to be staggered by how appalling this is?

[sadpapercourtesan]

My 17yo son was on a Cross Country train yesterday. The buffet car was open and several passengers were removing their masks to eat, so DS1 lowered his to eat a packet of crisps he had with him (it was a long journey and he did need to eat)

Train conductor came through and told him to put it back on, because passengers may only remove their masks to eat food purchased in the buffet car!

WTAF?!

I'd call cross country to clarify their policy and if the guard did in fact act in the wrong way, let them know there is an issue.

I'm confused about why there were a number of people lowering the masks to eat but they only picked on your son. Perhaps it wasn't clear to the guard what was going on.

Its no different to going to any venue that sells food and being asked not to consume food you didn’t buy on the premises.

Oh my word, this sort of thinking is why this country is in such a fucking sorry state.

It is a train, part of the nation's public transport network, not a private establishment. The track is repaired with taxpayer's money and the service provided under government licence for the purposes of enabling taxpayers to move around.

I don't understand why British people allow themselves to be treated like utter shit by our institutions and services.

Sorry, will calm down now.

I used to be a regular user of cross-country trains, and the sets they took over from Virgin used to have buffet-cars (counter, hot bacon sarnies but no seats), but they took them and actual luggage racks and some tables out to make more seats. And since then, trolley service only (which often stays stuck at one end of the train because not enough luggage space, so gangways blocked by cases!). Hopefully you can see the genuine XC user effect here.

If you had a train with an older style buffet car (XC used some old HST on some routes I believe, although refurbishment removed the buffet cars and went to XC at-seat service), or the walk-in shop they have in Pendolino services, then this would perhaps make sense if people were encouraged to only lower their mask and eat/drink in that car, not at their seat. Then people who could chose not to enter that car would have less chance of encountering people without masks on.

I like trains :-)

Not everyone will be in a financial position to buy the likely overpriced on board food so they naturally bring food with them.

This ^^
And in DD’s case often the lack of any vegetarian options

It's not fair but the reality is that they shouldn't be serving food and no one should be removing their masks. Otherwise, what is the point in enforcing them?

So are you saying that someone travelling from Glasgow to Bournemouth – a journey of over seven hours is not allowed to eat or drink anything during that time period Teacher12345?

Jobsworth. I’m amazed how many people think op is being OTT.

I would contact the train company and ask for clarification and training. There are medical conditions that mean people need to eat and drink when they need to they can’t stop people eating and drinking if needed.

I wouldn’t be appalled but I would be pissed off. I love a long train journey. Largely because they present the perfect opportunity to buy a delicious train picnic & train wine from the M&S Food store at the station. I’m reasonably well off but would never waste my money in the overpriced crap they sell in the on train buffet cars.

I’m amazed how many people think op is being OTT.

You’re amazed that people think being staggered at the appalling situation where someone can’t immediately eat his crisps is OTT?

Really?

They’re perfectly within their rights to restrict food consumption to their own

Except where that becomes a disability discrimination issue. See @Pumpertrumper and her post above. Someone who is type 1 will be carrying their own means of managing their condition and must be allowed to eat it as they see fit.

This has made me realise we need to look at obtaining some means of 'mask exemption' for my type 1. Never ends, does it?

Since when did you only remove a mask to eat food bought on the train?

Jobsworth.

I'd complain to Passenger Focus or whatever their name is now.

Maybe the jobsworth picked on a 17 yr old lad but wouldn't have if it was a 60 yr old female.

So are you saying that someone travelling from Glasgow to Bournemouth – a journey of over seven hours is not allowed to eat or drink anything during that time period Teacher12345?

Most people will not expire from not eating for seven hours. There is also a 1 hour changeover according to rail enquires website. Drinks- fine. Slip mask up, drink, slide back down.

You just know that if it had been a group of burly men with their beer nothing would have been said. These people always pick on the soft targets.

@Enoughnowstop

You can download and printout your very own Exemption Card, courtesy of the Government:

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/903454/Exemption_from_face_covering_card_to_print.pdf

Which also means that anyone regardless of whether they technically should be exempt, can also do this.

I think the point here OP is that your son is 17 and so sadly is open to all sorts of spite by any dickhead like the conductor - my DD regularly travels XC - she is 19 but looks about 16 so is regularly harassed by jobsworth conductors, people taking her seat, shoving her etc. That seems to be par for the course for young people.

If The conductor wasn't being a dick about the crisps and we didn't have COVID19 it could have been something else, thats the sort of shit that happens. Had your son been a 30 year old man, he would have had half a dozen packets of crisps, a french stick and and a trifle and nothing would have been said.

And its sad how many people think the conductor did nothing wrong though, because that's the sort of attitude that enables this sort of shit to happen.

Just seen that @Alloverthegrapevine made the same point far more succinctly!!

Staggered and appalling are not the words that I'd use for this situation.

Annoying and confused maybe.

Just because the OP used those particular words doesn't make her point, and the facts of the matter, any less valid.

Staggered and appalling? Get some perspective.

Yanbu OP. Either it's safe to take mask off to eat or it's not.
There is no obligation to purchase food from the train. I disagree wholeheartedly with making people 2nd class citizens for this reason.
Tell your son to put it on Twitter.
If someone was with their young kids and this happened or really old or vulnerable then I think people would agree that wasnt on. Therefore it's not ok for your teen son either.

Train conductor came through and told him to put it back on, because passengers may only remove their masks to eat food purchased in the buffet car!

It is ridiculous the train conductor suggested this - unless of course, it is the policy of South Western. But I don't think that eating food purchased on a train is policy.

The guidance on public transport and face coverings is available and having scrutinised it, because I'm a nerd, nothing indicate that this is nothing other than ridiculous.

Have we fully established that the OP picked the wrong words for her thread title but has a valid point yet?

@DancingInDespair

So are you saying that someone travelling from Glasgow to Bournemouth – a journey of over seven hours is not allowed to eat or drink anything during that time period Teacher12345?

Most people will not expire from not eating for seven hours. There is also a 1 hour changeover according to rail enquires website. Drinks- fine. Slip mask up, drink, slide back down.

Wtaf is going on. Of course you should be allowed to eat on a train.

This issue isn't about being able to 'immediately eat ones crisps' but more that the rules have been improperly applied in this instance and wouldn't you know, to a child travelling alone! I'm sure we will all be heartily reassured that we can kick back and relax on a train journey knowing we wont 'expire' for lack of eating for 7 hours. If that's the case why have a buffet car at all then nobody has to remove their masks and risk killing anyone.

@airbags

Staggered and appalling? Get some perspective.

I'm staggered and appalled that so many people are trying to justify the tran guard's position.

Everyone knows that cheapskates must eat their inferior Snackrite crisps by passing them through the plastic/ fabric of their mask For The Greater Good. Partly bevause Covid is an intelligent virus thst prays upon the stingy and turns them into super-spreaders. And partly because it makes the train companies look virtuous and Covid Safe.

Meanwhile back in the real world, it's ridiculous posturing by the guard.
Somehow I doubt he would be challenging a more mature man who is 6ft square.

Petty, inconsistent rule making and application makes a mockery of the restrictions in society and erodes trust in their purpose and effectiveness.

This is really surprising.
My brother is a train guard and has been told by his union that guards are not to challenge passengers who are not wearing masks.
He has been punched for challenging someone who doesn’t have a ticket and hardly ever has back up from BTP.
Maybe he just got a rogue guard.