AIBU to think peanuts should not be eaten on the Tube?

[SuperGinger]

I was on the Tube yesterday and the man next to me had an open packet of peanuts which he was eating. It's such a common allergy and I know quite a few people, including my own brother, who would have had a serious reaction if they had been on that Tube.

Should I have said to him he shouldn't eat peanuts on thevTube even though I would not be impacted because I was worried about other potential sufferers in the carriage, as it's a very confined space and it was rush hour.

AIBU - It's a free world
YANBU - peanuts are a very common allergen and people should not eat them in confined public spaces.

Whaaat?? I would have loved to have seen that!

I think if your nut allergy is that sensitive then the onus is on you to wear a mask if you feel at risk of exposure. Agree with other posters who say they expect properly labelled food and responsible practises in restaurants etc. that is not unreasonable at all.

Do you mean on public transport? What about the restaurants which serve milk- and nut-based dishes like my favourite Indian dish of Nawabi? It's literally their livelihood and culture.

my comment about draught and flour still stands. I would concede though that the research was done with peanuts not almonds

Thats called crying wolf 🐺
Not the best idea in the world. People will become blasé to the allergy warnings.

No I'm sorry, but peanuts and peanut butter are very healthy snacks for many of us and we are allowed to eat snacks on public transport in the uk
. Some of us suffer from low blood sugar, or are very busy and miss meals, so of course we might eat peanuts or peanut butter items, really needing healthy snacks. The majority cannot be expected to never eat anything in public in case someone is allergic to it - I'm afraid it's up to those with allergies to be aware and take care of themselves. I'm allergic to cigarette smoke, my life would be much easier if smoking was completely banned but as long as it is legal in public outdoor spaces, it's up to me to protect myself.

Millions of us are allergic to pollen, so should we destroy all trees and plants????

Do people take anaphylaxis reactions to pollen?

But ultimately even when normal everyday things are potential killers in other people it would be impossible for people to eat anything in public.
No nuts
No milk
No wheat

The collection rules out many food that can be eaten on the go. Most cearal bars, all your dairy (yougart, chocolate, white tea & coffee) , wheat rules out sandwiches and pasta pots.

I'm now struggling to think of easy healthy stuff that could be eaten in public other than fruit, which others might be allergic to as well.
Rice and baked potatoes maybe

Do people take anaphylaxis reactions to pollen?

But ultimately even when normal everyday things are potential killers in other people it would be impossible for people to eat anything in public.
No nuts
No milk
No wheat

Those alone rule out many food that can be eaten on the go. Most cearal bars, all your dairy (yougart, chocolate, white tea & coffee) less obvious creamy sauces, wheat rules out lots of batter like chip shop batter, soup, ice-cream, sandwiches and pasta pots.

I'm now struggling to think of easy stuff that can be eaten on the go.

It genuinely wouldn’t even occur to me, but if it had, I’d have felt an overwhelming urge in that moment, to fake an allergy, just to see his reaction.

I am not sure how you'd fake anaphyllaxis? And if you could what if a passenger had an epi pen and jabbed you with it or went scrabbling through your stuff to find "your" epipen....I mean be sensible!

Agreed. What a ridiculous thing to say.

Kiwi is one of the top allergens
And I know someone who is anaphylactic to oranges

I dont think we can ban food.
I do think it's a bit grim to eat on a busy tube unless you have a medical need to do so

What is wrong with you? This is an absolutely vile thing to say, I can’t believe a grown adult seems to think that faking an allergic reaction is appropriate or in any way entertaining. So disrespectful for those of us who have had to experience the real effects of anaphylaxis and deal with that risk every single day. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Plenty of alternatives.

Yes my point exactly.
If you were to ban all possible food that people are potentially allergic to they'd be nothing left.

Its just not feasible to ban people from eating on public transport.

Keeping in mind there are plenty people with the same anaphylaxis reaction to other foods including milk, wheat, would you also want to see milky drinks, sandwiches, and chocolate banned too.

What alternatives would you suggest for someone trying to grab a quick snack on the go?

Agree. Presumably anyone who thinks nuts should be banned in public never drinks a milky tea or coffee in public; never snacks on a bar of chocolate or a cheese sandwich in public; and never eats any cheesy flavour crisps in public.

And dont get me started on the number of parents who think it's ok to send their child into a playground /soft play still coated in ice cream /yoghurt dribbles. Or even parents who let their child sit on swings /play equipment while they eat an ice cream.

How did society get to a point where nut allergy's are taken more seriously than every other allergy?

People must have had allergys forever, was it simply they died, rather than allergys was something people lived with?

Or was it an awareness campaign over nuts as people realised the children who 'choked' on nuts were really anaphylaxis?
Because before the 2000s nut allergies weren't really considered beyond the people affected.

I don’t think any food should be eaten on the tube it’s disgusting. I’ve seen people wipe snot on the poles…

But yes peanuts is particularly risky.

Yes they literally died in childhood. Obviously.

Nut allergies are both more severe and less likely to be outgrown than many other food allergies. It triggers life-threatening anaphylaxis more often than other common food allergies.

But does it really cause more anaphylaxis than other allergies? Is there figures to back that up?

Anyone can become allergic to anything at any point in time.

I knew someone who became allergic to wheat in their mid 30s. Full on anaphylaxis to wheat, hospitalised, carrying epi pens etc Not just a dodgy tummy.

Its not that long ago since a young boy died from kids throwing cheese at him. They knew he was allergic but didn't take it seriously

The thing is these food stuffs are all legal, they aren't even age restricted products. Very few people are going to voluntarily restrict themselves out of hypothetical concerns for complete strangers with allergies.