Behavior/feeling in public transportation?

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I find public transportation etiquette confusing. Other people and me seem to have different ideas about what to do with it. Like the seating conundrum when a carriage empties and you're sitting next to someone when there are now free seats - are you supposed to move? I always though that seemed rude, as if indicating to the person next to you that you can't wait to get away from them. And when the train/bus stops next more people are going to get on, and you end up having to do the stupid dance of saying "excuse me" and making someone else stand up so you can edge by to get off if they then sit next to you.
I had to get up and move away though on a train the other day - I didn't have my iPod which I usually keep with me for misophonia protection as I was only going a few stops - first there was a guy on the platform eating chips with his mouth open, then when I got on a group of young men eating McDonald's with their mouths open and screaming across the carriage at their female companion, then a guy gets on, sits next to me and starts eating banana chips and I was like NOPE. I live in a big city though and mostly, people are surgically attached to their smart phones and I look out the window at the city.

Lemme flip this one around. MANY times that has happened to me when I was against the rail guard/edge of seat and the person on the other side of the seat (3 people) has left, and the person in the middle doesn't move. My immediate thought is, "Why don't you move. There is room. You don't have to be right up against me."

I always move when I can. I'm always afraid that I may have some offensive smell on me (It is NY and there is a lot of pungent food, sweaty days, stepping in things, or worse, the rare trifecta) so I always try to keep a distance for my comfort and theirs.

I think the worst is when a full class or two of kids gets on in the middle of ride. >shiver<

I just kind of zone out but when it's really crowded & people are standing near me, I start to feel claustrophobic like. My doc prescribes me Klonopin to take on days when I take buses that may be crowded & it helps.