Train passengers refusing to move

[HolyGuac]

Well, I'm really disappointed in the general public. AIBU to be shocked at the hard faced people in our sets refusing to move?

I booked train tickets and reserved seats about three months ago as we are having a special pre Christmas Day out with my two kids and husband.

Get on the train and the seat reservation numbers above the seats (the digital display ones are on the blink), it says from Euston...we are going to Euston, there are people in our seats who are refusing to move.

One said there's plenty of other seats, there are other seats but not in a table which is what i had booked.

We moved on found separate seats (two two's behind each other) I've been back to ask them nicely if they could move as there are no other table seats, this is a special trip etc etc they've flat out refused.
One said someone took Her seat which is why she moved to our seats, I asked why she couldn't have asked for them to move and got some blather about just taking any seat as the displays are not working!

I'm really disappointed by people today, what a bunch of arses. They are sat there knowing it's not their booked seats.
I would never take someone's seat like that.

They are not twats, they saw that the reservations were wrong and sat in vacant seats.

As is their right when the reservations were not working.

Oh brill didn’t see that re 1st class, always a result when that happens!!

Happened to us years ago but slightly different scenario where this hideous couple had gotten mixed up on their train time, they were trying to sit in our seats which we had booked - we all went to sit down at the same time. We and then another passenger looked at their booking ref and were like ah yes you’re on the wrong service (ffs!!). But they wouldn’t back down, the woman called my husband a silly bastard and the man squared up to me (I may or may not have been struggling to hide my amusement at their stupidity). Anyway the conductor came down told them to be quiet and take the seats and told us he was moving us to First Class. Priceless moment.

Good result. Just to rub it in I’d walk though their carriage and make sure I’m on my mobile, Dom jolly style saying “sorry the phone is breaking up, let me get back to my first class carriage where I will get a better reception

Cringe.

Some woman told me I couldn't sit in my pre booked seat cos she didn't want anyone sitting next to her. She just got a tough shite love I've booked and paid for it!! before I joyfully sat down next to her. She was seething all the way to her stop 😂

If the reservations are not showing then they are not valid so you are being unreasonable to call them selfish. You can't expect people to keep getting up. It is a real pain when this happens though.

I don't see they did anything wrong in sitting tbh. The reservation incorrectly said FROM Euston. It was reasonable for them to assume that was the case.

I had a similar experience on a train to Euston recently. I had reserved three of the four table seats and sat in them with my children and the electronic display corresponded with this. Two stops along another family board and insist that I am in their seats. I asked the train staff to verify with them that I was in the right seat but they didn’t bother. The family were chuntering behind me the whole time. Some one even said take their picture. When we got off their tickets were left on the seat and they had misread their seat numbers but had made me uncomfortable for the entire journey.

I would have been really upset if they had taken my picture as I don’t use any social media other than mumsnet and particularly as they were wrong anyway.

People are utterly shameless sometimes. I don't even travel by train that often these days, but the last time I booked a special trip for me and DC, a woman who'd booked the fourth seat at our table had spread her heavy luggage on two of the seats and her bare feet on the third, eyes tightly closed to discourage anyone from waking her. There were no other available empty seats, but thankfully I'm not squeamish.
I'm glad you have an upgrade, OP. Usually if the reservations are fucked they pretty much announce that it's every man for himself.

YNBU but when the machines are working they tend to say seat reservations are void. The people in your reserved seats might be in the same position as you. The peoll eon their reserved seats may have refused to move. I agree it's a nightmare though especially with children and a packed train. It's more the train companies fault than Th people sitting in your seats thiugh

l would have gone and sat on their laps

@ScreamingValenta you can book assisted travel on the trains

You don't pay any extra money for reserved seats, so it's not enforceable i'm afraid. I travel on the trains a lot and it seems like a lot of people here think it should be enforceable based on ethics, when in fact that's not how the world works.

It sucks OP, but the journey will be over before you know it.

l would have gone and sat on their laps

No you wouldn't. Don't be so ridiculous.

People are utterly shameless sometimes.

The reservations were not working.

They sat in vacant unreserved seats.

There is nothing shameless about sitting in vacant unreserved seats.

They are not twats, they saw that the reservations were wrong and sat in vacant seats
They sure are twats. The couldn't be bothered to fight for their own seats (or so they claim) so decided to annoy someone else, someone who had more need of the 4 seats together than they did.

Of course, they could have themselves gone to the conductor and ask for their own seats or alternate ones, but so much easier to play dumb and be selfish.

Too bad, they would probably have got into 1st class themselves, but they don't because they don't deserve the seats.

I had a similar experience on a train to Euston recently. I had reserved three of the four table seats and sat in them with my children and the electronic display corresponded with this

So not similar at all then?

Some people are so rude, I cannot believe this happened. Result that you got first class!!!

I really don’t know what I would have done . Possibly stood at the end of the table telling my children “this is our table, we have reserved it, but these people do not want to move. You can stand here and use the table for your snacks and colouring pencils”. Has anyone tried that? Would it work?

But the OP had reservations she showed them to prove she had reserved those seats. Anyone who refuses to move in those circumstances is an arsehole. And the conductor agreed it seems!

Sometimes staff add to the problems on Virgin. They take upgrades to first class for a tenner and those people reasonably sit down. I've then gotten on and want my reserved seats which they're in. They are then worse off as the group is split through no fault of their own.

The seat display never works on Virgin.

Not moving needs to be a fineable offense in the way fare dodging is.

They sure are twats. The couldn't be bothered to fight for their own seats (or so they claim) so decided to annoy someone else, someone who had more need of the 4 seats together than they did

Lol. It's a train not a hospital.

The OP got 4 seats, and were sat in them still chuntering away when the reservations were not working.

This is why I generally try to avoid Other People wherever possible in life.

Glad you got sorted OP - have a lovely day out :)

He didn't agree enough to move them though..

I get the virgin trains into Euston a lot and they always say seat reservations are not applicable if it’s extremely busy or if the electronic display isn’t working

Sadly this, and it sounds like the conductor is aware of this and that's why he hasn't approached the table. It's annoying, but the screens aren't showing your reservation.

I'm glad you're settled in first though, that's a result! And I'd always move if someone had booked the seat or needed it more. I'd probably have chanced sitting in it, because a lot of people don't show for their reservations, but I'd have moved as soon as anyone came looking.

Enjoy London!

But the OP had reservations she showed them to prove she had reserved those seats.

When the reservations are not working, then nobody has a reserved seat. That is the point. Just sit in any available seat and give everyone around you a break.

Talk about entitled and annoying. Jesus.

I was going to suggest seating yourselves in first class, perfect solution!