LA Metro Cracks Down On Seat Hogging On Buses And Trains
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Los Angeles Metro is cracking down on seat hogs, those who take up an extra seat to make room for their belongings.
Thereza Pena confessed she is a seat hog. "Actually, I'm one of those. I'm pretty sure people get annoyed at that because I always have my laptop, my camera and my luggage."
Metro said the crackdown was prompted by complaints about people who take up more than one seat during peak hours. So law enforcement and security officers will ride along on buses and trains to make sure the 1.4 million people they carry a day have a comfortable ride.
"As we expand service on the Gold Line and now the Expo Line, that ridership is only going to increase. So we want to make sure all of those ridership experiences can be pleasant," said Alex Wiggins, Executive Officer of System Security and Law Enforcement for the MTA. "There are exceptions for folks that have medical issues or maybe size issues."
Officers will be on the lookout for riders who take up extra space by keeping their bikes with them in undesignated areas and occupy extra seats with their bags in a crowded bus or train. They will also be looking for guys guilty of manspreading.
There's even a place in New York that shames seat hogs. As for Los Angeles, Metro hopes to start the crackdown within the year.
If riders refuse to keep it contained to one seat, they could be fined up to $75 and be banned from buses and trains for a month.
"I have to agree with Metro, definitely. We need to make more room for everybody to commute," Pena said.
