AIBU Re Train Seats

[ConnorCamden]

Last night one train, the one I normally get, didn't show. It was cancelled due to a fault. Myself and approximately 10 other people had to stand around for an hour until the next train. During this time, the platform got very very busy, as you can imagine (people waiting for the next train)

Finally the train arrives. I climb aboard and, like the 25 or so other people, tried to find a seat. I finally found a seat, but it meant politely asking an elderly gentleman to move up so that I can sit next to him. His response? "No. I was here first" I thought he was joking at first, so I smiled and waited for him to move. He said "What are you waiting for? I told you I'm not moving"

I ended up standing for the 1 hour journey.

AIBU to expect somebody to move up to make room for somebody? This was one of those 2 seats (like on a bus) and he was sitting on the seat nearest the aisle not the window.

I would have asked him to let you in to the window seat. If he refused I too would have pushed passed him.

I would always look at the seat with the bags on and say very loudly
"Excuse me please" with a big smile, worked everytime.
I would then say "Oh thank you SO much!" all bright and breezy like there was no problem.

feet on the seats does my head in...particular one women who put her stinking feet under the table....& onto the seat opposite her, on my coat & bag. thank you!

I guess the only reason he might have had is if that seat wasn't reserved later on and the window seat was - if I've sat in the aisle seat because the window seat is going to be taken at some point during my journey, I won't move up, I'll let whoever needs to sit down into the window seat. Obviously.

But it seems really unlikely he wouldn't just say that, and fucking rude to say 'no'.

Ooh people sitting on the aisle seats annoys me, too. Although I prefer sitting by the window, so in a way it's good for me. Worst was when I was enormously pregnant, and always had to clamber over (mostly) men sitting on the aisle seats to get to the window. JUST MOVE UP!

Btw ... am I missing something here ...goeasy what you describe sounds like common politeness. Isn't this what most people do?

Why would there be a 'problem' - people like the OP met surely aren't very common!

YANBU.

I once had the same situation as you OP, only I was on crutches with a broken ankle. The b*tard refused to move. Random strangers on the other side of the aisle waded in on my behalf and a brawl broke out between them. I was very and just hobbled off at the next station to wait for the next train.

Op, are you sure he didn't think you had asked him to get up, rather than move up?

Very packed train last week, the only availiable seats were taken up by people's bags I offered to upgrade our tickets to first class so we (ds and I) could sit down, the lovely guard told us to go and sit down without having to upgrade.

I hate trains. I think people should pay double if they chose to put their bag on a seat or block a seat so no one can sit down.

There is a special place in hell for the bag-squatters. One where they have to stand while their bag languishes on a filthy floor.

YANBU. what a miserable bastard.

If someone has bags on the seat next to them and they havent already moved it when the train is busy they are saying to the world that they don't care people are standing and don't want someone sitting next to them.
They are creating a problem as many folk won't dare ask them to move thier things.

Other posters were describing the train conductor making announcements asking people to move thier things of seats. I was just saying I would ask anyway.

sorry thats "their" and "off"

We don't stand for it in London

Why didn't you just ask him to move his knees aside so you could take the window seat?

He was very rude, but if I see someone in the aisle seat I will ask them to shuffle aside so I can take the window seat. I'd be a bit miffed if someone wanted me to scooch across, as the aisle seat is much nicer than the window.

Or am I misunderstanding? Was he refusing to move his legs so you could take the aisle seat?

Yes, I get that ... it's just that IME what usually happens is you say 'excuse me can I sit down' and they wake up, move the bag, and let you sit down. It is annoying when some idiots think they can pretend they don't notice a full train and have to be asked pointedly to move the bag, but it's not usually a full-blown drama is it?

I have to say, being someone who regularly does an 8-hour round trip by train, I have very, very little patience for people who assume you're both awake and telepathic all the time. Just ask them to move up/stand up if that is what you need them to do.

YANBU

I had the bags on seat problem today on the bus. Four seperate people had bags on seats and not one offered to move them (I am 33 weeks pregnant with twins so assumed people would kindly move their bags). In the end I just sat on top of the closest handbag .

Hooray for Belini!

I admit I am guilty of putting bags on the seat next to me, in the hope that someone will go for a 'free' seat first. My reasons are that I'm undergoing chemo and for some reason, one of the side-effects is that I badly overheat, very quickly. Being on a train is bad enough but having someone squashed in next to me makes it even worse.

Saying that, I ALWAYS move my bags if someone wants the seat and if I feel that hot and unwell, I stand up to get some air.

To the bag-squatters I just say "excuse me* whilst simulaneously starting to sit down. If they don't move quickly enough whatever is in the bag is going to get squashed! I've never had to go that far though. Apparently the sight of my incoming arse is enough to prompt bag removal.

I hate trains - I was once on a train to Newbury and a guy who was quite senior at Vodafone (yes I am going to name and shame him!) got on at Reading and went into one carriage. I got on behind him and went into the other carriage. All very polite, no touching, pushing, or anything.

He walked into the other carriage and saw that there were no seats so came back into my carriage where by this time I had found a seat and was just about to sit down.

He marched up to me, pushed me out of the way very forcefully and told me that he had been there first.

I couldn't understand what he said at first and said 'excuse me?' very politely.
His response was to grab me by the scruff of the neck and shove me against the opposite chair, screaming in my face 'I was there first! Get out of my f'ing way!' A fellow passenger pushed him off me and the guy sat down. I found another seat and cried for the whole rest of the journey. I wanted to report him but I was genuinely frightened for my safety.

When we got to Newbury he waited until I was getting off and then pushed me onto the platform. I was so upset but again I stupidly didn't say anything.

The day before we'd actually had a violent burglary so I was very fragile anyway and really didn't need him doing that. I wish I'd reported him to the police and Vodafone now but at the time I had enough on my plate.

To make it worse I was only 22 at the time and very small, he was a middle aged rugby player type build guy.

I hope that asshole got sacked.

Name! Shame! Please...