To wonder why so many people on trains become selfish.

[Sickoffrozen]

I went to London on Tuesday this week on business and the train was extremely full with some people standing.

Why do people think it's acceptable to sit in one seat and put their bags on the one next to them in the obvious hope that no one will ask them to move it? There were also some kids sprawled out on two seats, asleep.

The train manager twice made announcements to ask for people to move bags from seats yet some people still didn't. There was plenty of room in the overhead storage so no real excuses.

Why is having someone sat next to you so bad?

Are these people as selfish in all aspects of their life do you think?

I am hoping fervently that TwoPlus appears on my train. You wouldn't get away with a no, you really, really wouldn't. No matter what you and your special bag think. But you can't be on my train as its rammed and there would be a riot if some special twunt refused to move their tired bag. There are no seats left! I HAVE seen some altercations over bag removal. The selfish person always loses.

But I actually think you are a wind up merchant. Which is a shame as I think you should do that princessy thing on the last train service thing from Kings X to Peterborough/Cambridge. On a friday. When it is full of drunk people. Please. And tell us all when you are doing it.

I do what Caspian does. As for the people who passive-aggressively demand to sit on the seat someone's got their bag on when the train's half-empty - you're not the seat police either. Find an empty place and get on with your life.

To be quite honest, if I get on a train and the only seats available have bags on I just stand up, you can quite clearly see that these people do not want some random stranger sitting next to them, so I leave them alone. Oh and by the way I would never ever have to put up with the ridiculous hustle and bustle of London trains as I never ever go there, nor would I want to!

Twoplus, from your posts I can say that, as a Londoner, I'm quite happy not to have you here either.

I'd stand for as long as necessary. I never take my kids on the train as I drive, so it's only me and a couple of bags, and I am capable of standing up for a bit, there's no need for drama!

Lol, think what you like, but I've never and not would I ever ask anyone to move.

I always book seats with my DC (under 5) and I'm sure it does piss some people off that it looks like I'm taking up three seats with bags and kids stuff and sometimes sleeping children when I could have the baby on my lap.

*KeturahLee if you are taking as many seats as you've paid for more power to your elbow!

And AyMamitah I will obvioualy only ask for a bag to be moved if there are no free seats - in which case I certainly will ask and anyone with any consideration will move the bag.

Oh how I'd love to come across Twoplus and her precious bag on a busy train

I witnessed the most beautiful thing on a Transpennine journey once. A man was asked to move his bag so another man could sit down. Sitting man replied 'No, I'd rather keep it by me, thanks' with barely a look up from his tablet, upon which the standing man grabbed the bag and did a combination skid and throw of the bag down the centre aisle, going 'You'd better go and get it then, twat!'. I think he was a bit drunk, but I wanted to applaud. Sitting man did indeed slink off to retrieve the bag and ended perched on the aisle seat, leaning as far away from Bag Throwing Man as possible.

Hurrah for bag throwing man!
Here's how I see 2plus....
Me; may I sit there please?
2: no
Me- picks up bag (thus vacating seat)
2 goes to grab bag
And while she's distracted I sit down.

Bag throwing man was a hero.
Hopefully he'll meet up with twoplus3 when she is sit hogging.

Seat hogging

Yes Andrew though I imagine if someone was standing on a busy train and saw one of my children asleep on two seats they might not feel the same way

When someone with dogs get on I always pray they'll sit next to me and I am disappointed if they don't. I would happily offer my lap to small to medium sized extra dogs for a cuddle dog perch if I could. Dogs are just the tonic I need when I'm commuting.

sisterofmercy I feel the same about a passenger with a baby!

But with a dog? If they must, but never, ever on a seat. On the floor of on the owner's lap, and not encroaching onto the next passenger's lap either.

AyMamita Why is someone being passive aggressive by asking to sit in a bloody seat?
Why do you think that you deserve two seats...one for you and one for your bags or whatever?
God, people piss me off sometimes!

I commuted for several years and I never saw an altercation about normal bags.

I did however, once have an argument with someone who flatly refused to move their suitcase off a seat. As it was a short journey (10 minutes) but otherwise I would have stood my ground.

Sometimes people say that they can't get it onto the overhead shelves at which point I say I'm sure one of the strong young gentlemen here will help and one of them always does. Sometimes they don't want it by the door in which case I say it's so heavy nobody is going to steal it.

If you DESPERATELY need to make a call to get your husband to put on dinner, or check your son is home, how about text messaging?

As for the "it's healthier to stand" - well for 10 minutes I might. But I've nearly fainted on a train before now, and I also get lower back ache if I have to stand for too long (yes probably poor posture, whatever), so if there's a seat I'm going to have it. My bum is definitely in more need than a bag or suitcase! I'd never ask someone to move a bag if there are seats elsewhere though (except when I know the train will fill up at my stop anyway so if I don't ask the person behind me will, so I might as well have the seat nearer the door).

I'm surprised this is such a pout of contention. I see it (and do it) all the time - bag on seat when train is busy and move when it fills up. I've never even had to ask someone to move their bag, usually just hovering beside the seat expectantly is enough to cause he bag owner to realise they need to move bag. I really don't think there are many travellers that would happily hog a seat for their bag when others are standing, they usually just haven't noticed. Sounds like some people here expect the worse from others and enjoy being a bit passive aggressive about asking them to move bag "nicely with smile"!!

I'd never put my bag on the seat next to me however busy the train was - it's terrible manners - and my 4 year old DS would go on my knee in a busy train.