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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU or is everyone else on the coach?

130 replies

DialsMavis · 01/04/2015 18:54

A live one... I've just boarded a coach with DS (12) and DD (4) for a last minute visit to see family. Couldn't get the train as its £££ if you don't book in advance, we've done the coach before and it's always been OK. The journey is 2hrs15 mins without any delays.

Today we got on at Hammersmith rather than Victoria so every pair of seats was taken up by single passengers. Not a single one would move so I could sit next to DD and most just ignored us as we walked up and down aisle (coach in motion) asking if someone would move. Ds is right at other end and is fine.

OP posts:
Ineedacleaningfairy · 01/04/2015 19:13

The same thing happened to me when I went on the coach with a 6 month old baby (babies have to be in car seats) in the end I put the baby down next to someone strapped her in and started giving the selfish git person sat next to the baby (who had refused to move) a bottle, toy, wipes. The person moved very fast (with lots of huffing and tutting).

I second the sick bad idea,

Original poster
DialsMavis · 01/04/2015 19:13

Shall I pass her the pasta salad (tomato based sauce)?

OP posts:
lastlines · 01/04/2015 19:14

This situation would bring out the passive aggressive in me. I'd lean over to DD all the time, talking loudly to her and giving her messy things to eat (and sick bags) and basically being an absolute interrupting PITA until someone said 'would you like to sit together?' Have fun.

BitOutOfPractice · 01/04/2015 19:15

singlepringle I think she means there wasn't a double seat togeher free because every double seat had a single person it so she couldn't sit next to her DD

PourquoiTuGachesTaVie · 01/04/2015 19:15

How good is your dd at fake tantrums? (Or engineer a real one? Wink)

TheVermiciousKnid · 01/04/2015 19:15

Pasta salad with tomato sauce? Definitely. Maybe you've got some glue and glitter with you? Nothing like doing something creative on a coach. :)

Gileswithachainsaw · 01/04/2015 19:15

presumably there will be others getting in at other stops?

Some might be waiting for friends or family who have booked the seats next to each other.

not moving luggage is nasty but they may well be saving a seat for a friend or something.

If I was travelling I'd have moved as I don't really care where or with who I sit but if people have pre booked seats for a reason then they are under no obligation to move

lastlines · 01/04/2015 19:15

Respect, Ineedacleaning fairy I have no sympathy for lazy, selfish people.

sosix · 01/04/2015 19:17

Yanbi at all. Is your dd a talkr? Leave her to itGrin

Kbear · 01/04/2015 19:17

what is wrong with people ? I commute and regularly move so a couple can sit together or a mum and a child, what's the problem and this entitlement to put your fricking bag on a seat?? what happened to plain old courtesy and kindness?

Hope your journey goes well!

Original poster
DialsMavis · 01/04/2015 19:18

Ineedacleaningfairy Shock.
I have just shouted "ooh DD mind your chocolatey hands"

OP posts:
Kerberos · 01/04/2015 19:18

I would have moved for you OP

grannytomine · 01/04/2015 19:18

I would move for you. Four is quite little, hope she is by someone nice.

LadySybilLikesSloeGin · 01/04/2015 19:19

Happens all the time here. We usually sit at the very back, nine times out of ten there's 2 seats, there's just some twazock sitting in the middle with 2 empty ones either side so people can't see them.

TwoOddSocks · 01/04/2015 19:19

YANBU I would definitely move but people can be awfu. I remember a lady put bags on all 3 of the remaining seats surrounding a table and got a huff on when we asked her to move two of them.

5madthings · 01/04/2015 19:21

I would have moved for you.

My dd is four, no way would she sit next to a random person on a coach, she would just cry!

passthewineplz · 01/04/2015 19:21

Single - because either the person is sat on the Isle seat and won't move, or because they're sat next to the window with their bag on the seat and won't move their bag from the Isle seat.

OP I agree people are selfish, my DD same age won't sit still, talks constantly so I reckon it would take 5 minutes for any person to move... So i'd sit there sweetly.. Grin She would also probably at the top of her voice say something like 'why won't the rude people move mummy?' or scream! Whilst walking up the Isle! And repeat any words mummy tries to say to under her breath quietly...Blush

LadySybilLikesSloeGin · 01/04/2015 19:23

We had that, TwoOddSocks. On the train. We'd booked and had a table. A couple with half of the contents of their house (hadn't booked) had got there first though and ds and I spent the next 2 hours with bags on the table and boxes under it so that we couldn't move (I made them move their bags off the seats so that we could sit down). There was no where else to sit. Bastards.

paxtecum · 01/04/2015 19:24

I would move you.
I move seats on planes for people too, though I haven't been on one for a few years.

Talking in a loud voice about sick is good.
Bet you wish you had brought egg butties with you.

passthewineplz · 01/04/2015 19:25

Get food and drinks out OP, they'll soon move Wink

3littlefrogs · 01/04/2015 19:25

This happened to me with my 2 year old.
People can be amazingly selfish.

puddymuddles · 01/04/2015 19:26

I think they all sound mean and selfish. I would try to make lots of noise with DD and annoy everyone - play a loud game of i spy or something!

LadySybilLikesSloeGin · 01/04/2015 19:27

You need to teach her how to sing, loudly and repetitively. Does she know the wheels on the bus?

Gileswithachainsaw · 01/04/2015 19:33

Why is sitting in your pre booked seat you chose and paid for selfish? its not up to strangers to sit a family together it's up to the parent to book seats that allow them.to sit together.

If they are travelling on their own and aren't fussed where they sit then sure it would he nice if they did move.

If it's a free for all then absolutely it would be the right thing to move and not take up two seats with bags.

but people could well be meeting others at different stops. including picking up their own children.

Gileswithachainsaw · 01/04/2015 19:36

fwiw often on trains I don't even bother trying to find a seat as they are usually all taken and on buses I move to allow kids to sit with parents etc.

It doesn't bother me.

But people often book seats for a reason if it's possible. they aren't to know that the family just boarding are all split up. If they are picking tenor kids up on the way people may assume you were sitting with someone you knew