Public Displays of Affection: Get A Room Gick, Or Totally Fine?

Thinking of taking a romantic winter break in Austria? Well, if you are partial to a bit of hand holding and a cheeky kiss, then you might want to rethink.

It’s been reported recently that the country’s capital of Vienna has decided to crack down on public displays of affection. Their public transport authority has officially banned kissing on board their underground trains. If you flirt and flaunt the rule, you’ll be smacked with a €50 fine for planting that smacker.

Some people love the old PDAs. It’s clear that Janice Dickinson is not adverse to showing the world her love (and tongue *shudder*) for boyfriend Alex. Eddie Murphy and his girlfriend Paige Butcher appear in the tabloids on a daily basis. They behave like they are both wearing velcro suits and so physically unable to detach from each other for any period of time. And up until very recently, Liz Hurley and a man that used to look like Shane Warne were displaying it up in both hemispheres.

Psychologists have long held the belief that touch plays an important role in any relationship. Reassuring physical contact builds the bonds that help hold couples together. But there are places where the PDA is not welcome - at work, in the swimming pool, when you are hanging out with one other friend or in the middle of the footpath during pedestrian rush hour. Indeed you and your partner may be on different PDA wavelengths - one man’s hand holding can be another woman’s dating deal-breaker.

But the Viennese authorities didn’t stop there. Along with smooching, they banned talking loudly on mobiles and munching smelly food like cheese and onion crisps or the three AM favourite of garlic chips. Which you would think would prevent the PDA in the first place.

We know that there is a heated debate around the etiquette of applying make up on public transport. Some people think this is the ultimate faux pas but I’m sure that there are as many who would agree with the alternate Viennese approach. Maybe it will catch on here and Dublin Bus won’t allow shenanigans of any sort. But as it stands, I can safely say that the occupants of the Nightlink would currently break all three rules and face a hefty fine.

What do you think of the PDA? Are you guilty as charged and proud of it? Or do you think there is a time and place? Or is the real loser here the garlic chip? To the comments and reveal as much as you dare!