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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To want people to abide by my rules for public transport

183 replies

Bubbinsmakesthree · 16/11/2016 17:42

My pet peeves on a busy London commute at the moment:

-People who get up (forcing you to move) ages before their actual stop. Unless you have mobility issues, lots of luggage or are on an absurdly busy train you don't need to be standing by the doors whilst you are still miles from your stop.

-If you are waiting for a train other than the next one arriving, then don't wait at the platform edge blocking people getting on and off the first train. Particularly if you then get the hump at people pushing past you.

Add your own rules and rants...

OP posts:
Andrewofgg · 17/11/2016 18:43

On the train: if a bag is blocking the seat you have reserved or the only free seat I recommend the line Would you like me to put that bag in the rack for you? I am going to sit there.

TNS about it.

BadKnee · 17/11/2016 18:47

On a bus if a child is kneeling against the back of the seat facing behind he/she is face to face with whoever is in the seat behind. V disconcerting when child then chats for the entire journey. Charming for the first thirty seconds but after that - not so much! Smile

jayisforjessica · 17/11/2016 22:54

On a bus if a child is kneeling against the back of the seat facing behind he/she is face to face with whoever is in the seat behind. V disconcerting when child then chats for the entire journey. Charming for the first thirty seconds but after that - not so much!

I don't know. Some of the most stimulating and fun conversations I've had have been with strangers' four year olds on buses, haha!

queenofthebucket · 17/11/2016 23:18

rusty paperclip, I try and force a little fart out in their face as I squeeze past swivelers

movpov · 18/11/2016 00:58

Don't push onto the bus ahead of people you know have been waiting longer than you - pensioners take note. What happened to that good old British institution of queueing? Have a shower and wash your hair. Don't have loud conversations either in person or on the phone. Don't laugh loudly. People have no self awareness these days

ZebraOwl · 18/11/2016 02:53

When someone politely asks if someone would please allow them to sit down as they're disabled & it's unsafe for them to try to stand - offer your seat if you don't NEED to sit. Very absolutely do not:

turn round to scrutinise the person who's asked, then give them a filthy look & resettle your stupid self in your seat because "she doesn't LOOK disabled"
comment on whether or not you think the person asking "looks disabled" at any stage in things, be that them asking initially, their panicked offer to show their Blue Badge, their procurement of a seat on production of said item, or their falling because they couldn't reach the seat before [part of] the reason they needed it caught up with them
pretend not to see &/or hear them
play a game of chicken with the other passengers hoping someone else will crack & give up their seat first - if you're in a priority seat, unless you need it, you should shift at once

If someone is actually using the handrail on the stairs, I'm afraid that trumps your child's desire to trail their hand up it. (I do realise this gets more complicated with children with autism or OCD, but other than that...) Yes, more than once I've had parents be outraged that I'm not on for risking precipitating myself down the stairs so their darlings can run their hand along the rail. Not hold it as they walk, they just wanted to slide their hand on it/use it as a percussion instrument/swing on it etc.

YOU STAND ON THE RIGHT ON ESCALATORS. ON. THE. RIGHT. Even if you've never been to this country & you don't speak the language, the simple fact of EVERYONE ELSE DOING IT should clue you in. My Brownies have got the hang of it at 7. We merge our pairs into a crocodile as we get on the escalator & we stand on the right (holding on with both hands if we feel the need) & at the bottom we walk off & catch up to our partner & the Leader at the front finds a Safe Stopping Point for the whole group to reassemble.

If you find yourself, as a lone traveller, surrounded by a (well-behaved!) school group or Girlguiding/Scouting group & there is space elsewhere on the train/bus/tube, either move into it (am talking same carriage, btw) or don't be sour about children having the effrontery to speak to each other. And be excited about what they're going to do/have done. And if you moving to an empty seat the other side of the doors would let a child sit down & the whole group be together, please do. It's just a nice thing to do. And surely a kindness to yourself. Because the bouncy-e cited Miss/Brown Owl/Akela what/when/where/who/why/how?s are a bit much if you are Miss/Brown Owl/Akela, I can't imagine why you'd subject yourself to them if you didn't have to. (Though tbf my Brownies are adorable & come out with some splendid things. And behave very nicely so sitting near them is "very nice indeed", apparently. Although I've seen members of the public who asked about what we do at Brownies look a bit shell-shocked after half-a-dozen of the little cherubs all answered at once...)

If your pram is blocking access to four seats, I rather expect your family to be sitting in those four seats. Or, failing that, the other four blocked in with your two suitcases. in any case I'd not expect a family of 4 to be taking up a set of 10 seats - mother with baby on her lap & bag on seat beside her; toddler running round between the seats; & father changing seats at command of toddler. Area other side of doors was - unsurprisingly enough - full when I got on & the mother, watching me try to navigate obstacle course, rather crossly asked why I couldn't just sit at the front of the carriage. Was so cross I not only said it was full but pointed out part of reason = them taking up 14 seats rather than 4 & could one of the adults please (train was being held at station so actually had some time) move either the pram or one of the cases to the vestibule so I could sit down before I fell down.

If you are listening to music, only you should hear it.

If you are eating food, only you should be able to smell/taste it & no residue nor rubbish should be left behind.

No littering full stop you scummy articles.

Don't put your feet on the seats. The streets are filthy. I do not wish to sit in filth. I genuinely wish I were allowed to wipe my shoes on the clothes of people I caught doing it to try to deter them...

Do not look aggrieved when you are asked to move your bag/coat to let someone sit down on a busy train.

Do not shove people. At all, ever. Certainly do not throw them out of the way so you can get on the train instead of them. (Because if the people in the train see they won't let you on; & you might find an even bigger man than you saw what you did & his temper is quite frayed due to the SE Fail situation & that will be The Last Straw. Or rather, you denying you did it & refusing to apologise to the Zebra who has some quite impressive bruises starting to blossom already will be...)

If there is space in the aisle move down into it, don't stand by the doors insisting there is no space at all. (Sometimes shouting at people to move down is justified, all hail the lady who had to get to jury duty in Croydon last time I was trying to get to an early hospital appointment on a morning SE Fail had forgotten completely how to run a train service. I'd been physically unable to get onto 4 trains by this point & using my C

ZebraOwl · 18/11/2016 02:56

[bother, hand spasm...]

Using my Cross Brownie Leader Voice got people to move enough I could get on the train with a few other people; Jury Duty Lady got enough movement I could get to a seat when I asked...

Think I should stop ranting & try sleeping again now. Before a spasm does something worst than post prematurely...

MommaGee · 21/11/2016 00:31

If you're sitting on the pushchair space and don't have a pushchair / wheelchair and you see someone get on who does and there's lots of empty seats, move to one of them. Don't just try and squish in behind my pushchair where all my bags are!

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