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Original poster

To not be surprised people don’t want to use public transport

36 replies

PublicTransportNightmare · 26/08/2025 00:25

I know it’s a bank holiday today and people want to enjoy themselves but is there any wonder why people dont want to take public transport? I was on the train today as I decided to take my kids to the beach and the behaviour of the other passengers was just awful.

Firstly on the way there we are sat down together and a group of about 10 teenage boys get on and literally sat directly behind us for the whole journey they were swearing, fighting, throwing things, lifting up the train seats, vaping, and just generally being extremely loud. We wanted to move but at this point the train had got pretty busy so we tried to ignore them but eventually moved when they smashed a bottle. Go into the next carriage where some seats had become free. Then some teenage girls singing the entire journey with their phone on loud speaker but that seemed pretty tame in comparison so we decided to just stay there.

On the way back train much emptier but a group got on at some point in the journey then as they went to get off one of them who was clearly drunk fell onto me. Also people just blocking the aisle with their feet up on the seats (one woman with no shoes on!) aibu to say it’s not surprising people don’t want to use public transport? I know we’ve probably just been unlucky but this was really off putting.

OP posts:
EmeraldRoulette · 26/08/2025 01:13

@HauntedBungalow I don't have any hope of the social boundaries coming back. Unless the behavioural control
experts want to put some effort in to something useful for a change.

I think they've been pretty poor for probably a while. Certainly predates Covid. I'm not 100% sure because I used to drive where possible, but with some journeys, if it was quicker by train, I would do that.

But they have now got much worse. I think when you add in over population, the number of carriages on trains has been reduced, it seems much more noticeable.

@PublicTransportNightmare I totally understand why you wouldn't want to say anything. Many years ago I was on an underground train where some lads were messing about play fighting, but with no regard for the fact that they kept landing near a lady with a toddler in a buggy. She was clearly upset and intimidated.

I went to them and told them to stop - they were very apologetic and they stopped.

But now in 2025, I would really struggle to do that. I'd probably now try and help the lady move out of the way.

Magpie50 · 26/08/2025 01:12

Not sure this just a public transport thing though....
Feral gangs of teenagers and drunks falling about the place also describes alot of High St's on an average weekend!

Needmorelego · 26/08/2025 01:10

I am surprised the on board staff didn't do anything.
I would report that to the train company personally.

Needmorelego · 26/08/2025 01:09

PublicTransportNightmare · 26/08/2025 01:06

And have them know it was me and attack me? I don’t think so. There was staff on the train that didn’t even say anything.

Show quote history

There's a text message service so you don't need to actually call.
How would they have known it was you?

Original poster
PublicTransportNightmare · 26/08/2025 01:06

Needmorelego · 26/08/2025 01:03

Why didn't you call/text the British Transport Police?
The recorded message "If you see something that doesn't look right, text the British Transport Police on 61016" is played repeatedly all the time.
They were trashing the train.
You should have contacted BTP.

And have them know it was me and attack me? I don’t think so. There was staff on the train that didn’t even say anything.

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 26/08/2025 01:03

Why didn't you call/text the British Transport Police?
The recorded message "If you see something that doesn't look right, text the British Transport Police on 61016" is played repeatedly all the time.
They were trashing the train.
You should have contacted BTP.

HauntedBungalow · 26/08/2025 00:58

Public transport has become a bit of a free for all since covid. For quite a long time nobody who had any access to a car used it . Obviously there are lots of people who don't have access to a car who are perfectly well behaved. But during the whole covid time I noticed a high proportion of my fellow passengers were drunk/strung out/socially challenged, and all the "normies" had gone to ground. That was the point where what was acceptable behaviour on public transport changed, and there wasn't enough of a critical mass of other passengers to challenge it. Now there are more people using it again, but the social boundaries have been pushed out of whack and it'll take a while to get them back.

Original poster
PublicTransportNightmare · 26/08/2025 00:54

AmoozzBoosh · 26/08/2025 00:46

I have reached the point where I will ask people on trains to use headphones.

Honestly don’t fancy getting a punch there was about 6 girls and me alone with my children.

OP posts:
Berlinlover · 26/08/2025 00:49

AmoozzBoosh · 26/08/2025 00:46

I have reached the point where I will ask people on trains to use headphones.

How do they react when you ask them to use headphones?

AmoozzBoosh · 26/08/2025 00:46

I have reached the point where I will ask people on trains to use headphones.

EmeraldRoulette · 26/08/2025 00:42

It's grim

I was planning to do a few weekends away this summer. I only did one in the end. Mostly because I just cannot face the journey on public transport. And I can no longer drive.

I think I'll just wait until I can go on quieter days. No way would I go on a bank holiday but I do have the option to avoid that.

ditto day trips. There are a lot that I would like to do in theory, but in practice I just can't face it.

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