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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think when I have pre-booked my train ticket, I should get MY seat.

62 replies

pantspantspants · 31/03/2011 21:51

Traveling back home today on a well know packed train, I pre-booked my ticket with a reserved seat as A) I have been away for 2 days for work and need to rest before returning to the mad house B) needed to finish up work loose ends so I didn't have to do it at home when I wanted to be with family/sleep C) I'm 15 weeks pregnant and have had a few complications recently and didn't want to risk being bumped into on the train. D) I wanted a seat!

Got on the train, found my seat, to see a young couple in the pre-booked bit, one being my seat. The rest of the train was already standing room only, even with 5ish minutes to go. The woman was in my seat being very coupley, him rubbing her belly, kissing etc. I went over explained I had booked that seat and asked them to let me have my seat, he said sorry but he had just found out his wife was pregnant and she needed that seat "in her condition." I explained that I had booked my seat as I was also pregnant so needed the seat too. After alot of back and forth and pregnant top trumps, I asked for him to move, her to move into his seat and for me to sit in my seat. He refused as he needed to be with his pregnant wife, others on the carriage ignored the whole seat situation and I was left to find an another seat. Didn't find one so spent the whole time stood up, squashed and annoyed I didn't get my seat that I have paid for.

AIBU to think if he was a man he would of given up his seat so his pregnant wife and I could sit and he wasn't thinking of being with his pregnant wife but just plain lazy in not wanting to stand, and her pregnancy was just an excuse.

OP posts:

plopplopquack · 01/04/2011 08:20

What a couple of wankers. I wouldn have stood leaning over them eating a tuna sandwich (nice and stinky, let a few bits drop out!)

plopplopquack · 01/04/2011 08:23

Would have.

CharlotteBronteSaurus · 01/04/2011 08:26

wanker.
i sat on a teenage scrote one day (just his leg), as he and his mate were spread, legs akimbo, each occupying 2 seats either side of the aisle on the bus, and neither would move. i was pregnant, so about 14 stone at the time. i caught him wince before he called me a filthy name and slunk off to sit with his mate.

ftm42 · 01/04/2011 08:39

'find a guard' - impossible!!

mummytime · 01/04/2011 08:42

I'd have found the guard/conductor. If there isn't one on the kind of trains you book seats for (so not London commuter) then they should expect fare dodging. Actually another alternative is to go and sit in First class, if asked to move ask them to get your seat back.

But I'd have also used my school teacher voice.

LeroyJethroGibbs · 01/04/2011 08:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Ephiny · 01/04/2011 08:57

I agree the best thing would have been to find the guard/conductor - but that can be impossible on a very crowded train, often they don't even walk through standard class to check tickets when it's so packed. And especially if you're pregnant you don't want to be pushing through the aisles, stepping over people sitting on the floor, climbing over suitcases etc in a vain attempt to find someone in uniform.

I also don't believe for a moment that the wife was pregnant (did she have nothing to say for herself?) - and even if she was there's no reason he couldn't have stood up!

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 01/04/2011 09:06

I had this once, when I was a mature university student. I got onto the train at Crewe and found someone sitting in the window seat I'd booked, but the seat next to him was free, so I went to sit down there - and was told that the seat was reserved by them. This got my back up, so I pointed out that he was actually sitting in my reserved seat, and could he please move - which he did, and I sat down.

It turned out he was travelling with the two people sitting opposite us - they were colleagues who had been away for a few days on a work training scheme - and I had to have a bit of a giggle when I realised they'd been on Assertiveness training - it didn't seem to have worked that well if I (a shy student) could out-assert them.

OP - the couple's behaviour was nasty and unacceptable, and I'm sorry you got treated that way. It's a shame the guard wasn't nearby because you might have got upgraded to First Class - that would have been one in the eye for them!

SnapFrakkleAndPop · 01/04/2011 09:09

She might have been pregnant, he certainly wasn't unless medical science took a bloody huge leap when I wasn't looking. YANBU.

PlanetEarth · 01/04/2011 09:09

Conductors aren't always bothered. Years ago I was on a school trip from Birmingham to London, with booked seats on the train. On the way back, we arrived 10 minutes before departure to find another school sitting in our reserved seats. The conductor wouldn't move them and said we should have been there earlier .

Mind you I don't get many trains these days, maybe they've improved their attitude!

TwoWeeSausages · 01/04/2011 09:12

I was in a similar situation when I was pregnant. Some drunken tosser coming back from t in the park was in my seat and refused to move as he was and I quote 'feeling a bit delicate and couldnt possibly stand."

I stormed off (well waddled off) to first class and found a seat. Ticket inspector was lovely when I explained my reason for sitting in first without a valid ticket. Was brought a cup of tea and a cake by on board staff.

OP, if this happens again, just make your way to first. Most train companies have a policy of allowing pregnant ladies to sit in first if there is no seats in standard.

discobeaver · 01/04/2011 09:23

Agree with jethro we are far too British in situations like this. Can you imagine if this had been a train in New York say, or Italy? This is one of the few times morning sickness would have been useful - how amazing would it have been to puke on the pair of them?

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