A Vande Bharat passenger’s post about a co-traveller spitting inside the train sparked strong reactions on Reddit, with many slamming the poor civic sense in public spaces.
The passenger, who was travelling on the Vande Bharat Express from New Jalpaiguri (NJP) to Howrah last Thursday, said his trip was spoiled by the behaviour of the man seated in front.
“He got on the train as if it were his own house and seemed intoxicated,” the user wrote. According to him, the man was chewing something and spat on the floor.
“When I asked him to stop, he ignored me. Later, when he tried to spit again, I stopped him—but shockingly, he spat on the seat next to him instead. Even with the Railways improving their services, people like this ruin the experience,” he added, also sharing photos of the man taken from behind.
The post sparked debate on Reddit. “We live in a society where people think buying a ticket gives them the right to misuse public property,” one user commented. Another shared a personal story: “This is true.
I was once in a shared cab where a woman was removing her makeup and throwing tissues on the floor. When I asked her not to, she snapped that it was none of my business since she had paid for the ride. Even the driver signalled me to ignore it. People like this exist everywhere, and they never change.”
A user linked it to a wider problem, saying: “I recently saw a post about a foreigner sitting oddly in a plane seat. Many Indian commenters defended her and blamed the person recording for lacking civic sense. When will we stop holding on to this colonial mindset?”
Read here : Viral On Reddit
Some users, however, raised concerns about privacy. “Clicking photos of people without their permission shows less sense than someone simply putting their feet on a seat,” one user remarked.
The original poster replied by explaining his view: “Usually, taking photos without consent can be seen as invading privacy. But when wrong behaviour happens in public, it comes under public interest and can also act as evidence.
Courts often treat photos or videos of crimes, accidents, riots, or misconduct differently from casual pictures of private people. If it’s for reporting, proof, or safety in a public space, consent isn’t required.”
The discussion highlighted not only anger at one passenger’s behaviour but also wider worries about civic sense, privacy, and responsibility in shared public spaces