Elderly couple on train

[brummiesue]

Initial thoughts were what utter twats they were especially after hearing that the woman in question is heavily pregnant. I then however saw the unpixelated photo and the poor woman who wouldn't move looks poorly. AIBU to have a little sympathy for them now??
Link below hopefully
mol.im/a/7602911

why should they have to justify themselves to her if reservations had been cancelled

If that were so, they would not. That seems very unlikely given that the conductor bumped her to first class for the hassle and the train company spokesperson didn't mention it.

There are lots of situations we could make up which would mitigate their conduct, but most people who nick reservations are just CFs.

the conductor bumped her to first class for the hassle

It was likely to diffuse the situation, it's not ideal to have conflict on a moving vessel which can't just be stopped anywhere to let people off. The spokesperson was doing a customer service spiel to appease the stink she had made on Twitter about them not upholding reservations, ie not our fault, it was theirs. I'm not particularly arsed, I don't know anyone involved, it's just who do people think they are deciding who should be publicly shamed, knowing people will likely lap it up without question. Given what else is going on in the news at the moment it pales into insignificance and she should feel ashamed.

Elderly? Pregnant?

I doubt it. LOL...

The spokesperson was doing a customer service spiel to appease the stink she had made on Twitter

Indeed, but they would be an idiot to not check that the service kept it's reservations before commenting negatively on those people ignoring her reservation.

It was likely to diffuse the situation, it's not ideal to have conflict on a moving vessel which can't just be stopped anywhere to let people off.

In 20+ years on trains I have never seen a conductor bump someone up on a train for being a dick. I have seen them getting screamed at on a packed service with reservations cancelled and a kid on crutches standing for a 3 hour service and they still would not let anyone into an empty first class.

who do people think they are deciding who should be publicly shamed

I would not handle conflict in this way, but all available info points to her being on the receiving end of very, very poor behaviour. That being so, it is the CFs in the seats who created the conflict.

@Cantsleeppast3am

I've always, always been brought up to respect my elders and always had until I realised the vast majority of 70+ treat my generation like the shit on their shoe
You want respect earn it

You are aware, are you not, that ageism applies to young people as well as old people?

What a stupid post

@lavendargreen I used to live in Cheltenham so know the type so speak from experience and I clicked on the link which led to an article with a pixelated photo so that's all I saw.
Nothing wrong with me, I not the one furiously trying to defend people in the wrong. The old couple are in the wrong, they should have moved once they were shown that the women and her children had valid tickets for those seats, it really is that simple. I'm pretty sure had the roles been reversed they would have expected the people in the wrong to move.

@BIWitch don't think anything I've said is unpleasant at all. Just my opinion/perspective from my own experiences, which have unfortunately been mostly negative, I am sorry to say.
Also don't think it should be compared to racism which is a whole different kettle of fish but hey ho.
@Cantsleeppast3am I agree, I was also raised to respect my elders but respect is earned and is a two way street, you cannot just expect it because of age, status, wealth etc...

@Stickysnot why should ? People on this thread are criticising those who shame others on social media so I'm questioning if it's ever valid.

I don't think I would shame on social media but equally I treat others as I would like to be treated & try & avoid acting like a dick.

It's rude to take photos of people and put them on SM .

It's eye opening that so many posters think the elderly couple are not in the wrong & there must have been a reason why they were there. If the elderly couple had reserved those seats & the mum & her kids were in them & refused to move Im not sure there would be so much sympathy

It's rude to take photos of people and put them on SM .

Perhaps, but the best way of avoiding that is not to be rude in the first place.

Stop. Reading. The. Daily. Mail. It’s a hate filled rag that can’t report anything fairly. Even Wikipedia refuse to accept it as a reliable source of information.

I can't understand how they can allow seats to be reserved when they have no idea of numbers travelling that day or how many carriages are going to be available. If you're disabled or elderly/need assistance, fair enough but it should be pot luck for everyone else. No one wants to stand or not have a table etc but it's all part of using public transport.

Then shit like this wouldn't happen.

It's rude to take photos of people and put them on SM

Its rude to take other peoples reserved seats.Didnt bother them then. .

The mum didn't post it all over SM. She posted it on her own twitter account and it was lifted by various newspapers. It's gone viral because so many of us can relate.

People saying it's poor form to publicly shame them are wrong imo; people who behave like this couple are only able to do so because no one ever calls them out on it or stands up to them. Hopefully they are learning a valuable life lesson.

The pot luck is for those that don’t book in advance. Not sure if you can do it at the ticket office.
By ending books tickets this would impact people using it. Bookable seats are why I use trains. I want to book without the need to proof I am deserving of this.
It would also give people additional attention when traveling. Especially if they don’t appear to fit the needs image.
When with children it’s also meant that we are all close together.

Exactly, the go to response on here dealing with cheeky fuckers is to call them out. She did on her own sm account. We’ve all done it. Just not all these things go viral.

The elderly couple were in the wrong. Just because the train company put things right doesn't absolve them of their guilt.

I've attached another post from the thread - they appear to be serial offenders. Maybe the public shaming will get them behaving properly, I'm sure there will have previous conflicts that haven't changed them.

Still think the seat thieves should have sympathy?

@pearldiver19. Do you know that usually when I’m out and about in town, it’s usually young folk who hold doors open, apologise when bumping into me or helped me with the pram etc. I really don’t think young people are entitled at all.

Many times it’s late middle aged / young OAPs who push by me and don’t say thanks when you hold a door open

@ffswhatnext

Exactly, the go to response on here dealing with cheeky fuckers is to call them out. She did on her own sm account. We’ve all done it. Just not all these things go viral.

Her own SM account

She wasn't just 'calling them out' on a page full of her friends, she knew exactly what she was doing.

Her SM account has 49 THOUSAND followers and she is the proud owner of a blue tick, which indicates her page is a verified page of public interest.

This isn't just a mums argument and a wee rant.

This woman set out to destroy those people.

Forgot to add the screenshot

Make sure to click on the pic to see the follower count

@itsmecathycomehome

The mum didn't post it all over SM. She posted it on her own twitter account and it was lifted by various newspapers. It's gone viral because so many of us can relate.

She has 49 THOUSAND followers, not your average twitter account. Her intention was for that to go viral.

I do not agree with online shaming, regardless of whether the person or people shamed are guilty of what they have been accused of.

I have autism and being able to book seats whether they be on trains, the cinema or anywhere else, makes my life that little bit more bearable and even then I get myself into a panic beforehand in case someone is sitting in my seat. People not sitting in their own seats is one of the (many) banes of my life!

But think of where a culture of online shaming leaves everyone.

No one goes through life without making mistakes or behaving/appearing to behave badly at some point and it is often the most vulnerable who are most at risk. The parent at the end of their tether shouting at their child, the teenager having some ill judged moment, people living with mental health issues or dementia, someone having a meltdown because someone else is sitting in their seat, the list is endless.

Anything can be filmed or photographed with no background or context as an example of ‘wrong’ behaviour and shared with a potentially worldwide baying mob. The whole thing quite frankly terrifies me.

I really hope that at some point it becomes a socially unacceptable thing to do.

What the fuck are you on about?

Aren't you just charming.

I said WE'RE having people slagging off people from Cheltenham now. WE as in people on this forum are having people slag off people from Cheltenham. I don't know why you struggled with this.

Yes I'm well aware of what you posted, as I quoted it. Don't include the rest of us in your stupid generalising. The poster you were attacking said there are plenty of that type in Cheltenham, not that they all are.

Best work on on your reading, grammar AND comprehension skills.!

I don't think I'll take lessons in English expression from someone who can't spell 'lavender' and thinks an exclamation mark follows a full stop.