Train etiquette

If she was in front of the door why didn't she just step on? It's not making sense. Perhaps she was faffing while the carriage was filling up.

Unlikely enough ‘workers’ to have an impact on the amount of people on a train going into London from various seaside towns, though. The main person working would have been the train driver 🤣

So families can’t travel to the seaside on public transport on a Saturday either?

It must have been really stressful. I’d not regularly used trains for some years until recently when I’ve got a new job that requires it. And honestly it’s so stressful. I’ve seen a lot of situations like you’re talking about and I’ve seen mums desperately trying to make their way through with buggies and I’ve thought to myself how impossible it must be and pretty intimidating tbh. There’s so much pushing and shoving and everyone for themselves. I would always give up my seat for someone with a child or similar circumstances every time. And nothing wrong with a happy babbling one year old! However I do think it was just one of those days and not reflective of everyone. I’ve also had some of my best stranger conversations and laughs with people dealing with train stress in recent months. Those that think ‘we’re all dealing with this together’. Write it off as one of those days!

No you can't. It the high speed between the Kent coast and St Pancras. I commute on it. You can't book any seats on any trains at any time of day.

Saturday IS a working day for many.

Why? OP was in front of the door and arseholes literally shoved her out of the way. That is not on under any circumstances.

That train is always going to be rammed as it stops at so many seaside towns, and they never put on enough carriages. While waiting, people get incredibly stressed about not getting on. They were rude, but I’ve seen that journey bring out the worst in people myself.

God what misogyny - an older woman will be an old battle axe.

I’ve used public transport all my life. I commuted on a busy line to London every day for many years before I retired, I now go round the country by train, use the London Underground, and local and London buses. I have seen some bad behaviour, but also a lot of courtesy and kindness, regardless of how busy the train is. You had a bad experience, undoubtedly, but I don’t think it is necessarily the norm.

Yes, me too.

So you just step straight on - unless you hadn't collapsed the buggy in advance, in which case of course people are going to get in in front of you.

Read the existing replies.

If you're faffing about with a buggy near the door (should be all ready to go and jump on quickly when the train arrives), people are going to go past you. They probably don't see it as pushing, just going around the person faffing about at the door.

It’s a difficult one because I used to commute in the Manchester/Edinburgh train its was rammed leaving Piccadilly
but I used to get a later train and book on line that incurred booking fee so I got a seat
tbh I’d begrudge to give that up as I’d planned and got a train that wasn’t particularly convenient but it was worth getting 20 minutes later home so I could sit down after work 9 hours

Some people work on Saturdays. 🫣

So many people just haven’t read your post properly. YANBU. Shoving anyone out of the way it completely unacceptable behaviour. Arseholes. I wouldn’t tolerate it, never have, as I said earlier but I can completely understand that it can be difficult to stick up for yourself when you’re holding your child because you don’t know how people may react.

Right, but it not happening to you doesn't mean it didn't happen.

I really don't understand this. If you were stood by the doors then you just step onto the train. What were you doing instead of this?

Yep. I'm not yet 'older' but middle aged but I think you do your own advocating for a seat for yourself. I'm not going to do it for you. I might smile at the child also but that's as far as it goes. I don't want to engage, I just want to be left alone for a quiet ride.

I wouldnt either. But I would walk around a couple if they were faffing about trying to fold up a buggy which they could have done before the train arrived.

some people are just so rude now. I use a walking stick sometimes, and one of the last times that I caught a train, I was stood by the door with my stick, about to get on and a group of teens pushed me out of the way. I nearly fell over, so I did say something, and got a mouthful of abuse back "we're just trying to get on the fucking train, same as you".....

My friend now stands at the front with DD and they get on and save a seat for me while I stand back and wait for the rabid crush to get on the train. Every man is out for himself, and wants a table, or the disabled leg room seats.

I reserve for longer journeys, but we can't reserve on the 45 min train to the city.

Agreed. I travelled a lot in and out of London in the late 70s and it happened then.