When a bratty kid seemingly forgot his manners on a New York subway, a gutsy straphanger decided to teach him a lesson. After the kid spread out across multiple seats and refused to move his legs while other passengers were forced to stand, the stranger evidently had enough and took matters into his own hands. Did he go too far? You decide.
Isabel Kim was riding on a New York subway when an incident caught her attention at around 10 am on a Thursday morning. A boy, who was seemingly engrossed in a smartphone game, had made himself right at home on the L train bench. While leaning against an older woman, presumed to be his mother, the kid sprawled out across multiple seats as he turned the crowded Manhattan-bound train bench into his own personal daybed.
Perhaps the bratty, stretched-out “kidspreader,” lounging comfortably with his feet on the seats, would have been overlooked if it weren’t for the fact that multiple adults were forced to stand while the boy, who seemingly hadn’t yet been taught basic subway manners, occupied multiple seats. Dumbfounded by the complete disregard the kid had for those around him, Kim pulled out her own phone, capturing the ordeal on camera.
“This lil ass— wouldn’t move his legs for 3 adults,” wrote Isabel Kim, who posted footage of the incident on Twitter, according to the New York Post. Sadly, the older woman who was with the boy seemed unconcerned about his rude behavior, according to Kim, but at least one person was bothered enough by it to do something about it.
Although Kim’s post has since been deleted, it wasn’t taken down before it went viral because of what happened next. In fact, what followed was so good, plenty of screenshots were captured as one gutsy straphanger was applauded for how he handled the rude kid who refused to move his sprawled-out legs.
“[S]o this guy comes and just SITS on his legs #mykidcouldnever,” Isabel Kim wrote, describing what she saw. Indeed, a stranger in sunglasses got on the crowded Manhattan-bound train and quickly schooled the kid in subway etiquette 101 when the boy didn’t budge or even so much as lift his eyes from his phone.
No rude words were exchanged. Instead, the obviously frustrated stranger simply took a seat, as Kim described, plopping himself down right on top of the boy and his sprawled-out legs, and it would seem the kid got the message loud and clear as the incident quickly caused him to recoil.
In addition to his quick recoil, the kid shot the stranger an appalled look that quickly became a social media meme. Unfortunately, things only went from bad to worse as the child reportedly cursed out the straphanger while leaving the train a bit later. “When they got off, he yelled, ‘F—! F— you!’ several times and stormed off,” Isabel Kim recalled, describing the moment the boy and the woman he was with exited the train.
So, how did the woman with the child react? Well, we can see the apple didn’t fall all that far from the tree as she also appeared annoyed with the man who sat on the kid, but social media users had a very different reaction. The video, which was quickly retweeted almost 12,000 times within roughly 24 hours of the incident, generated plenty of praise for the mystery man who took matters into his own hands.
“Not all heroes wear capes,” @luckyturner posted.
“Assault but totally worth it,” @hireddivas said.
“Subway etiquette is best taught nonverbally with force,” @famousactresss wrote.
Although the incident took place in 2018, it still makes its rounds on social media today, likely because many enjoy seeing a rude person – even if it is a child – get their just rewards. It also serves as a reminder that being ill-mannered comes with consequences. Sadly, however, it’s the boy who will live on in infamy when the adult who was with him should be the one who draws our condemnation.
As parenting counselor Andy Smithson, who does not mince words, once said, “The sign of great parenting is not the child’s behavior. The sign of truly great parenting is the parent’s behavior.” While this child was behaving badly, the parental figure with him did nothing to redirect, correct, or guide the boy — and that’s the real problem. Simply put, when in public, help your kids remember their manners, encouraging them to be mindful and considerate of others rather than entitled. Otherwise, an annoyed stranger might have to remind them how to behave.
