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?

There is definately food served in first class - I had eggs florentine on a 48 minute journey into London this week. Not Eurostar. Just a normal train.

I think these precious little snowflakes should learn to drive.

Or wear a mask if they have to use public transport.

Or just grow the hell up.

MrsItsNoworNotatAll

Mmm, your post isn't clear. Are you referring to the special snowflakes who can't manage without stuffing their faces with something that stinks like a McDonalds because their specialness overrides anyone else's. I mean they couldn't possibly just have a sandwich could they.
You are right, they should just grow the hell up.

Are you referring to the special snowflakes who can't manage without stuffing their faces with something that stinks like a McDonalds because their specialness overrides anyone else's. I mean they couldn't possibly just have a sandwich could they

Christ, another one!!

Drive, walk, taxi or shut the fuck up!

Pick one but please for the love of God - stop boring me!!!

I genuinely have no idea why anyone would be arsed about someone eating in public, on a train or anywhere. People get so offended by such silly things, it's only food, it's not as if they are going to the toilet in front of you. I love to be out and about and see life being lived all around me, I love walking past people eating especially if it's past someone eating a bag of chips mmmmm.
If someone is hungry then let them eat, who are we to know their personal circumstances and yes some train journeys are very long so you gotta eat. My god some of the views expressed on here are practically Victorian and quite snobbish.

Yes and not very tolerant either. The typical English person won't complain if someone offends them and that means it's easy to live in the UK as we tend to tolerate others as making a fuss hurts us even more. It works pretty well although obviously the advice and best conduct is try not to eat particularly smelly food on trains.

I always take food and cider for the train, the rail company serves it anyway, and it's much more comfortable to eat and drink on the train as opposed to the platform. I suspect that those who object are the type that don't like other people generally, and consider themselves to be superior in some way. Which begs the question what are they doing on public transport anyway?

Obviously it's possible to eat on the train in an inconsiderate or even an unreasonable way. Eating curried eels on a 7am commuter train, eating on a very busy train so that your food is practically in someone else's face, eating very messy food which spills and splashes over other people or the train furnishings, leaving your litter on the floor/ tables/ seats etc.

I don't think anybody is arguing that a small number of people occasionally eat on the train in an unreasonable manner but that doesn't make eating unreasonable any more than the few parents who let their toddlers climb all over the seats in muddy shoes, watch Peppa Pig on top volume on their iPads, run up and down the train screaming etc make travelling with children unreasonable. You can do anything in an unreasonable way without making the act itself unreasonable.

Eating on the train is normal and often necessary. Obviously putting all people eating in a 'third class' is ridiculous, although maybe a food-free carriage similar to the quiet carriage would appease those with sensitive noses. Although I doubt the trains would do it as in my experience they want to sell the over-priced snacks available on board.

So juat to be clear vod if you were taking your kids on a long journey, by train, would you let them eat or not?

And Ican't nope according to some posters on this thread sandwiches are out too unless they fall into the permitted list of sandwich fillings.

The thread isn't about is it ok to eat hot smelly food on the London Underground at rush hour. It is are there people who think it is wrong to eat on trains at all. And apparently, yes there are people who think you should not eat, no matter how hungry, in case you make them feel a bit unconfortable.

IMO those people are inconsiderate.

I was referring to the precious little snowflakes who moan about people who eat on trains.

MrsItsNoworNotatAll. Nooooo, really.

So you weren't suggesting the Special Snowflakes should wear masks to stop them from shoving kebabs in their gobs.

But voyage The Guardian article says you can eat as long as you're considerate which some posters have taken umbrage with and the OP was about whether it was unreasonable or not to eat on the train at all.

In fact voyage you've given your DD food on the train care to say what it was?!

can't believe this thread has got to 27 pages either

'I'd be more likely to wait till the train clears and find somewhere where it won't bother anyone.'

That's hilarious as most commuter trains are rammed to the gunners the entire route. But hey, if it makes you feel superior, by all means, fast away. Your precious article says that 'rancid burger' you mentioned is perfectly acceptable.

That's right Icant

expat it's true most commuters are jammed packed...

And a burger as the article says is acceptable...

I've had to put up (only a few stops mind) with packed carriages of beer swilling and McDs eating teens/20 something's (students) who were carrying and lurching on a packed commuter train 6pmish time with large plastic tumblers of beer, Jaegermeister mixes etc... Add to that their fancy dress and loud singing but I just moved or stood up, no cats bum mouth for me as they're students and it doesn't happen every day. in fact it livened up an otherwise boring 2 stop commute

Superfly and I had to put up with a flight at silly o'clock with a stag party and them all dressed as cowboyWoody for some bizarre reason! They were all tanked up but it was all in good humour and I just got in my seat and put my scarf over my head and ignored them,and I only did that because it was such an early flight! All part of life's rich tapestry!

This thread reminds me of the drinking-bottled-water thread a month or so ago. I suspect I will think of this thread every time I masticate on a train for the next few weeks, just as I thought of that one every time I dared to drink from a water bottle in public.

provisionally there must be a backstory here...

Ah, it was a while ago, but basically it was a thread saying that people were disgusting and inconsiderate for drinking from water-bottles in public spaces. Apparently the desire to stay hydrated made you a 'suckler'.

Here we go: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2447120-To-miss-the-days-when-people-were-just-thirsty

It is are there people who think it is wrong to eat on trains at all. And apparently, yes there are people who think you should not eat, no matter how hungry, in case you make them feel a bit unconfortable.

Actually we WERE talking about smelly food

If you're eating a polite meal I don't think anyone would say anything, I certainly wouldn't moan about something non offensive

But what is a "polite meal"?! I cannot think of a single sandwich filling that, to a nose as sensitive as yours, would not be considered 'impolite'. Hoummous, cheese, ham, tuna, etc all have a fairly distinctive smell, that the vast majority of the population have no problem with.

I want to be impolite, always have done, it's the child in me coming out!

There is no polite food that would suit everyone. I think we are all agreed we shouldn't or wouldn't scoff on a takeaway curry or boiled eggs. Apart from that, it's a go with the flow situation.

Provisionally please don't tell me I'm not allowed to drink water now?! What's going to be stopped next? Breathing?!

And Tali my love, the thread title is AIBU to eat on the train. Anything, eat anything, not just smelly!