In the article, the image is cropped so you can't see "Position 1". Here's the full image: http://meish.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/tubecarriage4.pn...

I thought I was going insane reading the comments. "What are these people talking about? THERE IS NO 5!"

This made me laugh. It is also true on public transport in China. The older people have really figured out this hierarchy and it is funny to watch them eyeing improved seating positions as a stop approaches. Then, the doors open, seats vacate and there is a rush of senior citizens trying to improve their position however marginally. Quite funny to watch once you realize what is going on (also a good way for the inexperienced to quickly find out which seats are best).

Brings to mind the airline version: http://www.seatguru.com/

I used to this same commute myself for 2 years, fortunately London Transport are upgrading to open plan carriages and fewer seats, see the video at the bottom of the page: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/10127.asp...

Maybe the writer should start planning for the new layouts?

The best bit is that people tend to also optimize for maximum distance apart as well as a good position

I commuted on the subway in NYC for a few months last summer, but I never noticed a hierarchy beyond "sitting > standing" -- probably just because I wasn't paying enough attention and wasn't there long enough. I'm going to watch for this when I go back.

I definitely felt a hierarchy. The R68-type[1] trains always had some seats fill faster than others.

For instance, the three seats lining the wall (see diagram), with the two seats perpendicular to the direction of travel always had the seat 3 fill faster than others (It's next to a window, has guaranteed leg space and you can put your feet on the radiator; it's pretty awesome). Seat 4 gets filled later since you have more leg space and can avoid person in seat 3 more effectively if you don't know them. Seats 0-2 have the potential to be squeezed awfully close to a stranger. Even closer if the train is operating is moving unpredictably.

  [0][1][2]..[3].
  ...........[4].

The pairs of seats on the edges of the train are nice if you have a bike or with 1 or 3 friends since you can take up that section of the train, be separated from everyone else, or lean on the wall to nap or rest.

Also, the side of the train that was closer to the side with majority of stations tended to be more popular.

And this post just went into way more detail than it had to.

[1] http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/98/R68_Interior.j...

The pattern is there with NY subway rides. Its not this exact pattern as subway cars have a different layout, but there is definitely a pattern.

Having ridden the Tube for years, this article is spot on. This is exactly the way that I think when trying to grab a seat.

An application of this we can all relate to:

"Not all stalls (bathroom) are created equal"