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've yet to see the majority of people eating on a flight.

you lot have been told it's antisocial by several people here, you clearly just don't give a shit.

I've yet to see the majority of people eating on a flight

LOL.

No matter what unlikely situation you come up with, someone on mumsnet will claim that in their experience it happens.

'you lot have been told it's antisocial by several people here, you clearly just don't give a shit.'

PMSL. 'Several' people, v. the vast majority who don't give a shit or who have better things to do than get so wound up by a temporary inconvenience.

Public transport. The key is in the name. The public. All sorts and manners of people doing all sorts of things.

I always see a lot of people eating on a flight. Either there is a meal in the price that everyone gets or you are referred to the brochure which gives the choice and the price.
It isn't anti social!! So no I don't care- I think that your parents weren't tough enough on you when you were young to let you grow up so precious and want to inflict your extreme sensitivity on others. It is your problem. Don't use public transport.

If it was antisocial and planes and trains were not encouraging you to buy and eat food then I might think differently.

I think that your parents weren't tough enough on you when you were young to let you grow up so precious and want to inflict your extreme sensitivity on others. It is your problem. Don't use public transport.

Okay wtf? My mum personally agrees with me on smells in public for the record but it's not precious to expect people to behave with decency.

I think you're selfish and rude, as you have no concern for others. I wouldn't dream of doing something to make others uncomfortable!

I am more concerned that my son had to stand for an hour and a half last night on a train, than whether someone ate an egg sandwich next to him!

There's lots of problems with trains. Nice false dichotomy, claiming if you're bothered about smelly food you can't possibly be bothered about other issues

I think that life would be impossible then Tali if you had to take into account everyone's odd little foibles.
I hope that you are not one of those people who expect a baby to go hungry and not to be breast fed on a train? (Something I have done many times)

I have no problem with public bf, it doesn't smell or inconvienience anyone.

Good.
Unfortunately for you public transport is not run on your personal preferences.

I can't believe that I am wasting time on such a pointless argument.

Food and drink is allowed, and positively encouraged by the sale of it, on public transport. A lot of it has a smell. It has always been the way and is highly unlikely to ever change.

End of story.

"It's not precious to expect people to behave with decency"

Absolutely. But it is incredibly precious to expect no one to eat anything on public transport that might possibly be perceived as having a smell by anyone, just in case there happens to be someone in the carriage whose sensibilities are offended by it. Especially in a world where there's coffee and ready-to-eat food on most trains and at most stations. There is a huge difference between eating normal, readily available food in the place that food is available and tables with cup holders supplied, and "not giving a shit".

Lots of trains even commuter trains do serve food. Maybe not on very short journeys but the commuter train from Norwich to London is two hours. They have a buffet car to go to, those that don't often have a trolley that goes round. I linked to the national rail network which listed the train companies and the food services they provide on their trains, it's pretty comprehensive. And yes I am yet to visit a train station where you can't buy food or drink that you can then take on your journey.

I have often travelled om commuter trains. It's pretty much the norm for commuters to have some form of hot drink with them, coffee imparticular which I think stinks. Do you objectives smelly drinks tali or just your definition of smelly food?

Given that on many trains you can buy food, no, I do not think it is unreasonable or antisocial to eat on a train.

I've read all the comments and "arguments" for not eating, which essentially boil down to "Waaa, I don't wike it" and I frame my response thus -

Fuck You!

Now piss off back into your hermetically sealed homes & never come out again....

No it doesn't Iknow but you seem to take pride in being an offensive fucker, so whatever

All I can say is thank God there were no MNers around to pull these antisocial little bastards up!! What with the smells, rustling & putting it all on the seat!!

but you seem to take pride in being an offensive fucker

Only to Dicks Tali, only to Dicks......

"I've yet to see the majority of people eating on a flight. "

Tali, you are talking crappola now and probaby have never flown or flown once wth your eyes closed. Meal times is generally a set thing with everyone eating at the same time - or was until recently. The whole airplane became a restaurant.

I think you're just enjoying the attention.

If I say that the earth is round, you'll probably come back to disagree.

Re-introduction of stigma to public eating would reduce obesity. It is rarely cucumber salad scoffed out of a hand on a train and I bet a second dinner is eaten at home.

I hasten to add of course people are free to eat where they want.

I've yet to see the majority of people eating on a flight.

I've yet to be on a flight where people don't have a meal - methinks someone is scraping the bottom of the barrel for arguments now...

Re-introduction of stigma to public eating would reduce obesity.

I doubt it. People would just eat secretly at home.

"Waaa, I don't wike it" and I frame my response thus - Fuck You!

No, the equivalent of "waaa I don't wike it" is "oink oink, I do what I want". Equally insulting and patronising.

I personally find I eat a second dinner at home having had one on the run, my body doesn't clock it a a meal somehow.