How do you handle annoying bus seatmates?

Haha, understand your feeling as i had experienced this before. I think the best way is dont bother them. Dont give any respond to them even dont smile with them and no eyes contact. Just close your eyes and think that they are talking with others but not you.

sorry if i annoy you... I'm usually the one you've described but if I see that the one I'm talking to I just resort to talking to myself...don't worry at this point I'm only whispering...don't worry about offending other people, really, it's a public bus, you've got to also assert your right, I wouldn't mind if my seatmate tells me to shut the hell up

Some passengers like to chat and many of them can be rather loud. This is a shame when on a bus but there isn't a way you could stop the chatting I think. It is possible to buy ear plugs and wear these. Plus you could also buy a eye cover and use these. Then you might get some sleep on the bus. Sometimes noisy passengers sit at the back of the bus in which case a quiet passenger would be better to sit near the front of the bus. I prefer traveling in the daytime and if you did this you could look out of the window. You might be able to have interesting conversations on your journey in the day light hours. Then you would avoid the frustration of being unable to sleep on a night bus. Good luck.

If I can get a word in edgewise, I just tell them that I have a slight headache and hope that they get the hint. Of course, I rarely ride the bus. And when I do, I try and find a seat by the person that looks the least friendly. That way, I know that they won't talk to me and I won't talk to them. Everything is great. I tend to like to be left alone with my thoughts on the rare times I ride a bus.