People on their own sitting at a table on a train

[Theelephantinthecastle]

Can anyone explain why they do this?

Just got on a train with my two kids - we joined a lady on her own at a table, she looks daggers at me. I realise it's not fun sharing a table with two young kids but why then sit at a table on your own? You are so much more likely to be joined by a family group! When I am on my own, I always prefer an airline style seat as I am much less likely to be joined by a family.

Is it just the triumph of optimism?

Charging points are on modern trains, and no I’m not going to swap,so you can work, I value my space I’ve paid for

The newer train's all have USB sockets. Even in the two seater seats.

Just because you can make your laptop balance on a crappy airline seat and just because you would rather choose somewhere without a table so no one can join you doesn’t mean anyone else has to.

she was more likely rolling her eyes at you than the kids, it’s often the adults with the kids that are a pita than the other way around.

One man facetimed, loudly, for over an hour. Another man had a ridiculously loud ringtone that went off constantly.

i was in a quiet carriage on a long-distance train (in Europe) last summer. It was lovely until a huge party of young adults got on (with teachers). And after about 10 minutes of their noise a woman stood up and bellowed at them to STFU (not in so many words) as it's the quiet carriage. And bloody hell it was great. Because all the people who were making (relatively quiet) calls etc just all stopped too. You could hear a pin drop.

Quite

Lots of the time (and I used to get a train that was prime "get into your London meeting by 9am" time slot) we didn't even get trains modern enough not to still have the silly slide windows and lean out to unlock doors - USB?! You'd have been lucky to get functioning electric light sometimes!

I still have nightmares about those doors! The panic of being in one of those closed-off carriages and not being able to open the door and then the window got stuck 😬

Also when people would fling open the doors upon approaching a station so the open doors would scythe through the platform at high speed - I wonder how many people on platforms were injured or even killed this way 😟

No, I was responding to somebody else's comment actually.

I remembered, I’ve not had this myself but a friend got this. She was travelling on a long train journey, had booked a table seat and a mum with I think 3 kids came and asked her and another person to move, because they needed the table. There was another person sitting with her but not a friend etc, she didn’t know them. It was a busy route into London.

She said no, as she’d booked her seat and had proof. This family hadn’t booked seats and were trying their luck. It was a packed train and I think all the guard could do was find them separate seats and 1 was in another carriage. Youngest child she guessed was 5.

That is rude, everyone knows the table area you get to per person on a train!

I’m sure I saw a young woman spread out loads of her belongings on a train table, including makeup and sigh when others came and wanted to use it too, but she did move her stuff!

Really?!'m in the NW in Cumbria. We are usually last to get anything but we got a new fleet of train's a few years ago. Only thing I don't like is if you have a heavy case the only option is on the overhead racks. They are wide enough for case's but it's getting it up there if on your own. A lady kindly offered to help me. As was a two hour journey from. Between we got it up.

I’m sorry but can we please revisit the absolutely key point in all this which @ConnieSaks has touched upon.

if this woman is taking a work call on speaker, on a public train - it’s gloves off. I hope OP has removed all devices and engaged feral mode in her children in retaliation. (If I was on the other end of that call, I would be furious to know it was being publicly broadcast)

Seats on trains unless booked are first come first served. I like a table to work and if there is one, I'll take it. If a family got on and shared my table I'd be irritated. However, this would be the same level of irritation as if the train was delayed, or it was raining. Just part of your commute that's out of your control and has to be endured. I'd not let my feelings show.
Very amused by the suggestion that families on trains make single people feel bad about being single. I have children, and I cannot imagine for a moment when I travelled with them anyone was watching me with envy, as I grappled with their equipment, tried to keep them quiet and pointed out the 42nd cow spotted on the journey in a poor attempt at distraction. Who on earth would trade that for their blissful solitude?

😂I agree, public transport is the most effective form of contraception. Apart from Mumsnet.

😆😆😆😆😆😆

There’s a lot of people seemingly not getting the point of the thread.

If you are on your own and sit at a table then you can expect three other people to take up those seats. Some of them may be children. Expressing displeasure is rude. Making a loud phone call after showing displeasure is even ruder.

Unlike the op I wouldn’t choose to sit on two-seat seat because how little leg room there is (I’m tall) but I don’t mind sitting with (most) other people. Children don’t bother me unless they’re really obnoxious.
If they did bother me then I would try to avoid sitting in a situation where a group might join me.
I also might move for a group of four just because it’s a nice thing to do, even though it would be a bit more uncomfortable for me. I have experienced some real kindness from strangers when travelling and it’s nice to be able to do the same for others.

If she wants her own table in public transport then she needs to buy her own train 🤣🤣

So what do you suggest? I find this mindboggling. You are not allowed to use a table because you have children? Should parents just stick one of their kids in a random seat next to a stranger because you don't want children at your (which is not yours) table? Are children not allowed to eat but we must make space for single persons laptop? This thread is bonkers.

I think this comes down to the kids tbh. Most people who sit at a table seat alone expect they might be joined but it's considered bad luck to be joined by children as they're more likely than adults to be annoying in some way. However, there are exceptions to that where some adults are more annoying than children so it just depends on who it is.

This what I don't understand. This is Mumsnet so I'm guessing a majority have children. What are people suggesting they do with them? Not allow them to be on public transport? How do they learn how to behave? Also, why are people treating them as lesser beings just because the're not long in the world? Do none of you take your children on public transport? Do you not like your children?

I know I sound as if I am possibly too invested in this but I haven't encountered this before. Grown adults saying children shouldn't be in certain seats because it annoys them when it's for public use and everyone (including children) have paid their way. Perhaps they don't want judgemental, grumpy adults sharing a table with them. Poor kids.

I'm not saying children shouldn't go on trains or sit in certain seats at all, I'm saying many people don't like sitting close to children when travelling because quite often they're a pain in the bloody neck. Yes sometimes children can be well behaved and bravo to them but let's be honest the majority can be and are annoying at times. Other adults can also be annoying but this is less common, I've basically just repeated my first post.

When you take public transport such as train, you also agree to possibly be sat next to a child.
If you dint like the idea, then don’t use public transport. Don’t book a table in the train. And certainly don’t pull a face when it happens. Finding it inconvenient or not liking it is not a good enough reason to find way to make other people uncomfortable- in this case the parents for daring take a child on a train.

And yes some children are more noisy etc.. but tbh I’d take a child or a group of children instead if hen party Wo any hesitation. Drunk people, those who thinks they can be as noisy as they want at 8.00am whilst drinking a bottle of Prosecco/beer are much harder to deal with imo.

At what point did I say I make people feel uncomfortable? I'm saying that the majority of people probably prefer not to sit near children when travelling. This isn't to say that they don't do so, only they'd rather not. Anyone who's used British ytains in the last 10 years knows we have very limited choice of where we sit or whether enough seats are even available as we are apparently unable to run decent services.
I will.use public transport if I want to and do what I like with my face, thank you very much.