Commuting Etiquette

[QueenSconetta]

QS's little book of Commuting Ettiquette

1. Please sit on your own seat, not half of mine as well.
2. Please keep your coat/scarf/bag/wet umbrella etc off me. I don't know where they have been.
3. Please do not put your bag on one of the only available seats then look at me as if I have asked to shit in your handbag when I have the audacity to ask you to move it so I can sit down. Unless, of course, you have bought a ticket for it.
4. Please do not stand in front of the doors/try to push your way on to the train when people are trying to get off. It is just a lot more efficient if you let people off first.
5. Please don't try and push me on to the train from behind with your belly while I am waiting politely for people to get off the train (you know who you are Sooty Santa Man).
6. Please don't play your music full blast from your phone, or so loud from your earphones I can hear every word. We don't have the same taste.
7. Please do not invade my personal space with your GIANT newspaper.
8. Please do not put your feet on the seats. I don't know what you have trodden in.
9. Please be polite to the ticket inspector. I know they can be grumpy and rude sometimes but manners cost nothing and they are only doing their job.

10. Please do not put your feet so far out in front of your that I can't actually put mine on the floor. Unless you are extremely tall and can't help it. 11. Please do not treat me with utter disdain and as if I have not spoken to you when I politely say excuse me as I need to get past you.

I try to stick to the above when I am commuting because its enough of a pain in the ass as it is, and in the main so do a lot of people. Do you think I am living on a different planet to aspire that one day everyone might be just a little more considerate?

Any others to add?

Another gross thing you always see on trains - plastic bags with boxes of half eaten chicken and bones. Yeurgh!

I was on a train to Victoria a while ago and a bloke sitting opposite was cleaning his ears with his keys. Why do that???

If you have the privilege of a seat then stay in it until the people who have had to stand up all the way have had a chance to get off the train. The aisles are already crowded - dont make it worse by trying to push your way off the train first.

If you are in a hurry stand by the door and let someone else have the seat.

Melika have you put that complaint in yet?

Morris - they do in London (give change - don't know about credit cards though). Or, if you wave a £20 note at them, most of the time they don't - free bus ride! (mostly to be attempted late at night)

Good point CBW! I was thinking this yesterday, many thanks to the commuter who sat there staring at my stood up and pregnant belly for 25 minutes and then stood up and tried to elbow me out of the way to get off the train first. Charming. Luckily my increased girth means I can easily block your exit = result.

Yes, have sent email to the miserable lot! No reply as yet, it was sent in fury as he didn't get off at his stop again, cos he wasn't standing forward enough on the platform. I was so mad as he had two heavy bags with him and had to walk even further with them. I sent it Friday and it's Wednesday so they are in no rush to contact me for some unknown reason....
Thanks for your concern.

No it takes ages for the travel companies to reply. Sometimes you get some sort of holding reply (thank you for your email sort of thing) and then it takes another three or four weeks...

I wonder if London Midland have been reading this thread - for the first time ever I heard the guard announce on my crowded commuter train that if passengers wanted to put their luggage on seats for the journey then the bags would be charged a normal fare!

MorrisZapp: Lancaster buses always give change. Its saved me a long walk more than once TBH! I'm very grateful for it.

My train home in the evening has competitive queueing to get off the train.

On a 40 minute journey, the aisle will be full halfway down the carriage 10 minute before we get near the station. And then much huffing and puffing if those in the seats closer to the exits also dare to want to get off the train. The culprits then sprint to the car park to be first out and speed/drive the wrong way round the car park.

I tested the leisurely approach - and over a week it took a whopping 2-3 minutes longer to get out of the station. Even if you're dashing home for bedtime story like I am (and this train is too late to be dashing to a nursery), does it really make that much difference, or is it supposed be be an impressive display of your hunter-gatherer, competitive macho manliness....?

I think the standards of our trains and buses are no better than a third world country.

We have indeed been following this discussion! Whilst we would love to be able to lay our hands on lots of extra trains - especially at peak times - so that everyone can always sit in comfort, it is somewhat depressing how unhelpful some of our fellow commuters can be. Can't say I blame the conductor for suggesting the bags should pay...

Now, while I am here, I hope you don't mind me giving you all advance info that we're running a special offer over half term 23-31 October (£10 adult / £5 child for a day's unlimited off-peak travel anywhere on our network). Just need to download a voucher from www.londonmidland.com/great-escape from next Monday.

London Midland - are you for real? If you are that is very proactive indeed however I am a little bit tbh.

Another one for the list, during a major incident (e.g. fatality) where the line is closed, shouting 'you've got no intention of getting any buses' at the station man when he says they will be at least an hour and suggests you might want to make alternative arrangements is not helpful. I've never tried to get enough buses for probably 800 people at short notice at rushhour, but I doubt it's easy.

They are getting the buses as quickly as they can, if only to get your moaning face off their station!

And while you're at it, spare a thought for the poor person who felt they had no option than to jump in front of a train, its not a nice way to go by all accounts. And also for the driver, who didn't really have a choice cos you can't swerve a train but will have to live with that forever. Its inconvenient for us, yes, did I only see DD for 15 mins before it was bath and bedtime because of it, yes, but we're not the worst of here, so stop moaning!!