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.

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

They already had seats. They were sat in them.

‘This sort of attitude does worry me. My elderly parents are due to make a 5 hour train journey in a few weeks - they've reserved seats but I keep worrying about what will happen if some arsehole won't let them sit down. My dad is partially sighted and my mum has limited mobility, so they can't stand easily for that length of time.‘

This is what concerns me as well. My parents are elderly and scared of travelling by train because of it.

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

Reservations were down. Not valid. Broken. Off. Al seats unreserved.

That may legally be the case @APerkyPumpkin but it takes a special kind of arsehole to be so pedantic when there is a family with kids standing there in front of the seats they've booked but you're refusing to move from because there's a fault with the train particularly when there are other seats they can move to.

People who are concerned about elderly relatives please book assistance for them. That way they will be seen both on and off the train and if reservations are down or someone refuses to move the train manager will sort it for them.

A bit off topic but those who are elderly, or concerned about someone, get Travel Assist, it's free 0800 0223720. Depending on how busy they are sometimes they get you to your seat/s.

Invaluable, particularly yesterday when a Cross Country train changed platforms at Taunton - for the elderly that's two lifts and lots of walking.

I do like the idea of "parking your arse on the table" but not sure it would have solved the problem. Red mist comes easily to me but I don't often act on it.

Am due to travel by train in a couple of weeks with 2 other people. We got our tickets and see the seat numbers have two of us together but the third one is a bit further back so we can't travel all sitting near each other for the 2 hour journey.

It will be interesting to see how it goes and if anyone is kind enough to do a seat swap. We have no entitlements I know but common good manners if anyone is travelling alone would be to swap a seat to help others.

Thanks for the advice about help for the elderly. I am discussing travel with my parents later today, so this is genuinely helpful.

@ScreamingValenta the rail company or station will have a service for vulnerable / disabled passengers that makes sure they get on the train and into their seats. You can book this in advance, so you know that they'll be looked after.

I had to use the service at Euston once when I had an ankle injury. I went in the golf cart type buggy all the way to my carriage and the member of staff found my seat and kindly put my suitcase on for me.

It's quite regular that the seat reservations are suspended unfortunately (I have the misfortune of doing an intercity run every day) - or people get so used to reservations not being taken up and start ignoring them (I go by the rule if the card shows the station before I got on or further back down the line it's fair game) - but yep trains turn people into arseholes sometimes.

Notable highlights of the last couple of months - a half naked Santa conga down a standing room only packed intercity all the way down to first class (stag do and they were pissed as a fart at 4pm at night); the woman who verbally abused me for daring to be in the seat next to her (no overhang at all whatsoever before anyone suggests that) and left me a wreck; the guy dumping his girlfriend loudly via mobile (she'd been snogging his mate and broken his heart and all his feelings for her were like legit and the real deal and stuff) and a million other fucknugget specimens. I just tend to stand in the vestibule most days now because it's just not worth it (and pay £200 a month for that privilege).

Have a

@CurbsideProphet Oh, thank you, that's really useful information. I'll have a look on their website and see if I can book it for them.

We had reserved seats from Birmingham to Derby yesterday. We stood all the way. It was a sardine can.

@Gentlygrowingoldermale - another thank you here, that's a really useful number.

On occasions I was known to ask ridiculous people, in my very best scary teacher/librarian voice, whether their bag REALLY required an entire seat of its own when I had a reservation. Followed by a very hard Paddington stare until they gave in. These days I might use my native clumsiness to get the same result....

I do think people in general have got worse in this respect over the last 10 years or so. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day, when you get to it, OP.

@ScreamingValenta book mobility assistance with the rail company they will take them to the train and get on with them to ensure they are seated. I’ve seen them move people from the priority seats and they take no nonsense. In Glasgow they get ‘chauffeur’ driven to the train in a Buggy thing and then picked up at the four of the train. The conductor always makes sure they get off ok and into their ‘taxi’

Cross post

Spineless guard, as a PP said.

I don't get this. If you are in first class without a ticket and you refuse to move, the guard will call the police, the train will stop at the next station, and you will be removed from the train.

So why don't they do this with people who sit in other people's reserved seats, if the guards are cowards and useless like this?

Sorry, but if electronic displays not working it's usually a free for all in my experience.

Just coming into say what @Gentlygrowingoldermale said, my elderly relatives use this and it’s worked well so far. Piece of mind for everyone.

I got on a Cross Country train the other day (with a reserved seat, booked the day before) but the notifications above the seats just said 'This seat may be reserved'. Someone was in my seat so I sat elsewhere, it seemed petty to uproot them when the sign was ambiguous. Had it been from a terminus station, I might've have made a point of it, particularly if I was in a family party.

OP, did the guard state whether the reservations on this train were still active, or had they been cancelled across the train?

@SerenDippitty

Why on earth didn’t ask for the man to moved instead of giving him (non) meaningful looks?

@ReanimatedSGB

Exactly- how utterly inflammatory to throw people’s stuff etc. Keyboard warriors, I imagine

I don't get this. If you are in first class without a ticket and you refuse to move, the guard will call the police, the train will stop at the next station, and you will be removed from the trai*

.
So why don't they do this with people who sit in other people's reserved seats, if the guards are cowards and useless like this?

Well your first scenario describes revenue protection. The second is simply a free service that may or may not be working. Please don't call the train guards cowards, these people put up with a whole manner of shit.

highly amused at the suggestion to 'throw bags out of the window' - someone hasn't been on a train in years, windows don't open any more!

if the reservation system is down it is a free-for-all and open to arseholes, sorry. Shame the guard didn't enforce but as many people punch before arguing, you can see his point.