Hogging seats on trains

[woollyheart]

Because of a family emergency, I've been on the train a lot this past week.

A lot of people hog extra seats by putting their bags on them, or by sitting on the aisle seat so people can't get to the window seat. I think this is fair enough if there are plenty of other seats available.

But when they try to continue hogging extra seats when there are loads of people standing, I think they are extremely rude.

Surely, if there are people standing, you move your bags so they can sit. If you are in an aisle seat, you either stand up and let them through to the window seat, or slide across and let them have the aisle seat.

If they have to ASK you to move, you should apologise and make space for them.

I've seen people having to be asked to move, and not even acknowledging the person asking, never mind apologising. Or making a huge huff and puff about the whole thing. As if the rest of us are unreasonable to want a seat for a 2 hour journey.

Am I missing something?

YANBU OP Death penalty for offenders next case.

It’s about rude, entitled people with no self-awareness ........... and selfishly ignore other people’s needs.

Which you find absolutely everywhere, not just on trains. They're in shops, buses, on the roads, on footpaths, in libraries, cafes.

Hwory*, totally agree, really pathetic posters on this thread.
Its not rude to put your bag on the seat, its rude not to move it when asked.

hwory with all due respects, you are going on a bit, this isn't your thread for you to bang your experiences drum on. many of us have had extremely traumatic experiences myself included but there is a time and a place and this isn't it.

@missmaisel

This type of thread gets posted every other week it seems. People proclaim that there is no reason to sit in an aisle seat if the window seat is free. You’re just a selfish arsehole who wants two seats. So for everyone I see I post my reason for the people who can’t see further than their own nose.

I don't travel on the train very often, but find it very unpleasant when I do. Such overcrowded trains, when you're paying top dollar. One carriage I sat in had an underlying smell of vomit overlaid by Jeyes fluid smell - absolutely disgusting. I have huge sympathy for people who have to use trains every day.

If people are huffy when asked, that's them being unreasonable.

If you are angry with them for sitting in the aisle seat before you have asked, you're just increasing the amount of anger in your life, to no benefit.

Bags on seats - and then coupled with loud moaning about how busy the train is. First spotted in November and disappear in early January. New flash Christmas shoppers - we already know the train service is lousy, crowded and smelly. your bags and moaning just makes an almost bearable journey really fucking awful. If you hate the service please tweet with #whichevershitetrainserviceproviderinresponsible. Don't inflict your rant on all the people who just want to get home having read another chapter of a book, answered a couple of emails, had a snooze or some other activity that could be done if you would just shut up.

That felt good

You are a little bit unreasonable, OP.

People take aisle seats for all sorts of reasons, you just ask them to let you through. No big deal.

As for bags, I don't get why you get so upset that people don't immediately remove them at the sight of one person standing.
But they are unreasonable to keep the bags there when lots of people are standing.
Still, no need to say anything, let alone apologise. Just moving the bags is fine.
I have no problems asking to take the seat and if they huff then it's their problem. One more reason to make them take said bags.

YANBU a million times woollyheart. I think that people who don’t move their bags automatically as the train fills up are just hoping that someone else will move theirs and they can keep their extra space. That’s why they wait until asked and make such a fuss about it. Have never tried the ‘Did you buy a ticket for your bag?’ gambit but did once call out a woman who had her tiny dog on a blanket beside her when it would have fitted onto her lap easily. She refused to move the dog but the blanket was so horrid and hairy and she was so nasty I was probably better off standing.

I get where you are coming from but I do prefer an aisle seat on busy trains so even if not busy when I get on I sit in the aisle seat and will happily move for people if they want the window seat next to me. If there are other free seats I wouldn't necessarily be making a big show of moving unless they actually say can I sit there please at which point I would move. I prefer to be asked to let someone pass me to get to the window than have to be ask to be let out when nearing my stop.

For comfort purposes I would put my bag on an empty seat when there are other vacant seats but again would move it if someone came to sit there.

I obviously wouldn't put it on a seat if there were many people and few seats available.

Just be mindful of the actual situation around you and polite.

I like sitting by the window, some people like the outside seat, maybe because they are getting off soon etc.

It’s about rude, entitled people with no self-awareness ........... and selfishly ignore other people’s needs.
That says more about you than them . Why do you assume people are being selfish

IME "asking" for a seat rarely requires more than a mumble and a gesture, if it's a commuter train.

What I mean is if you make no effort to notify me that you would like to sit down then want to complain about it later then I have no sympathy.

The point is, no-one should have to notify you.

Perfectly fine for someone to choose to sit in an aisle seat if it's their preference.

Not so much the bags on seats if it's a busy train. Quiet train is OK I think. And move stuff if it gets busy.

What I can't understand is people who insist on sitting with their luggage and taking up multiple seats. Not every day bags, but big suitcases.

Put it in the luggage rack. And if you don't want to leave it because it has something valuable in it (which is understandable) then you stand with it.

See also families / couples / parents on their own who think groups of 4 or 6 seats are a perfect place to put the pram in the middle of so no-one else can sit down.

DaphneduM, I love train travel. I chose it as a way to commute, I had other options.

I hate it when I'm looking forward to a train journey and one person in the group going tries to dictate that we drive.

So no pity needed. I'd feel very sorry for myself if I had to be constantly completely sober, so I could drive

bruffin please explain how refusing to allow disabled people to sit down is anything other than selfish.
We are not talking about disabled passengers not being a seat

@missmaisel

When did I say confront a drunk man? Drunk men are not the norm on the trains I’ve been on. Maybe one in a carriage but the majority of people on trains are normal sober looking people. I wouldn’t ask to sit next to a drunk man nor would I sit in an aisle seat next to a drunk man so I don’t know why you would want to really 🤷‍♀️

I specifically said about on other threads calling ME selfish for taking the aisle seat. I am a sober female. I am saying you can’t call me selfish if you didn’t ask me for the seat.

But continue seeing what you want in my posts.