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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Elderly couple on train

276 replies

brummiesue · 23/10/2019 13:44

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

OP posts:
InsertFunnyUsername · 23/10/2019 14:36

What would be the point in reserving seats if they're just going to be taken anyway. If the woman had posted they weren't offered seats guess what the people would be saying then? - Well you should have reserved them!

I don't think being old (or young) means you can be rude to people, I imagine if the elderly couple said "Sorry I didn't know" or "Yes but my wife is feeling poorly can we sit here" Most people would have let them. Not "It doesn't matter" Its rude and asking for a confrontation.

TheFairyCaravan · 23/10/2019 14:36

I work in Cheltenham, and there's a comment on local press from someone else on the train........apparently the train was a few carriages short so all reservations were cancelled. Which is why the people were sat there.......

Strange how Cross Country Trains have said that the family were letdown by people who ignored the labels then.

InsertFunnyUsername · 23/10/2019 14:37

Oh please. Its a train, not a rollercoaster.

GrinGrin

My Nanna is still a whizz on public transport, She would be quite insulted to be considered too old to get up.

diddl · 23/10/2019 14:39

"and her kids look quite comfortable sharing the seats so what’s the big deal?"

The fact hat she had paid for & reserved 4 seats?

diddl · 23/10/2019 14:41

"apparently the train was a few carriages short so all reservations were cancelled."

If that's the case, is it also usual to move people to 1st class?

TheFairyCaravan · 23/10/2019 14:42

And the woman is 6.5 months pregnant too. She's confirmed that on her Twitter Page.

HeyNotInMyName · 23/10/2019 14:42

I'm sruggling to see how that couple would have been humiliated if the faces were hidden.
And if they do recognise themelves (or acquaintances do) then, surely this is their issue? Or is that they would never have done that if someone they knew was around?

I have to say I would have been furious at their attitude. Its so disrespectful.

CactusAndCacti · 23/10/2019 14:57

I'm not going to engage in a one sided biased story.

I just remember the days when people would all shuffle up together, or at least not have a rage about it over sm.

Paintedmaypole · 23/10/2019 14:57

They should have moved if the seats were reserved. However I have been on trains where the number of carriages has been reduced and the guard has announced that all reservations have been suspended. If this happened it is just tough and the couple would be entitled to stay put. Whatever happened, the expressions on the childrens' faces are very insolent and the mother sounds proud that they are facing the couple down. Rudeness on both sides and two way ageism on this thread. Rudeness is rudeness at any age.

Samcro · 23/10/2019 14:58

ffs seems the mother was upset that the older couple sounded posh.
what a non story

PancakeAndKeith · 23/10/2019 14:59

I saw it on Twitter. The couple didn't look 'elderly' to me. Older yes, but not elderly.

If they were so old and ill why didn't they reserve their seats?
Also the woman with the children was moved to the seats in First Class after she had tweeted the initial picture of the couple who wouldn't move.

purplepalace · 23/10/2019 14:59

They were in the wrong and very rude. I'm glad she put it on Twitter.

The older couple didn't say she was ill, or ask permission to sit in the mum's reserved seats. Why did the man have to sit too if his wife was poorly, and leave a 6 month pregnant mother standing?

Conductor should've moved them from those seats, instead they got away with it (or so they thought until the opened their morning Daily FailWink)

Ilovetolurk · 23/10/2019 15:01

If that's the case, is it also usual to move people to 1st class

Absolutely

DdraigGoch · 23/10/2019 15:02

If the reservations had been cancelled then the labels would not be out. The labels are clearly on display in the picture. If they are infirm then they should use the priority seats which are always close to the doors. Even if they were occupied, people would be obliged to vacate them for someone who needs them.

Just to correct one common misapprehension which seems to be shared by some posters, you do not pay for reservations, they are free. Just go to a booking office with your ticket and ask for one. You may though be able to get money back if you have a reservation and still end up standing. Depends on the company.

FaFoutis · 23/10/2019 15:03

The mother did right to put it on Twitter. Maybe it will stop some other rude wankers behaving like this.

heartsonacake · 23/10/2019 15:03

YANBU. If people don’t want to be all over social media, they shouldn’t behave in ways they’re embarrassed of everyone knowing about.

81Byerley · 23/10/2019 15:04

I'm 70, my husband is 75 and has cancer and mobility problems. It still doesn't entitle us to use seats someone else has booked.

CactusAndCacti · 23/10/2019 15:06

No, it was not right to put in on twitter. I absolutely hate the current trial by social media. All it does is evoke anger and hatred in people. Nothing good ever comes from it.

BertrandRussell · 23/10/2019 15:07

“Rude, entitled old people annoy the fuck out of me.“

How do you feel about rude entitled young people?

Christ Almighty, the agism on this site!

KatherineJaneway · 23/10/2019 15:12

A quick Google takes you to her Twitter feed and the unpixelated photo.

diddl · 23/10/2019 15:13

I also don't think that it should have been on sm.

If reservations were cancelled then it was fine for them to stay there & the family with the reservations were moved to 1st class.

So, policy followed & no harm done.

SoupDragon · 23/10/2019 15:14

If the reservations had been cancelled then the labels would not be out

That rather depends on when they were cancelled.

seaweedandmarchingbands · 23/10/2019 15:14

The person who books the seats is entitled to sit in them. A mum with three kids books three seats. This couple decide that doesn’t matter because they matter more, even though they didn’t book the seats. That’s out of order. What they should have done is speak to the conductor.

Who’s betting they wouldn’t have refused to move for two big burly blokes in football kits?

RedSundown · 23/10/2019 15:16

Not great to sit in reserved seats but I find the public shaming of people, particularly on Twitter, where countless vile trolls can incite all sorts of hatred to be a massively cruel response.

I can't understand responding to rudeness with such an escalation. I hope she's comfortable with any of the consequences of this. Great role model to the kids.

seaweedandmarchingbands · 23/10/2019 15:16

And if this was the other way round, people would love seeing a young mum vilified. Two middle class old people are obviously too good for being embarrassed on Twitter... by their own rude behaviour. Hmm