Light rail ideal atmosphere for chit-chat with strangers

Lisa Kane

Phoenix’s new light rail system is not only a convenient route of transportation; it’s a great place to people-watch while passing the time.Because the light rail runs from the west side of Phoenix clear through to the east valley, it’s demographically diverse.

Patrons from every part of the city take the light rail to get to work, school, baseball games, museums, city parks, or anything along its path.

Some may even just be on to enjoy the new system, to see how it works and take advantage of its accessibility.

As I stepped into the metro and scanned for a seat, I noticed a myriad of people with different identities and different purposes.

Although all sitting near each other, each individual tends to keep to themselves as though there’s a boundary withholding them from comfortable interaction. When a young college student steps onto the light rail, she immediately heads toward the back, empty part of the car.

At the next stop, at least 20 people crowd into the car and a scraggly, middle-aged gentleman in a baseball cap sits down next to the girl.

As soon as he gets comfortable in his seat, the girl begins to seem uncomfortable. Her body language shifts to the opposite direction of the man, and she pulls out her phone and begins fidgeting.

It’s obvious that the man has invaded her personal space; his presence has intruded upon her comfort zone.

In a bright, public area, surrounded by people, this woman is intimidated by a stranger who has made not one suspicious move.

“There is a social ‘norm’ that the general public is used to. It’s a natural conformity of manners and presentation,” said ASU sociology professor Dr. Robert C. Ness. “Although the man didn’t make any suspicious moves, the younger girl may have seen him as a threat simply because he was unkempt.”

“Whether or not we realize it, we have certain expectations for what we see among our peers both formally and informally. These situational expectations just aren’t always recognized because they have been rationalized by our society,” said Ness.

It’s important to realize that no matter how a person may appear, giving the benefit of the doubt isn’t outlandish.

You can never predict how someone will react when placed in such close vicinity with strangers, but if you’re comfortable in your own skin, your environment probably won’t intimidate you.

  • Mesa Legend Staff

    These are archived stories from Mesa Legend editions before Fall 2018. See article for corresponding author.

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