I boarded the bus last night

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I don't think that is the main reason, from my observations. I know people who are scared of 'catching something' if they get too close to someone on a bus. There is the unknown of not knowing where someone has been and what germs they might have. And many people just like the freedom to be able to spread out and to have their own space. The proximity of two people sitting next to each other on a bus is quite a bit closer than people are generally comfortable with. In general, I think all people like to have some control over and ownership of their immediate surroundings, and if someone sits next to you, they have invaded your temporary territory and thus lessened your control.

But of course, at the same time, they have paid for one seat, not two, so you are entitled to sit beside them, and it is rude of them to make you feel bad for doing so.

Yeah, I don't exactly *enjoy* sitting next to strangers on the bus, but I won't act weird about it. You get what you pay for, and if you hate sitting next to strangers, then find some other way to get around.

I don't mind driving, and I'm actually pretty good at it. I sort of become part of the car I'm driving. Though I like driving on the highway, I'm not too keen on city driving - it's too much like being in a crowd, so I rarely venture out when I know there's to be heavy traffic.

i envy you deeply! i find myself constantly in danger of weaving off the road as i am unable to do two things at once (such as look in the rear view mirror behind me, AND hold the steering wheel straight towards the road ahead at the same time), same problem with lane changing or trying to enter busy traffic, so roundabouts and give ways etc. i have gone right onto the footpath and run over three filled rubbish bags when turning a corner because i was checking the rear view mirror and forgot about the steering wheel. really unpleasant, anxiety-inducing and embarrassing! (thank goodness it wasn't a person.) also not able to judge distance - have tried to learn, honestly - and so parallel parking (ie city/busy place) is completely out of the question. even in a shopping mall, where the carparks are side-by-side i have bumped into things because of miscalculation of distance!

as well as anxiety from feeling crowded too :P

sora - heh. guilty as charged.

Perambulator next time sit by a guy. I bet he will be less bothered by that. I learned the hard way riding the city bus. And if you do have to sit by a woman say hi fast and sit facing away from them. And yeh not too close that is hard to gauge but i would say not touching them a hands distance or more.

I ride in the bus a lot and, this one happened to me recently.

I get inside the bus and there were still quite a few empty seats, including pairs of them, i look further back and i see no available pairs of empty seats so i just look for the closest, and i set next to the window, with an empty seat besides me. It was a long distance bus, and hadn't departed yet, more people yet to come in. Behind me, at the window sits a good looking young girl, (around my age, 20-ish). People start filling the bus, every seat gets taken except the one right next to the girl. This heavily proportioned old man sits on the seat next to me and spends the whole time sleeping and falling onto me which made that bus my 4th worst bus ride ever. But i was still puzzled, why did no one sit next to her?

Also, i can talk to strangers, easily than i can talk to friends, cause strangers may have a topic, friends say things "how do you feel", a stranger on the bus can say "we're still far from the next stop" and i can say "37 kilometers". Depending on the situations i can be really talkative, just need something to get me started, which is hard to come by most of the times.

I live in a smaller town so the bus has totally empty seats most of the time. The 2:30 and 3:00 buses tend to have more people and sometimes more than one person has to have someone sitting next to them. I usually try to make it very obvious that someone can share a seat with me (unless the people coming on are too creepy). Usually I'm the first person to have someone sit next to me. I only do this on the shorter routes, on the longer ones I usually sit on the isle seat.

When I get on the bus, I sit in a empty seat but not next to someone. I also like my own personal space. But when the bus is crowded, I have the right to sit down in a empty seat even if someone is sitting next to it. They have to share. I move when two empty seats become avaliable so I move to one of them. I've noticed others do it too, I wonder if it's a hidden rule about that's what you're supposed to do or they just like what I like too so they do the same I do.

As silly as it sounds its because they are worried about sexual harassment allegations. It happens.