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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think I should feel safe to take a train with 2 dcs at 7.30pm on a Saturday?

35 replies

TumbleWeeds · 08/04/2013 14:51

Was out with the dcs on Saturday afternoon. We had a nice afternoon and then went for a bite.
We took the train to go back home.

It was full of drunks, usually in groups. Loud, swearing, singing racist songs and in general being frightening tbh. There has been a few instances where it was clear that some of them could have become violent (start of a fight etc...)
This must a regular instance on that line at that time because there was actually 2 policemen on the train (that we never saw in our carriage unfortunately).

I feel like complaining but tbh I am not sure what else they can do now apart from having the Police in each carriage. Alcohol has been banned but as they were all completely drunk when going in....
Why why do people it's OK to use public transport when they are in such a state??

OP posts:
MrsTerryPratchett · 08/04/2013 14:53

Was it a post-football train? I've been caught a couple of times with that. Bloody nightmare. In Australia they have female only carriages...

Original poster
TumbleWeeds · 08/04/2013 14:55

No not even post match thingy.
Just people going out for the afternoon, beginning of the evening and getting pissed...
There are few trains back to where I live so people going there have to catch that one as it's the last one of the day.

OP posts:
MissSG · 08/04/2013 14:55

I've had the pleasure of your situation too OP but I was sitting next to one and they threw up all over the seat in front.

It generally means that there is a football game on and this is most likely why they had the police on the train as it is expected.

I think you were (unfortunately like me) in the wrong place at the wrong time.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 08/04/2013 14:56

That's horrible. I think you should complain. If it is a regular occurance it shouldn't be. I've been on trains where they get the police in to make drunk/violent people get off, that should be the norm IMO (well, not needing the police, but not tolerating them).

MrsTerryPratchett · 08/04/2013 14:58

It's about the behaviour as well. I've been merrily pissed on the last train from London a few times and everyone has been polite, nice and friendly while all being a bit worse for wear. It's when you get large groups of arseholes who use drink and their outnumbering other people, to act like scum. I hate it.

IronOrchid · 08/04/2013 14:58

You should feel safe, but at that time on a Saturday? Not going to happen.

How else - other than public transport - are pissheads to get into town? Not an excuse, just an explanation.

EuroShaggleton · 08/04/2013 15:00

I'd be very surprised if it were not sports event related, tbh. I've only ever experienced that sort of thing when there's a match on.

CajaDeLaMemoria · 08/04/2013 15:00

Yes, I have to agree with Iron.

You should be safe, of course you should. But you won't at that time on a Saturday.

I always try to tell myself that at least they weren't driving, but it doesn't really make it any better.

Original poster
TumbleWeeds · 08/04/2013 15:05

I know it's not sport related.
I also know it's only on this specific line unfortunately :(

What I didn't know was that the situation was that bad that the Police is on the train as the 'norm'.

But really since when should other people change their way of doing things (eg not using the train after 7.00pm on a saturday) to accomodate anti social behaviour???

OP posts:
Original poster
TumbleWeeds · 08/04/2013 15:07

And if people want to get pissed, what about using the pub next door instead of going to the next town one hour away?

OP posts:
WillYouDoTheFandango · 08/04/2013 15:12

This week will have been people getting pissed watching the grand national in the afternoon. But YANBU; it's fine to get merry and get the train home, but there's no need for drinking til you're fighting/spewing.

IronOrchid · 08/04/2013 15:37

You shouldn't have to change your plans, but people will always get pissed and act like nobbers on public transport on weekends. Really unfair, but that's the way most things are.

Don't get the allure of travelling to slightly more distant pubs either. Happens where I am too. Must be the thrill of the exotic (or not wanting the neighbours/spouse to see how dickishly they act in drink!).

tomverlaine · 08/04/2013 16:25

It may be uncomfortable but not sure why it should scare you? with children there your less likely to get embroiled in naything etc - you may have explaining to do of their behaviour to the dc

BottledWaterandFags · 08/04/2013 16:32

What a fucking shit experience for you and your kids.

I never ever get the train past about 6pm on Saturdays because it always full of drunken cunts. No, it shouldn't be like that at all and I think you're right to complain to the train company. There's very little they can, or will, do about it but I always think getting it down on paper and letting these companies know you're pissed off is always good.

As someone else said, it was definately post-Grand National pissheadedness... we had a lot of them in our town centre by about 6.30pm.

Original poster
TumbleWeeds · 08/04/2013 17:53

It was scary because there was a lot of people. The train was packed so we ended up with a group about 2 meters from us, some of which were clearly ready to start a fight. I can look after myself but my dcs are 7yo and 9yo. I didn't really want them to either be on the receiving end of the hitting, even if this was an accident, or witness of it.

I am actually thinking to put a complain as we never saw anyone. Not the controller, nor the Police during the one hour trip.

OP posts:
thebody · 08/04/2013 17:59

Horrible op. I just don't get the violent thing. I like a drink and get happy and sleepy as do my dh and older dss.

Drink is no excuse for violence at any age.

Original poster
TumbleWeeds · 08/04/2013 18:04

I also had to do quite a bit of explaining re the language (you're just a f* f c*) on the top of very racist songs, which they kept singing again and again and again...

OP posts:
StuntGirl · 08/04/2013 18:09

I was hemmed in on a table seat recently by a group of drunk, obnoxious men who tried their hardest to frighten/intimidate me. I'll be honest it bloody worked but I tried not to let them see that. Lots of male bullshit bravado; "Yeah I'd fuck 'er, not that one though miserable cow. You, you're a two. But I'd probably finger you" etc etc. Trying to see what I was reading on my phone, lots of pointing and laughing and dirty looks my way. I had my music on and just turned it full to block them out. During the quiet bits between tracks I heard one say "I know she can hear me. I'm just trying to see how far I can take it before she slaps me".

This was 11pm on a Thursday. Weekends are even worse.

fridayfreedom · 08/04/2013 18:16

I once caught a train back from Bath with teenage dd and two of her friends. WE had been in Bath all day with loads of rugby fans about, both teams supporters in the pubs but saw no trouble at all. Caught the train, previuos one had been cancelled as football fans had vandalised it! the next train got in and as the door openned a drunk fell off onto the platform. I just told the girls to ignore him and we got on the train, if I hadn't nown he was drunk I would have felt guilty!
We had the pleasure of foul language and rubbish 'man talk' all the way home...nice!

HollyBerryBush · 08/04/2013 18:19

I got on a train at 10.30am with a load of Hoorah Henrys already pissed up going to Twickers for the rugger.

Do you think I was safer than you? I think not.

In the main, people will leave you alone if you leave them alone.

HousewifeFromHeaven · 08/04/2013 18:33

Vomit comet. I remember it well.

Sadly though you can get this at any time of day. I no longer take my dog to a certain park because there are people there with their kids and cans of Stella. At 12.30 in the afternoon. I mean, it's not tenants super but still.

StuntGirl · 08/04/2013 18:49

"In the main, people will leave you alone if you leave them alone."

Not in my experience. They take it as a challenge to elicit a reaction from you.

Original poster
TumbleWeeds · 08/04/2013 20:11

Also I had a hell of a time trying to explain to my horrified 9yo that he shouldn't be staring that these people (men and women all in their posh frocks) so that they would leave us alone. He just didn't understand and there was enough commotion going round to attract his attention again and again.
We haven't had that nice attention of drunk men trying to get my attention with dirty talk. But tbhthat was enough already.

I've had at in a hostel where they had the good idea to have only mixed rooms. Young men that could have been my dcs asking me to suck their cock at 3.00am.... Not a nice situation either but at least the dcs weren't there.

OP posts:
Original poster
TumbleWeeds · 08/04/2013 20:14

And tbh, perhaps we shouldn't just accept that some people are drunk in public places at 12.30 anyway. Perhaps we shouldn't be so tolerant about alcohol.
Because that sort of behaviour isn't on.
Swearing, dirty talk, insult or racist comments aren't suddenly ok if you are drunk.

OP posts:
ClaraOswinOswald · 08/04/2013 20:46

Sounds awful, you should file a complaint. However, when I was in a very similar situation with my DDs I moved carriages. I would rather stand than expose them to that kind of thing.

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