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Original poster

To think the UK public have appalling manners on trains

69 replies

parasaurolophus · 07/12/2013 16:46

I am standing on a train while my children sit on the floor at my feet. Trains from euston delayed or cancelled due to awful tragedy.

We have seats reserved on this train that is running, but of course in euston it is a race to the train. Nearly every seat is filled with healthy twenty somethings, many of whom refused to move for children with reservations.

Children are swaying everywhere and these assholes stole their seats because they run faster.

I am mostly angry at cheapskate husband who wouldn't agree to hotel room

OP posts:
unlucky83 · 07/12/2013 18:36

(Did mean to say that they did understand me - the fact they were foreign was irrelevant - except I didn't know what they were saying about me - probably wasn't very polite!!! - but honestly don't think I would have cared whatever they said!)

PumpkinPositive · 07/12/2013 18:41

But only a total fucker would refuse to give up their seat for a child

Very recent attitude. As a child I was always told to stand to make way for an adult - reservation or no reservation. And I did have a disability but that made no difference.

catgirl1976 · 07/12/2013 18:45

On a crowded train, young children are much more susceptible to falling as the train swerves and to getting squished by adults swaying about

Hence I think an able-to-stand adult should give up their seat on a long journey where there are crowds and people standing in the aisles.

PumpkinPositive · 07/12/2013 18:53

On a crowded train, young children are much more susceptible to falling as the train swerves and to getting squished by adults swaying about

Sure, but then I would have been made to sit on a parent's knee, which doesn't apply in this case since poor OP can't get a seat! OP has stated her kids are sitting at her feet so the chances of them being injured by falling when the train swerves are slim.

All academic though since the OP per booked her seats and therefore it should be HER decision re seating arrangements for the kids and not for ignorant oiks to do so. Definitely find the train guard and hope he embarrasses them all "this train ain't moving until you do" style. Grin

DoYouLikeMyBaubles · 07/12/2013 19:28

I got on a train for the first time in ages yesterday, Virgin one.

Rammed. A man was sat in the aisle seat, with his primark bag taking up the seat next to him. I asked him could he schooch up and he said no.

I was that shocked it took me a second to put on my 'dont fuck about with me' faced.

He moved it in the end, with much huffing and puffing.

reelingaroundthechristmastree · 07/12/2013 19:35

Train manager will make them move.

CalamitouslyWrong · 07/12/2013 19:38

Once when the train was absolutely packed and some fuckers sat in our seats the train manager let us sit in first class instead. Was much better. Grin

reelingaroundthechristmastree · 07/12/2013 19:43

A woman sat in front of me recently on a long journey, she had filled up the seat next to her with stuff, loads of people were standing.
Made me Angry but I had a seat and DD said I had to STFU about it.

I almost wished I hadn't had a seat so I could have made her move her fucking stuff.
There was plenty of overhead space, Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

reelingaroundthechristmastree · 07/12/2013 19:44

How hard faced do you have to be to just sit there and pretend not to notice Hmm

AchyFox · 07/12/2013 20:04

Does the train not have reservation labels ?

Can and does happen.

TattyDevine · 07/12/2013 20:38

Reserved seats - you are entitled to have them moved, sometimes easier said than done on a crowded train.

To ease your angst, allow me to share my pet hates that I endured through many years of commuting

Men with broadsheet newspapers or bollocks so large they had to spread their legs or arms to the width of 2-3 seats

Men (well, women if they did but never had one do this) who would burp "politely" you'd hear then burp, mouth closed, hand over mouth) who would then "release" the burp, and puff it across to the poor person opposite (me). Usually smelt of salami, beer, or beer and salami. Or both. Lol.

People who would lean to the side to fart silently, and you'd think, why are you leaning to the side, hell, perhaps they have had a stroke or heart attack, then the fart smell would hit you.

People with long legs - shame for them, really I'm not bitter, but do you have to physically kick my little feet out of your way so you can stretch your legs in between mine? Seriously?

The Rucksack. Grateful you are willing to stand, not that you had a choice, but if you whip around to change direction, please be aware that the 30kg of luggage you hold on your back has broken my nose and given me concussion. No, its fine really, just be aware.

Phone conversations. If you must, put them on speaker, because it is incredibly frustrating when you exclaim "NO! SHARUUUP! YOU DIDN'T! FAAARK! REALLY?" and not know exactly what they did or didn't do.

Yawning. Yes, commuting is boring. Do not puff your yawn my way. If you must, one word that springs to mind is floss. More than once a week, please.

Snoring and snorting - nuff said.

That might do for now.

Wishfulmakeupping · 07/12/2013 20:41

This happened to me once they refused to move out of my reversed seat I got the conductor involved who bumped us up to first class which was nice but I think they should have been made to move

TattyDevine · 07/12/2013 20:44

Okay I'm on a roll now. Chapter two - intercity trains - the ones with tables.

Do not look at me like I am a madwoman when I ask you to rise to allow me to squeeze past and take the window seat. I am not going to mount the table and crawl doggie style into the vacant seat.

And then, when I get off at the first stop when you are getting off at the last, do not look at me as if daft if I ask you once again to vacate your seat and allow me past. If you are going "all the way", why not just take the window seat?

20 minutes till the first stop, and everyone is already queuing to get off and be off first. Why? You fought for that seat. Perhaps you refused women with children who had booked that seat from sitting there as per the OP. Why have you now vacated that seat to queue and block anyone else who needs out just so you can be 45th out the train?

Smoking carriage. No longer exists. But when it did, it was the only chuffing place you could get a seat. Why? Because smokers would get a seat in non smoking carriages, then walk to Coach B to have a fag, then return to their seat, because the poor dears couldn't stand the smell of the smoke. Nasty, nasty smoke. But they'd happily trail it through non smoking carriages.

The Bar.

Okay, scratch that, I have nothing bad to say about the bar.

TattyDevine · 07/12/2013 20:48

Chapter 3. Mondays.

Everyone hates a Monday. But the worst thing about Mondays was the football manager wannabees analysing every bit of match strategy.

Because you really should have been a football manager, not a junior messenger for a stockbroking firm. Really, someone missed a trick there.

Original poster
parasaurolophus · 07/12/2013 21:19

The situation was most trains from Euston were cancelled. Ours was not, so when the train was announced the crowd ran for the train just to get out of Euston.

The reservations were in effect, and we asked the people to move. They were young men in their 20s. They said no. DH asked them to move for the kids, we will give up our seats. They said no. I said in a loud voice "You should be ashamed of yourselves." They shrugged. There were hoards of people pushing in from behind us, so we couldn't stay to press it. No conductors anywhere, the aisles were packed.

It wasn't just us. All the familes were later to get to the train, because the little kids didn't run fastest. The seats were full of young, able bodied people who refused to move for the kids, who had reserved seats.

I should have taken photos for the Daily Mail. The kids and I could make sad faces. :) (that is a joke)

After an hour, we found seats for the rest of the ride home. The children are none the worse for the wear. My indignation has run its course. I now have wine and the world seems a better place.

OP posts:
80sbabe · 07/12/2013 21:56

I know exactly where you are coming from - a couple of years ago my DS and DD visited their grandad for a few days and went by train. They were aged 16 and 8 at the time and were travelling between London and just outside Manchester.
They had reserved seats each way and on the way up it wasn't an issue but their seats and all others were full by the time they got on the train to come home.
DS had the seat reservation tickets - he asked the passengers in their seats to move and they refused. He then asked for help from the guard who told him that unless people moved voluntarily he couldn't make them.

They eventually got seats when the train reached Birmingham but had to stand or sit on the floor until then.
It made me sad that people would happily refuse an 8 year old her pre-booked seat and also made me wonder why the train companies allow bookings if they refuse to uphold them.
I did complain afterwards but got nowhere with it.

However I often travel on very busy trains with my other DS who is a wheelchair user and he normally is offered a space when he gets spotted.
If there are no spare seats when we get on though he always declines and says "No thanks I come with my own one" which does makes me smile Grin

PumpkinPositive · 07/12/2013 22:18

The reservations were in effect, and we asked the people to move. They were young men in their 20s. They said no. DH asked them to move for the kids, we will give up our seats. They said no. I said in a loud voice "You should be ashamed of yourselves." They shrugged.

I would have stood there and kept remonstrating with them until their ears melted.

scripsi · 07/12/2013 22:23

I would have taken a photo of them in your seats (but I am having a spectacularly bad few days and have the rage). Did you pay to reserve them? IME there are rarely any conductors around.

K8Middleton · 07/12/2013 22:29

I'd have laid down on the table just to show the selfish fuckers. But I am prone to train rage and making a scene.

I am furious for you op. What ill mannered men.

yabu about the UK public

CalamitouslyWrong · 07/12/2013 22:33

You should have sat the children on the table and encouraged them to be utter pains in the arses.

K8Middleton · 07/12/2013 22:34

Helpfully my children need no encouragement Calamitously Wink

CalamitouslyWrong · 07/12/2013 23:26

I don't think mine would either.

K8Middleton · 07/12/2013 23:29
Grin
WorraLiberty · 07/12/2013 23:31

They were fucking rude. They should have moved if you reserved the seats.

However, you are fucking rude too with your sweeping thread title OP.

MomentForLife · 07/12/2013 23:48

I'm in a really bad mood today and I'm furious for you OP. I can imagine the smug little arseholes faces as well, I've experienced it myself.