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?

Family from One End Street

LauraChant someone else who has read those! I loved them. I still feel badly for the daughter who was trying to help her mum and shrunk the very expensive silk vest with a hot iron...

Now I know who all those people are who guzzle McDonald's or West Cornwall Pasty Co monstrosities on my train. They're all on MN. Antisocial fuckers

Nothing wrong with having a sandwich on a long journey. Everyone has to eat. But the ones troughing smelly food on the 21.10 out of Kings Cross need a smack to plan their evenings better.

It's 100% fine to eat on the train. Potentially it's polite not to take anything too stinky onto the train but really, it's not like a macdonalds burger smells for long.

May I refer you to [[https://trevorleif.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/tumblr_n1pi86jehh1siipzso1_400.jpg]] TFL poster describing train burger-eaters as 'beasts'?

Obviously long-distance journeys and trains with buffet cars are the exception, but generally I think taking any smelly food into a confined, crowded space with little or no ventilation is pretty antisocial.

I quite enjoy watching people put makeup on on the train; I find it relaxing.

Grr. This poster.

Perhaps, but a McDonalds burger smells rank.

But the ones troughing smelly food on the 21.10 out of Kings Cross need a smack to plan their evenings better

Sounds like perfect planning to me. No lost time. Hang out, do stuff, see friends, be at work. Jump on the 21.10 with some food and have dinner.

You need to chillax. Or pay to travel in 1st class away from the maccy plebs.

Anyway, some people hate the smell of tuba so that's tuna sandwich out. Some people retch at the smell of melted cheese, so that's the on board paninis out. Some veggies hate to see meat so that's all meat sandwiches out...

I don't hate the smell of tuna whois but the sound of a tuba makes my eyes bleed. Bloody tuba playing commuters.

People who moan about people eating on trains are precious and should get over themselves. (Unless it's extremely smelly food!)

My DD has just discovered the Family at One End Street

Come to think of it, lots of train picnics in books - the Forum family have a huge picnic on a train where they meet the film director - full on cream tea IIRC.

archeryannie and laurachant. My all time favourite children's books EVER. I was always fond of bookish Kate. Kate is 11+ and minus. Happy happy days...

God I eat all the time. Not MD or BK though, because I hate the smell when someone else is eating that stuff on the train.

I'm curious if those that think it is UR to eat, think it's also unreasonable to have people doing their make up on the train. Saw something in the metro once with someone really slating women who do their make up on the way to work. Complaining about powder particles and allergies and how it's irritating to have someone nearby moving around 'so much'

My dm always says that tolerance is an underrated virtue and consideration overrated. I tend to agree with her. Obviously inconsiderateness us not good but everyone has lapses sometimes if only because it absolutely never occurs to them that what they are doing could possibly offend someone. If everyone tried to be a bit more tolerant the world would run a lot more smoothly.

To you, maybe. To me they smell great. Far, far better than they actually taste, unfortunately.

I know this is a fairly lighthearted thread, but on a serious note I've heard of someone going into anaphylactic shock at just the smell of prawns. I'm surprised eating on public transport hasn't been banned quite honestly, everyone's huddled so close together there's no escaping the smell.

Oh oh! And there used to be a section of the train on my previous long commute from the Home Counties - we all used to get on the train around the same spot every day so you often see the same people. This lot had Buck's Fizz breakfasts on one of their birthday (how they organised this I don't know) and shoved a banner up. They didn't know each other outside of the commute.... I thought that was wonderful at 7.10am, they even offered those around them a little plastic cup

I travel Virgin 1st class a lot for work and they serve hot meals including a full english breakfast and then there's fish pie and a full roast dinner in the evenings.

So I eat on trains a lot and given the train service provides it I think it's fine.

Sometimes when I'm not travelling for work but on my own money (so no 1st class there!) I am starving and haven't had time to get anything so I'll grab a hot meal at the station (usually junk as that's what there is) and eat it on the train.

No one has ever looked at me askance

I don't love it, but don't stress about it. I think it is more acceptable if the train is quiet, during rush hour it is just something else to make the journey for others more uncomfortable so it isn't something I would do.

I have to say the whole doing your makeup on the train is funny. I never do it but always have an inward laugh at the ones who are doing it, do they realise the ugly faces they pull when putting on mascara?! Tongues hanging out and all sorts! Put it away love!

CoralieConfused google ASMR. Sounds like you experience it.

Like most people on the thread, I don't have a problem with people eating but I do have a problem with strong smells. Our workplace has a "no hot food at desks" policy, which I think is reasonable to extend to any confined, public area that isn't a restaurant.

I couldn't give a shit if people eat on trains or not providing they clear up after themselves, sometimes it's just what you need to. When I spend five hours on the train with the madthings to get to Manchester they need to eat on the way. Or the times we have been catching a 6pm train from Liverpool St and won't get home til 9pm Ish and we need to eat, there is a mc donalds in the station, it's cheapish, convenient and means once I get home I can just get the kids in bed.

I have even changed a nappy on the train, I tend to go to the bit between carriages out the way, but if a baby needs a nappy change on a journey what are you to do? No space in the tiny toilet to do it and I am not leaving my baby sat in poo for two plus hours.

*I dont currentky have a child in nappies, but have done this in the past and am due next April and will make train journeys with the baby... I can't control when they poo...

I probably wouldn't eat an egg sandwich on a train, but the smell of tea and coffee currently often make me puke.. I don't much like the smell of coffee when not pregnant, nor do I like the smell of wine... I find mushrooms repulsive... But hey Ho I can't stop others eating or drinking these things so I get over it.

Very little offends me on public transport, because I tend to fall straight asleep.

I do occasionally have food on the train, because I collect my daughter after school and we're generally always travelling through tea time, so I try to have sandwiches made and snacks available. I could probably make her wait, but then we're eating late and it takes a lot longer to get her to bed, and because she's such a madam about sleeping (Still! At seven!) I either have to go to bed at the same time (and it takes less time) or endure the many many many reasons for not being sleepy.

I get that smells might be offensive, I know I hate that I have to sit right by the toilet all the time on trains, it can be very stinky. I use something strong smelling, like menthol, on the corner of my sleeve and use that to stop myself feeling nauseous if that is the case, because food might be smelly, but then so are toilets, and flatulence, and breath, and perfumes, and deodorants, and shampoos, and etc. I can't expect not to smell anything for my whole journey.

The only thing that gets me really jumping with anger is ignorance of disability, like buggies in wheelchair spaces, or people not moving enough to facilitate a wheelchair accessing their spot on the train. People were so bloody useless moving out the way because it was busy and no one wanted to give up a centimeter, and I was ready to start shouting, it's not like she has a choice to get up and on, you can't expect her to make the wheelchair smaller, so just step down the aisle or get off while she uses the ramp so she can get on. I am pretty sure the train wouldn't leave while there's a blooming ramp set up, and if they'd even bothered a bit, there was loads of room in the corridor next to the toilet (they were all crowded in the doorway area!).