'Pole hogging' is tormenting commuters on the London Tube network
But just when we thought bad travel etiquette couldn't get any worse, we discovered a new type of offender: 'pole hoggers'.
This is exactly what it sounds like: people who lean against poles on the Tube, preventing other commuters from holding on.
These passengers haven't appeared out of nowhere. Anyone who's ever jumped on the Tube will have encountered a leaner, who appears blissfully unaware that others might require them for, you know, staying upright.
But now, they're driving such frustration that dozens of people have taken to Reddit and TikTok to call them out.
And it's drummed up serious debate.
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In one recent thread, unsubtly titled 'Preventing others from holding the pole,' someone shared a photo of a woman leaning on their hand.
'Busy commute to work, and this woman is leaning against the pole, on her phone, taking up as much room as possible, preventing people from getting on the train while leaning on my hand the entire commute.'
They said she then dared to turn around and 'angrily' stare at them like they were invading her personal space. 'The entitlement is simply incredible to witness,' they concluded.
Commenters had plenty to say, with many sharing their own experiences. Others made jokes about how to react to the situation.
'Plot twist, they think a stranger decided to be kind and give a free massage,' one person said, while another wrote: 'And turn your hand, so that your knuckles annoy the person so much that they move….'
A third shared perhaps the funniest response: 'Stand directly in front, smile, and reach around or above them for a grip. Smile, and talk about the weather.' On a serious note, best to avoid this one.
Another Reddit thread called 'Pole Hogs' asked Londoners how they feel about the habit.
One person recalled a recent Overground experience: 'I'm really short and this woman was leaning against the whole pole, there was really nowhere to hold on to. When the next batch of people got off, I moved to the next pole and she literally looked at me and rolled her eyes. Not sure what her beef was but I'm always baffled by people who seem to be rude just for the sake of it.' More Trending
However, not everyone found 'pole hogging' to be such a big deal. One person suggested a quick and polite 'excuse me' does the trick, as another made the point that some people – particularly tourists – don't even realise they're doing it. Or, that they have no idea it's not particularly good public transport etiquette.
Like any annoying commuter habit, the best course of action is to be polite.
With a smile, ask if they wouldn't mind moving so that you can also hold onto the rail. In most cases, people will comply. Not everyone is rude.
If the person leaning on the pole isn't doing any harm (e.g. the carriage isn't busy or you're sitting nowhere near them), let it go. It's not the end of the world.
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