To never use a train again?

[LoopyLoopsBettyBoops]

I rarely use the train - we live in a small town, so I either walk closer distances, or drive further away.

DD loves trains, and has never been on a proper one. I had to go into a city today, so decided to take the train.

The way in, this morning, wasn't too bad. We got on, collapsed the pushchair, sat down, and DD (nearly 2) loved it (kept telling other passengers to bounce and beep their noses etc. but people either ignored her or laughed with her). Got off (no help with pushchair, which is fine although I would have offered if I saw a heavily (37 weeks) pregnant lady with a toddler and pushchair).

The way back was an entirely different matter. Today has been swelteringly hot, which didn't help. The lift to the platform didn't work, so I had to drag the pushchair down the stairs, then run for the train, and we were the last on. The train was really busy, with people standing everywhere. I managed to get DD on with the pushchair, get her out and collapse it. The air vents weren't working so everyone very hot, and it was very crowded. We had to stand pushed against the door, holding on each time the door opened so we didn't fall out. I had to carry DD, as she was getting trampled. She got quite upset. It was so horrible.

Thankfully, a lovely girl, who was also standing, spotted a free seat after about half an hour, and stopped anyone else from using so that I could. She held DD for me while I sorted out the pushchair into a convenient place against the wall, then helped me into my seat. Then at every stop she moved the pushchair out of the way so people could get off more easily. I was so grateful for her help, she was so lovely.

So, this isn't a whinge about people not letting me sit down, I'm not all that surprised. More I am wondering how people put up with this, and how they deal with it if they rely on public transport. DD and I are still recovering from the ordeal, a couple of hours later! AIBU to avoid trains in the future?

arrg, wordfail. far too many versions of 'choose' in that post.

Then I'd have left the 2 year old and the buggy out of the equation.
Put your feet up and have a cold drink.

Trains are great. British trains are a bloody disaster though. Overpriced, over crowded and unreliable.

OP at least you got to where you wanted to go. I have so many claim forms for excessive cock ups on our line that I have lost track.

3pm isn't really rush hour - but it is a Friday and with half term ballsing everything up I expect the trains were more full than usual.

You're home. Put your feet up and forget about it.

That's the thing, loopy. Your choices are put up with it or don't use the train!

YANBU. I don't know what the answer is to, short of digging up all the crappy railways, binning the current rolling stock and starting afresh. All the 'improvements' that are possible (like installing air con on the tube, which I believe is happening) just seem like pushing into the wind really.

The commuter trains DH and I used in London (lived in zone 3, travelled to Waterloo East and Charing Cross) were just awful - the peak peak time ones you physically couldn't get on, so we had to go to work either early or late. Apparently they couldn't put more carriages on because the platforms along that line aren't long enough to accommodate them.

Virgin could do their bit by having a more realistic proportion of standard class coaches to first class - normally you find the train split 50:50 first:standard, with 95% of passengers wedged into standard.

I don't go anywhere long distance by train if I can help it. It's so bloody expensive and miserable. I pretty much only use the train to go to London and I only ever go first class, usually by getting an advance ticket to travel at an unpopular time. Otherwise I would need a week at a health spa to recover from the ordeal.

Trains in other countries are not like this IME.

pissing into the wind - obviously. Bloody autocorrect.

Surely not? Surely something can be done? Although if people who use trains daily aren't complaining, I suppose I shouldn't be.

Feet firmly up. Thanks, and sorry for getting emotional.

There is a knack to knowing when to go. Saturday noon or Sat. about 5pm is over-crowded due to football fans, Weekdays 5-6 are bad due to commuters. Choose the time carefully, that's all.

M1 around Leicester any day of the week is bad from 2-8pm, and every motorway in England is Horrendous every Friday 2-9pm except Xmas or New Year's day. I can't conclude that all motorways are horrendous and to be avoided forever more on the back of those facts.

for OP.

Friday in half term or not, it surely shouldn't be unreasonable to expect to use a mode of public transport at a time that's convenient? The trains in this country infuriate me - DH commutes every day using the East Coast mainline which must be the most difficult train line to operate in the whole world, as the trains are late nearly every bloody day. How hard can it be, really, to run a few trains up and down one stretch of railway line?!

there's not alot we can do.. we put up with it because there is no realistic alternative (well here in London anyway, can't speak for anywhere else). That was the fatal error in privatising the trains, while it worked for other national industries (telecoms for example, you don't have to use BT, you can use dozens of other telephone providers) you can't opt to take one train over the other because it's cheaper/less crowded/more likely to be on time. If your train line is a First Great Western train line then you have to get a First Great Western train. Total lack of real competition = poor service for everyone.

When you aren't pregnant and don't have a buggy with you you can try again. (That'll be sometime in 2015, won't it?)

I commute happily every day on a hideously over crowded train, but I'd never do the same journey alone with a buggy-bound DC.

I don't think you're BU.

A few times a year, my work requires me to take the train from Sheffield to St Pancras on a Wednesday and generally I make the return journey on a Friday at about 6pm.

The outward journey is generally ok, but coming home is shocking sometimes, even though I get a first class ticket - it's not like I'm posh or owt, it's just that it's on expenses and it gives a better chance of actually getting a seat at the peakest of peak times.

It's not unusual to have people stood or sat on the floor between carriages for at least the first few stops after St Pancras. I wouldn't like to think I'd paid over £100 for a ticket to end up sat on the p*ss soaked floor between carriages, but some people seem to do it!

I agree, the trains shouldn't only be for working people at certain times of the day and people with buggies and children should be like second class citizens and only able to use the transport system at certain times of the day.

I lived in Versailles and commuted to Paris and the trains were brilliant and I don't ever remember feeling that they weren't.

I must admit I'd think twice about going in to town by train with a pushchair and a toddler. I see it every day on my commute and I always try to be considerate to people with children, letting them sit down, helping them with buggys etc.. but don't even get me started on the people who take MASSIVE suitcases on a crowded commuter train at peak rush hour. And then get on the tube with said MASSIVE suitcase

YANBU but if you had asked for a seat on grounds of pregnancy, I bet you would have got one earlier. People are usually very accommodating and if the first person declines, usually about 5 people look shifty and sort you out with one instead. Probably so you don't start giving birth in front of them a la Casualty. So be un-British, sisters, and ask for seats!

YANBU. You pay a small fortune to travel like cattle. Except there are rules about animal welfare which seem to be better than the conditions committee are expected to tolerate.

I drive because, with three children, it's cheaper than using a train.

Committe? Commuters. iPhone doesn't like commuters either

It is rubbish. For the money tickets cost the service available is completely crap.

It depends where you are - but even on a friday I wouldn't have expected a 3pm train to be that busy, and I commuted a long time.

I find buses easier with a pushchair etc than trains.

Obviously 3pm is not rush hour - but it is when the last off peak tickets are valid (until 7pm.ish) so it's usually v busy.

I think you had a great experience - in the sense that a) you had someone really lovely help you. And b) having commuted for years and years and years it's nice to have someone appreciate just how tough it is.

Was it a job interview?

A uni interview, and hosp apt for DD. A friend met us there and looked after DD while I had the interview.

I once travelled a long journey with two little ones. There was no working bog on the train. One was locked and 'out of order', the other had its door ripped off, stank, and faced a packed carriage.

I was the ONLY person who complained to the guard, who couldn't care less.

YANBU but we are as a nation in putting up with this crap.

I used the train for the first time in years recently and it was a PITA. It was expensive, trains were delayed and cancelled all over the place so by the time one turned up it was heaving.

Unfortunately I had no other option and will have to use it again over the next couple of weeks for hospital appts. as I have an eye problem which means I can't drive until its better

Door to door I could have driven in 20-25mins, instead it took me nearly 2 hours (bus, train and walk)

oh yes...and the toilets were out of order at the station and on the train