Do people really consider it unreasonable to eat on the train?

[MyNewBearTotoro]

Reading another thread in which a poster mentioned eating on the train and I was really surprised by the responses calling her unreasonable/ antisocial for bringing food onto the train and the vitriol she was facing for this alone.

Do people really consider it unreasonable to eat on the train or is this just one of those 'only on Mumsnet' things?

I know it's not pleasant to be stuck next to someone eating smelly food, but equally lots of things are unpleasant on trains - being crammed in close to a stranger, oversized luggage, crying babies, other people's conversations, air-conditioning to high/low etc - but just because some people may find it unpleasant does that automatically make it unreasonable or anti-social?

In an ideal world people would not bring smelly food onto the train, but in an ideal world neither would people bring on crying babies/ noisy children etc but we are human and we need to eat, especially as many people will be making journeys over several hours long. Choices of food are usually limited by either what is available on board the train or what is available from the shops on/ around the station and sometimes hot or fast food is the only option available.

Obviously hot food is permitted on trains, my local train company has buffet carriages which sell hot food (including bacon rolls) and sandwiches (including tuna fish or egg mayo) for people to buy. So I'm not questioning whether it's allowed but I guess I'm curious as to whether people genuinely think it shouldn't be. And, considering it is allowed, are people who do eat on trains genuinely considered anti-social or unreasonable by some?

I nearly vomited because someone opened a container that smelled like spicy feet. It was absolutely disgusting and definitely antisocial.

Snacks or non smelly food is find but if it's pungent that's ridiculously selfish

I eat on trains. Don't see a problem

Problem is you're eating other people's unspeakables as well as your food.

Tbh, this is MN. I once had a thread where about half the people posting thought it was VU of me to recline my sleeping Dd (not during the meal, mind) on a long haul flight when she'd been awake for 7 hours since the middle of the night.

Only MN!

'Problem is you're eating other people's unspeakables as well as your food.'

Um, no, not if I am eating a pasty out of my own hand.

Yep, Merry, only on MN.

Leaky headphones don't piss me off, either.

I tune it out after a while.

It's not only MN many people are annoyed by smelly food eaters.

But then many people eat smelly food. Whenever I've opened a fridge that's not mine I always end up gagging because it stinks. Others don't seem to mind

Life must be very hard for you then, Tali.

I don't have a problem with people eating on the train. I'm either reading book or on mumsnet, not nosing at what others are up to.
I think I'd feel differently on a packed tube though.

expat providing people aren't antisocial with food it's fine

Some people's definition of antisocial is very different from yours, though.

expat how can anyone think eating smelly food which can make others feel ill in a confined space isn't antisocial?

Because there are plenty of foods which some consider smelly and can make others feel ill that don't have this effect on others, they just don't register it or don't mind it. If you're someone who gags even opening someone else's fridge, obviously you will find some foods smelly that a lot of people don't or don't mind.

Tali Oh my god, I pretty much always gag when I open other peoples' fridges as well. My DH thinks I'm really weird but I just can't help it

If you don't like the public don't go on public transport.
Being professionally offended and permanently catsbum faced imo is as if not more antisocial as half the stuff that gives people on MN 'the rage'.

Fair enough if it is your house, your field, your party, your driveway....but in public

Live n let live.
Accept not everyone is like you. I hate perfume and coffee and bacon but I still accept other people smelling of them.

Dusclaimer: i have not nor will I eat MacD on a train but I still cannot be bothered to give myself a stroke caring about what someone else is eating.

I have a pretty sensitive nose, but I also love food, so I don't mind food smells. Even other people's. Even garlic sausage. You would probably both if you opened my fridge!

I am pretty sensitive to BO, bad breath, smelly feet though.

I was really nauseated and vomited easily when I was pregnant with my first. I had to use public transport during rush hour. At lot of smells made me gag. That did not make the people wearing perfume or eating antisocial, the problem was mine. I had a sensitive nose. So I moved. I didn't expect the rest of the world to rotate round me and my issues and label everyone else 'antisocial' or 'inconsiderate' because of my over-active olfactory bulb.

expat but people know if food smells. Whether or not you think it's a bad smell is a different problem but if you recognise it smells you shouldn't eat it. I think salmon smells nice but I'm not going to eat it in a crowded place

elvis people's fridges smell disgusting do t they?! Mine doesn't have a smell but others always seem to stink. I have to ask someone to get stuff for me because if I open it I WILL vomit

Merry I can't stand bad breath either. MINTS COST LESS THAN £1. It's not hard

'Whether or not you think it's a bad smell is a different problem but if you recognise it smells you shouldn't eat it. '

Oh, please! Even porridge smells. Oasis drinks smell. Lucozade does, too. If you chose not to do it, then that is your prerogative, but IMO it's ridiculous to get black affronted at someone's pasty and throw out the 'antisocial' label. Judge away, but others find it precious and rather silly.

There are a lot of drama llamas on MN.

expat a strong smell. If it only smells if you sniff it, fine, if it wafts and others can smell it, not fine.

Why is it ridiculous? I can't blast music on public transport because it's antisocial. Why can others flood the area with stink?

It's being considerate

Not fine to you. If you are so sensitive you vomit when opening anyone else's fridge except yours, then you are probably going to find a lot of food strong smelling. And actually, it is fine, it's not prohibited because it's not considered antisocial by most of society, most people don't give a shit.

Same with blasting music. I don't myself because I don't care for music that loud. But if someone wants to destroy their hearing in that way, they can go for it. I don't consider it inconsiderate or anti-social. It's a ride on a fucking train, not my entire life.

expat I don't think I'm particularly sensitive here! Certain foods stink, that's a fact.

A lot of people do consider it antisocial. And surely you know music is considered antisocial even if you don't personally mind.

Who gets to decide what food is too smelly and therefore not Ok?

I can't stand the smell of coffee, currently I am preg so it makes me nauseous. I also don't like the smell of wine, lucozade, those sports and energy drinks. All this talk of McDonald's has made me want to txt dh and say let's get a crapdonalds as we call it, for dinner, I really fancy a big Mac and fries now... I don't think they do smell that much.

On a train buffet car you can often buy pasties, tuna sandwiches, egg sandwiches, prawn sandwiches etc so clearly the train company thinks it's Ok to eat them. Some do hot greasy food as well and obviously at train stations the shops and take out places there sell allsorts.

I cannot get my knickers in a twist about it at all.

People eat on trains- fact
Everyone has different smells that they dislike.

If you are extremely sensitive to food smells, and are going to be upset by smells, then avoid public transport.

I think it is all much better than putting up with the vile smell of popcorn in the cinema. I know that people eat popcorn in cinemas and I will have to put up with it. Same with trains - people eat on trains. Train companies know this and make money by selling them food!