Seat sliding is the ‘awkward’ commuter habit that people are divided on

Faux pas or polite? (Picture: Shutterstock / Matthew Ashmore)

It’s the ultimate silent dilemma of the morning commute.

You’re wedged shoulder-to-shoulder with a stranger on a packed train, staring intently at your phone to avoid accidental eye contact.

Then, a miracle happens: someone gets off, leaving a double seat wide open across the aisle.

Do you make a break for personal space, or do you stay put out of sheer British politeness to avoid making your seatmate feel like a biohazard?

Plus, what if more people get on at the next stop and sit next to you? Then you’ve put yourself in that awkward situation for nothing.

Coined by Metro, ‘Seat Sliders’ describes commuters who perform a subtle...