to think that nobody died from travelling backwards on a train?

[EvelynWardrobe]

Why do people make a fuss about this? The trains I travel on aren’t full, so I get to watch this pantomime of ninnies quite frequently.

Today I’m facing in the direction of travel at a table seat, empty seat beside me and two empty seats on the opposite side of the table. A couple get on, she sits opposite me and he insists I move my bag (the train is less than 50% occupied) so he can sit beside me.

I’m considering doing some man-spreading, even though I’m not one.

[GColdtimer]

If you move your bag when you approach stations that’s fine. It’s the people who pretend not to notice the carriage filling up who annoy me. On the train I travel a lot on it always gets really busy but people still do that shocked slightly pissed off face when asked to move their bag. If you have your bag on the seat you are forcing people to ask you to move it. I’m not talking about a train being less then have full - although I never travel on a train that empty.

[Increasinglymiddleaged]

Just don't but your bag on the bloody seat, put it on the floor.

But why? If the carriage is half empty and you are getting things in and out of it?

I always put mine on the floor as we approach stations if I think someone may want to sit there, but otherwise why the angst? If I want to sit on a seat that has a bag on it I just tell them to move it, no one has ever refused.

Because quite obviously a bag is not entitled to a seat

[GColdtimer]

"I would obviously never take up an extra seat if there were a shortage of them."

Just don't but your bag on the bloody seat, put it on the floor.

OP, if I am feeling that way inclined I sometimes purposely choose a seat with a bag on it because it monumentually pissed me off that people do this. They keep their bags on seats with their heads in their books pretending that there aren't people getting on the train to deter people from sitting next to them. So I do. Just to make a point. (not always, just sometimes )

[BatShite]

Some cruel fucker decided to give me motion sickness AND emetophobia. And for the icing on the cake they gave me three children with motion sickness. My life feels like one big vomitty panicky circle sometimes.

I feel your pain. fellow emetophobic here with small children who seem to pick up every pukey bug going. I have a deal with DH that I deal with any shit, or blood related incidents. And he deals with sick. Not so helpful when they get ill when hes out though

[shhhfastasleep]

“You’re making it up”. Nice. No, I don’t vomit within 20 seconds. But I start to feel nauseous within a minute if moving .
I discovered sea bands when doing a ferry crossing where everyone (including people who never feel it) were either nauseous or sick. I had been advised to get them beforehand and was fine.
I am generally fine now if I use them.
But obviously I am an attention seeking snowflake .
If you don’t get it, great. Don’t be such a nasty girl about people who do.

[scottishdiem]

"One thing I have decided is to always book airline style seats from now on as there is never enough legroom at table seats, and I don't like playing footsie with strangers."

I do this for the same reason and to avoid the people who use methods of travel that make them sick.

[KickAssAngel]

I am a GP and honestly suggest to the people here if you are vomiting after 20seconds of being on a train backwords go see your GP immediately.

I have spoken to doctors before now. They can't give me anything stronger without going onto the prescription strength stuff that sea rescue people use, that have huge side effects. If doctors could cure travel sickness I would be very happy.

[MRSsqueak]

i get travel sick all the time. facing the wrong way does make it worse. i also have to make sure i have eaten before travelling but not right before travel. i sip water watch out of the window to distract myself. anything i can to stop that horrible feeling. i also suffer anxiety when im getting on and off the trains with my 3 dc's and husband i worry we will get seperated leave a child on the platform all sorts of stupid things. travelling can be hell for some people. we take the dc's on the train for beach days and go on holidays by train. most of the time i dont enjoy the first day on holiday because of it. just because you dont suffer doent mean others dont

[brotherphil]

I don't get this either. Or people that get car sick if the travel in the back. Pull the other will ya.
Here's the science bit:
Apparently, according to research by the Dutch Navy, a lot of travel sickness/sea sickness is due to a mismatch between how your eyes tell you that you are moving and how other senses, such as your semicircular canals tell you that you are moving. If you can see the horizon, or a similar far off point, then the data from your eyes and your ears match up, and the nausea is relieved, at least to some extent. Watching the horizon is a lot harder in the back of a car, thus the experience that people suffer from travel sickness in the back but not the front, or LouiseH2017's experience travelling at night.
As I recall, they were able to diminish or eliminate sea-sickness inside the boat by using lamps mounted on gimbals, so that there was a shadow line that stayed horizontal compared to gravity, no matter how the ship pitched or rolled.

[blackteasplease]

I really can't see how anyone would think their bag needs a seat at all, but in particular in preference who a human. What a ninny!

[ButchyRestingFace]

I do wonder how all those people who can't travel backwards on trains get around if that is their only means of transport and the trains are busy?

Stand or sit on the floor space between carriages.

Simples.

[Igobackyears]

I totally agree with the others. I get travel-sick if I sit going backwards and of course your bag doesn't need its own seat unless of course you paid for that seat.

[BitOutOfPractice]

I do wonder how all those people who can't travel backwards on trains get around if that is their only means of transport and the trains are busy?

Get a forward facing seat, stand up, put up with feeling sick, go by car. Is it really that hard to work out? All things that many many PPs have mentioned on this thread.**

[LisaSimpsonsbff]

I do wonder how all those people who can't travel backwards on trains get around if that is their only means of transport and the trains are busy?

The same way I deal with being a passenger in a car if that's my only option to get somewhere - grit my teeth and feel sick. It's a pretty rubbish option, though, so I try and avoid it.

[rubybleu]

You can’t book seats on South West trains, even if you’re travelling 2 hours to Portsmouth.

My work travel to Manchester/Birmingham on the dreaded Pendolino trains is often booked the night before and it’s not always possible to get seats together for me and my colleague, so if there’s two unreserved seats at a table, you bet we’re sitting on them!

[smilingontheinside]

I'm lucky I don't get travel sick but won't travel by water for fear of drowning (no concerns about flying which I love). I do wonder how all those people who can't travel backwards on trains get around if that is their only means of transport and the trains are busy? I just wish I could fly everywhere

[blueskydreams]

If someone won’t move their bag, I just sit on it. They get the message
Hehehe, you really did that Renster😄😅
What happened??

[morningconstitutional2017]

Whatever the reason I think that most of us prefer to face the direction of travel rather than sit backwards or sideways.
This is just one reason why I prefer the bus and if possible I avoid trains and trams which I think are awful and feel damn lucky if you get a seat at all.

[BitOutOfPractice]

Some people just kick everyone else to suit their own needs, when they could in fact book a seat that suits them!

it’s not possible to book a seat on my 55 minute journey to London from my Essex town which I do several times a week.* That’s plenty of time to feel sick if I have to face backwards.* So what do you suggest I do then clever dick?

[battenbergbutterfly]

Just move your bag ffs

[Renster]

Oh, this ‘pantomime of ninnies’ that get upset because they are asked to move their bags off a seat, intended for a fare paying HUMAN bottom.
It matters not whether the train was full or not. Bags belong on your lap, floor or the shelf above.
I regularly travel by train (and am lucky to get a seat facing either way 🙄) and see this so often. If someone won’t move their bag, I just sit on it. They get the message.

[manicmij]

I suffer from travel sickness on most forms of travel. Feel sick even watching child on swing. That is why a lot of folk want to travel forward facing. How much did you pay for your bag's seat?

[Increasinglymiddleaged]

The thing I don't get is that when sitting in a table seat it's far more annoying when someone sits opposite you than next to you. They clearly have every right to sit opposite me, before I get flamed but it means that you can't stretch out. So I don't really understand why the OP is put out about this anyway.

[SoupDragon]

I agree with OP it's a fuss about nothing

I assume you mean the OP is making a fuss given the amount of people who have given examples of how they are affected by travelling backwards on a train?

[JacquesHammer]

I agree with OP it's a fuss about nothing

Have you read the thread? There's countless examples of why people need forwards facing seats; I am lucky enough to be able to travel facing any direction. Doesn't mean I don't believe in travel sickness!