.

Allergies, buddy. Allergies!

I know I mentioned this earlier but I had to repeat it for clarity purposes. Refrain from eating nuts, fish, and cabbages—anything that gives people allergies—on the bus. If not for anything else, do it for the fact that airborne food allergies can be life-altering. Some can be fatal. So, not unless you want to risk someone’s life, for the love of good food, please only eat these stinky foods at home.

Refrain from making pleasure sounds

It is good that you now chew with your mouth shut and you no longer lick your fingers, but could you do me one last favor, please? Stop making those pleasure sounds at every bite you take! That is very gross. And speaking of gross habits, is it possible to take small, easy-to-chew bites as opposed to filling your mouth with huge chunks of food? Please do that.

Parting shot

Eating neat also means ensuring that your food containers have lids that won’t leak. And as we said, you only eat on public transit when you must. People have big problems to think about and your uncouth eating isn’t one of them. Thank you for understanding.