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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Crowded Trains. AIBU?

37 replies

Crowler · 02/12/2013 18:23

I would really like to know how the irritated people on the crowded train expects me to go to work only those days that my ONLY recourse is to go between 8 and 9 because of the school run. I very frequently let several trains pass in hopes that a less crowded one comes, but they never do.

This has been bugging me for a while, but today I stepped in (it was crowded, but there was a gap) and I smiled and said sorry, I've just let three trains pass to the insane woman standing next to me rolling her eyes. Just as the doors were closing she decided to get off in a huff, trapping me in the doors with her. I got shouty with her and then had a rather embarrassing ride into the city!

What am I supposed to do? AIBU by getting on a crowded train? Really would love to know.

OP posts:
TwoThreeFourSix · 04/12/2013 17:45

The best, or rather worst, I've seen was a train arriving jam-packed. One woman pulled an existing female passenger off the train and took her place Shock The doors shut before anyone could react but everyone was Shock Shock Shock

The funniest was being jam-packed onto a train during a strike (so less trains than usual). Everyone was very grumpy and fed up having waited ages on a very packed platform.

The doors shut and the train pulled off - then a bloke pulled out his guitar and strummed it (above his head - only space there was). The person next to him said "oh for fucks sake" and the busker got upset and started arguing with him Grin

I've also seen a bitch fight in a jam-packed train, something about who got to sit down, who was more important, who was going to work. I'm not sure what. But the whole carriage was silent watching in awe 2 middle-aged women arguing. They stopped, then one said "bitch" and the whole carriage drew in its collective breath...then burst out laughing. Really improved my mood!

MackerelOfFact · 04/12/2013 18:18

YANBU at all. At 5ft1in, I find 'moving down inside the carriage' a precarious nightmare as I can't reach the overhead handrails. I wouldn't actually mind a standing-only carriage provided a) it was cheaper and b) there were lots of things to hold on to at various heights and angles, while still allowing an easy flow of people off the carriage when they reach their stop.

ThurlHoHoHow · 04/12/2013 18:31

I have that too, mackerel, I hate getting stuck right in the middle. I tend to point it out nicely and ask if I can sort of swap with people, which normally works. The few times it doesn't I just say I'm going to hold on or fall on them instead! 2 years on the Northern Line rush hour LB to KX has made me 'ard

Bettercallsaul1 · 04/12/2013 19:51

This thread has come just in time for me! I was coming home on the train from a shopping trip on Saturday only to find, once I got on, that there were no reserved seats due to the train arriving late. (No time to attach the tickets)

There was, therefore, a general free-for-all, with passengers going up and down the corridors, forlornly searching for a seat. The carriage I was supposed to be in was vastly overcrowded, with a queue forming at the door. As I made my way along, I noticed a woman sitting unconcernedly, facing the queue of seatless people, with the seat beside her filled with shopping bags, making no attempt to put them on the overhead rack to give someone a seat. People were muttering audibly "There's a seat over there!" but she turned a determined deaf ear, obviously hoping we would all go and stand resignedly at the doors! Since I was first in the queue, I asked very politely if I could please sit in the seat, and she assumed an expression of martyrdom as she got up and veryslowly moved her bags, sighing pointedly as she did so.

As far as I know the term "train rage" has not yet been coinedto parallel "road rage", but it's surely only a matter of time!

2Tinsellytocare · 04/12/2013 20:00

That's hilarious two Smile

I think you were unreasonable to feel you had to explain yourself to her otherwise YANBU

bialystockandbloom · 04/12/2013 20:08

I was once on a packed train at London Bridge, a woman came to the doors, tried to get on, no-one moved down to let her, she asked nicely "can anyone move down please". No response. She asked again "can people move along please". Again everyone ignored her. She then screamed "MOVE DOWN YOU CUNTS" Shock It did the trick though.

Another random fact is that I was once on another seriously packed train and nose-to-nose with Floella Benjamin.

ThurlHoHoHow · 04/12/2013 20:30

Floella Benjamin! I swear she's a witch. She hasn't aged in decades.

bialystockandbloom · 04/12/2013 20:41

True! This was only a couple of years ago, and she looked amazing - exactly the same as she did on Playschool Shock

ThurlHoHoHow · 04/12/2013 20:51

I know, she read the bedtime story on CBeebies the other day and we were gobsmacked, it was like a proper flashback to our childhoods and she looked exactly the same.

EvilRingahBitch · 04/12/2013 20:58

I count all the people getting off my morning tube (normally several, it's an interchange) and if there were more getting off than were waiting to get on then I'm getting on regardless of whether the other passengers think there's room for me.

I do adjust for baggage space - I'm not totally unreasonable.

Original poster
Crowler · 05/12/2013 09:11

Laughing at "move down you cunts".

bettercallsaul those people are EVERYWHERE. I hate them. Their averted gaze, entitled attitude.

OP posts:
Original poster
Crowler · 05/12/2013 09:12

Evil, that's perfectly sensible.

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