What's your thoughts on reserving seats on train ?

[Lastdaysofsummer26]

Seen two rows about this, this year already

First time an older man, told a lady with a small child she was in his seat there was plenty of other seats at the time so she grumpily told him can't you just sit there....

Then today two families were on a train, a load of woman came on in hen party and wanted getbthe families to leave,As they had reserved the seats, they refused to move, then a staff member came along asked them to move but the staff member also told the she couldn't force the to move.
One of the hens started shouting we've paid for these seats
And one of the family people said we've paid for our seats too
There where no other seats for them to move to so the families didn't move due to small children

But of an awkward train journey as they just kept saying things
An hours journey

Doesn't seem to really work that well
What do you think

No but they can ask you to pay the difference or fine you. I have seen this happen.

In my experience, you don’t pay extra to reserve a seat.

Old people can be horrible too - nothing to do with cognitive decline.

I was once on a train when a mum came on with 3 young children. She'd reserved seats around a table so they'd plenty of room for all their stuff and could sit together.
When she got to her table, an old couple were sitting in the seats with all their luggage on the other seats. They flatly refused to move and told her there were plenty other seats - there weren't 4 together. Even when she was in tears they still refused to move.

Just horrible entitled old people.

weeks ago I couldn't get a reserved ticket for some reason. It was only when we sat down and dirted our bags and coats...
I never noticed that typo originally! I meant sorted our coats, that is hung them up!

A few weeks ago someone was sat in my seat. They did move and said they sat there because someone was in their seat.

Someone sat in my seat because they thought that the thing above the seat said it was free? It was red and said reserved from Plymouth

Well no - no one is suggesting reserving and providing g the reservation is the problem.

The problem is that people don’t give a shite about sitting in someone’s reserved seat, refuse to move and there’s nothing train staff can do.

I wonder if now with social media, threatening to film and expose the CF who just refuse to move from a reserved seat would make them move?
Never had someone in my reserved seat but then I don’t take the train that often.

Nah. Unless you are famous yourself, unlikely that putting up a video on SM would be seen by anyone known to the seat-nickers.

On a train on Europe we were once actually screamed at by a young American woman who accused us of being in her & her friends seats. We sat tight as we knew we were in our correct seats. She eventually stormed off to find the guard but never returned.
Later I overheard the guard telling her friends that they were on the wrong train and they had to get off and wait for the next one! The clocks had changed overnight and they had failed to notice so were an hour out. No apology for the screaming however.

I asked an older couple to move out of my reserved seat the other day. Explained to them there were other seats that aren’t reserved with green lights showing above. I think some people just don’t understand the reservation system.

It’s further infuriating that there are many train operators that don’t allow you to reserve seats at all (Chiltern Railways 👀 ). Then they don’t put enough carriages on the trains operating between Birmingham and London for you to have a hope of getting a seat. I can’t believe we have to pay so much for such a poor ‘service’.

I’ve also seen people on full buses with bags still on the seat next to them when other people further down the bus are standing. So selfish to think their bag is more important than someone else travelling!

Years ago I was accused by a ticket inspector of refusing to move for an older couple. I absolutely hadn’t. I can still remember my cheeks flaming red with embarrassment.

Nobody can tell about this case obviously, but the angry response sounds very similar to the people I know who are having cognitive problems and very very sure that something is the case when it isn't.

Sure, it sounds as if OP was polite at the time. I should have said that concluding that they are CFs may not be fair.

I always reserve a seat when taking the train and have to steel myself for finding it as 50% of the time someone else is sat in it and then I have to ask them to move and often they are grumpy about it. Not helped by the fact that often the reserved seating is not turned on until a load of people have boarded. I still think it is a good thing though as the length of journey and the price of it means I'll be damned if I have to stand.

a lot of the issue is not enough staff on board to help resolve, and the staff there might be are often useless at helping! I reserved a seat for a four hour train journey and a man was sat in it when I got on. He refused to move because the train was too busy and he wouldn’t get another seat. I said that’s horrible but I booked and paid for this seat so please can I sit down. He just wouldn’t get up, even after other people asked him to. Finally found a train operator (is that what they are called?!) and he said there was nothing he could do!! The man was so smug when he said all I could do was email to complain. I had to stand for hours close to the seat I had booked and paid for while the man gave me horrible smirks. When I emailed they said as the train was on time and I arrived as expected there was nothing they could do. I’d rather walk next time 😂

I refused to move once as reservations were not displayed. I think a new system is needed

I think it’s people are now totally unafraid of consequences. They don’t feel any embarrassment, only entitlement, and are secure in the knowledge that absolutely nothing will happen to them.

Trains are one thing - but it’s the same on planes and in the theatre. At best much huffing and “Can’t you sit over there?” And at worst a point-blank refusal and even aggression.

It's essential if it is a popular route and there are problems- if you have a reserved seat and someone is in it just get the ticket collector and usually they will seat you in first class- without a reservation on a packed trai you are standing up.

Thing is I just don’t think you can buy your way out of it anymore!
I booked as a family of four to go to Scotland first class from London. Bad weather meant absolute chaos at Kings Cross, our train was cancelled and it was a free for all getting in another one. We were lucky to get seats, let alone any service on the train.

Recently, I was sitting on my train in my reserved seat prior to departure and it was suddenly cancelled due to someone committing suicide further up the line. Hundreds of passengers then had to squeeze on another train without any of our reservations.

Even if you plan ahead and try and pay for a decent experience, it’s far from guaranteed. Just too many passengers so that if anything goes awry, it’s carnage.

Yeah, that happened to me once too. We were on the train to Manchester for the airport and I think some other trains were delayed or whatever it was that happened meant that our first class carriage was full of the roughest roughnecks alive. I was fuming. We never got our money back. Life was chaotic at the time and it's so difficult to get anywhere with them. But it's the best you can do. It's infuriating with the prices they charge.

I really hope karma gets that man. He could have at least have been apologetic.

Unless the seat stealer is over 80 or a breastfeeding mother I get them to move. My experience is that people usually apologise and move. If not I do my best teacher voice which usually shifts them. I give very short shrift to those who suggest I sit elsewhere.

I've had several train journeys from London-Glasgow return over the past few years.
Always a reserved seat ( travelling solo, with DH and last yearwith DH and DD)
I like a window seat don't mind direction of travel. Like a table .
So many times someone has been in my seat.
I've checked the reservation, made sure I've double checked my ticket and I'm on the correct carriage,seat,train etc.Then I say " oh this is my seat". ( Never "sorry this is mine" I am not apologising to them but I'm not rude )
Sometimes the person in my seat has been a bit " do you want me to move?" when they've set up their workstation as though the fact I'm a solo traveller and they are working tips in their balance.

But a few times the reserved ones haven't been taken so I might get a whole table to myself .
There is always an unreserved carriage. We had reserved seats last December but heavy rain in Glasgow meant several trains were cancelled due to sped limits. They adviced us to go and get whatever train we could and got seats in the unreserved carriage thankfully
Always I want them to shift

If the train is packed, getting the ticket collector may not be possible

This 100% no excuses.