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?

Hully you must be very oversensitive!

In London where I live every 3rd woman (including me some days) puts makeup on, on my commute they generally do it at start of the journey though as it's harder to do when more people get on and an elbow is in your way.

Eating - I don't do it much now but loads of people eat toast, pastries in the morning along with coffee/tea.

I've even seen a man eat cornflakes (out of those disposable bowl things and designed to be eaten on the move) on the tube!

I think really smelly and messy food it's a bit much to eat it... But if you do... Do it quickly, put food wrapping away in the bin afterwards and don't spill crumbs everywhere!

thenumber so if I were to eat a bag of crisps or chocolate bar after work (rare) you'd judge me?! . They're the ultimate snack/eat on the move food!

Windy but it's also for need and convenience....

If we didn't want it there wouldn't BE these places open...

I rarely drink on the train (apart from the buffet car selection .

I'm sure these cafes have always been around when I asked my nana when she was alive (RIP nana) who was a working woman (office!).

WHY DO YOU PUT MAKE UP ON ON THE TRAIN?

Do you not have a bathroom? Or a bedroom? Can you not get up five minutes earlier?

I really, really don't get it.

No I would not judge you. I don't like people eating in public transport but I don't judge unless they leave junk behind or touch things with greasy hands.
That's why I said each to their own. Many others on the thread also agree there's no need to eat on public transport. I'm not the only one who has said so.
You are of course entitled to eat your bag of crisps or bar of chocolate but I'm just as entitled to not like it. The OP asked the question fully expecting some would agree and others wouldn't. On any subject there's bound to be a difference of opinion.
If you were sitting next to me munching loudly on chips I'd want to move away. Chocolate bar, no problem as being a grown up I expect you would not smear on seat or railings and you would put wrapper in your bag.
You'd never know by looking at me that I was dissaproving anyway.

My post above is to superfly

I agree Hullygully - putting make-up on on the train is just crazy. I'd find it embarrassing personally. Plus it just looks like you're lazy.
Get up 10 minutes earlier.

People who put on their make up in public I just don't get. Are they not embarresed? Do they like to get attention?

There's nothing wrong with eating or drinking on trains. We don't do it so much now because has a couple we like to find a proper restaurant and eat in comfort.

When the DC were younger we always ate on the train. We took a picnic so we could eat before we got to eg York. Then we bought snack and drink (often wine for me and DH) for the journey back. It makes a day out with a young family affordable. We always cleared up after ourselves and put the rubbish in a bin. It is public transport and you have to mix with all sorts.

thenumber I always put my make-up at home but if I am late out of the door for whatever reason (the other day it was because of a power cut) then putting on make-up is the first thing to 'go' at home because I can do this on the train although I hate doing it.
I do check my make-up everyday on the train in the winter because I put my make-up on whilst it's still dark outside so only using artificial lights at home and I like to check it in natural daylight through the window.

Ah it's going to go into the hissing re makeup on trains... Well I've done both actually when I have time put it on at time, when no time put it on on the train.

I literally do compact foundation, blusher, mascara and under eye YSL touché éclat thing. Then maybe lipstick. Takes 5 minutes and doesn't harm anyone. London area perfectly normal to do this. I used to do a good top eyeliner on buses too.

thenumber why should I be embarrassed? Attention seeking? No - convenient yes.

Post on S&B re this and see how many hands go up in favour of putting makeup on on the train!

Superfly I think it's a hen-and-egg situation TBH. Being there I think creates the need. We didn't need a coffee shop on ever street in the UK some years ago but they moved in to make money and now we believe we do need them.

It's plain wrong.

Any personal attentions should be done in private. Because they are personal.

nagy I agree if you clear up after yourself (I often put disposable cups and wrappers in a bin if no bin on public transport) what's wrong with that?!

Unclench people!

I think the difference with putting on make-up on the train is that it doesn't assault someone else's senses unlike eating 'orrible food. If someone's absorbed in a newspaper, they wouldn't know I was putting on make-up but if I whipped out a cabbage soup they'd soon know about it!

Hully I'll watch out for you with your cats bum mouth then...

Hullygully Genuinely interested in what you mean by 'personal attentions'?

Windy i am positive my nana told me about street food, cafes etc...

She was a lady though and I think ate in the venue! But I recall her saying about eating salted hot nuts, ice cream in public or the odd coffee on the move. But quite rare for her to do!

It's an MN thing.

Superfly Salted hot nuts

There are signs on the buses here saying no smelly food
It's not actually something that bothers me, but if it bothers other people (which it must do if there is a ban) then I'm happy to not eat smelly food in public. It's not a huge deal is it? :o

Living & commuting in London general rule seems to be- eating anything hot or vaguely smelly/messy in rush hour- huge no no, you'll get stares, people moving and opening windows- completely agree with this.

Eating on longer distance trains/outside rush hour = fine.

Eating smelly/junk food (ie. Burger king) when drunk on last train home= bring it on!! No-one bats an eyelid.

Question why anyone would get out their lunch on a packed train though, food and meals to me are an enjoyable experience to be savoured and enjoy in relative privacy, I cant see why people feel the need to stuff a sandwich in their gobs surrounded by gawping commuters on a packed train, when they could wait 20 minutes till home/at destination/on a bench and enjoy it without the stress.

the number also as an adult or most adults of course they wouldn't smear chocolate from a bar anywhere (I often carry tissues and sanitiser around) and it's quite insulting to me and other adults that you expect us to make a mess like that?!

I am really shocked that a lot of people are so cats bum mouth about something that really rarely offend them and for a number of minutes if that. Most people also do either use bins on trains or put wrappers in their bags. Lots of kiosks where I used to work (Wimbledon) would be out of business up if people stopped eating and drinking on the move.

"People who put on their make up in public I just don't get. Are they not embarresed? Do they like to get attention?"

Why would it be worthy of attention? Maybe they just mind their own business and assume other people do the same.

People working in London often work long hours and commuting is often an hour or more each way on top. It's dead time during which commuters often studiously ignore each other to get a bit of personal space. Makes sense to use that time in some way. I'm not a big make up wearer but when I was getting up at 6am and getting home 7.30pm or later, getting up at 5.50 just to spend an extra 10mins sitting emptyhanded on the train, to avoid offending a carriage of people who were all minding their own business anyway, would seem a bit pointless.

It is fine to eat and drink on trains, there are many reasons why people may have to eat even on short journeys.

It is never acceptable to eat fish in public areas or outside but I will concede that outside a sea side fish and chip shop is ok. Fish eaters must indulge in their habit confined to their own homes. Or herded into fish restaurants where the doors are sealed and the area fumigated before they are released into the public domain. I do hope that I dont come across as too dogmatic.