AIBU to think the Quiet coach of the train isn't the most appropriate place for noisy/badly behaved small children

[ComposHat]

Took a recent long distance train journey and because I wanted to work I booked a seat in the train's quiet coach.

However this turned out to be a bit of a forlorn hope due to the presence of very loud children (maybe 4 and 7) who spent the duration of the journey running up and down the aisles, shouting and screaming , whilst their parents made no effort to control them.

Now I don't blame the kids as they can get bored and irritable nor did I expect them to sit on silence, but what on earth were their parents thinking taking them into a carriage of people who had specified a QUIET traveling experience.?

AIBU to expect them to move to a different area of the train, especially as there were plenty of seats throughout the train?

I once got on a train and sat at a table in the quiet carriage. It was a really empty train and I was the only person sitting in the whole carriage so loads of empty tables. These 2 women got on with 4 kids, they put 2 on my table opposite me and 2 on the table over the aisle so suddenly I was surrounded by 4 small children with toys and games. The women then went and sat on another table at the other end of the carriage! Presumably so they could have a nice quiet journey without having to look after their children.

I was soooo furious I couldn't believe it! I wouldn't have minded at all if the train had been really busy and there was nowhere else for the kids to sit but there was literally nobody else in the whole carriage and multiple other tables! Not to mention loads of other non-quiet carriages! I ended up gathering my stuff in a huff and going and sitting in one of the other empty carriages. Just the memory of it still makes me fume

I have been several times given the quiet coach when reserving tickets by line for me and 2-3 children with a family railcard. These tickets are only valid when you sit in the seat reserved. I have been known to find the conductor and ask if he can find me a place elsewhere as keeping 3 children quiet on a 6 hour journey is not fun or possible. However some will not do this.

Maybe they had allocated seats?

I went to London on a train with my family and 2 other families (6 adults and 6 children) with tickets booked by phone. We'd specifically mentioned that we had small children travelling with with us.

Anyway turn up to the station to find that our allocated seats in a fully booked train are in the quiet carriage - first time I'd ever heard these existed.

Fortunately, all the kids were v v well behaved - still didn't stop the ticket inspector trying to 'tell us off' for having children in the quiet section.

Obviously, she was quickly and politely informed whose fault this was - mind you she couldn't have been on the customer service course as she was incapable of apologising for her rudeness and the rail companies error.

We have 2 x under 5s, they travel free on the train so when booking we are only booking for 2 x adults. We NEVER select quiet coach but nonetheless on getting on the train have found our reserved seats to be in quiet coach before - we were a bit concerned about this as obv didn't want to disturb those particularly choosing to be in quiet coach. However nothing we could do about it - was either that or not get a seat. so it may be that the people that were disturbing you did not specifically select quiet coach - they may have reserved seats and been allocated them in quiet coach - as others have said there is not an option to select 'not the quiet coach' when booking.

So - suck it up - they could have moved but so could you.

So we need a campaign for allocation of seats that are not in the quiet coach, on request, simple 'do you want the quiet coach? yes / no' and this being acted upon.

I'd also like a member of staff to walk through the train about once an hour, so they can be called on for help when necessary, as well as being asked about connections and things. I often feel quite abandoned by the train company when ticket barriers at stations mean you don't see a member of staff at all on a 2-3 hour journey.

Sometimes, when people are behaving really badly (swearing loudly in front of children, singing offensive football songs) they cross the line for me from 'willing to have a quiet word' to 'risk that saying something might make things worse' and my only choices seem to be; go and find member of staff (not always easy if crowded), phone train company; phone police. I've never done the latter two but have been tempted.

Particularly when the behaviour is just a bit raucous e.g. amiably drunk stag parties, people usually respond really well to a friendly word from a member of staff, who does have that bit more legitimacy than a fellow passenger. So, that's another topic entirely, isn't it!

YABU If the kids were running that fast you should have surreptitiously tripped them concussed children are much less rowdy.
My DCs (10&7) usually read to themselves if we're put in the quiet coach. They get annoyed when folk leave their phones buzzing and ringing for the entire journey.

YANBU i have a child, however when i travel alone from Edinburgh to York to visit my best friend, i always book the quiet coach, i love the fact i can relax and read for 2 n half hours!

ch - as others have said there is not an option to select 'not the quiet coach' when booking.

So - suck it up - they could have moved but so could you

As I have already said I have no problem with children being in the quiet coach, I do have a problem with bad/noisy behaviour which the parents did nothing to check.

I see know reason why I should suck up shit and inconsiderate parenting.

YANBU

The parents may have been allocated those seats but they shouldn't have allowed their children to run up and down shouting and screaming.

I'm rather at the thought of getting a seat at all. The last few times I have travelled from leeds to London there have been no seats, even when resereved. It seems very common for various trains to be joined into one because of schedule changes due to some scrote person stealing the cable.

YANBU.

YANBU, regardless of whether it is a quiet coach or not, the parents shoudl nto have allowed them to race around yelling. It is just bad parenting to allow them to behave like that.