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?!

Of course it's appalling wtf is wrong with people. If they can eat, he can eat. I'd be angry too.

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.

It isn’t appalling, people dying alone is appalling.

Wrong. That isn't the rule on trains so irrelevant here.

That is appalling. Are we not allowed to be appalled or annoyed by other more trivial th nhs as well? Of course we are. What a ridiculous argument. Following that logic I assume you don't have a cross word to say to anyone about anything then? @SimonJT

Dear God, from your thread title I thought this was going to be a serious issue.

I think it’s quite funny. I’d laugh, not be appalled. The only response to such a request can only be “You’re joking, right?”

@Alloverthegrapevine they'll be cancelling the cheque for pages and pages yet.

there was a news article about a young women who was traveling with her deaf partially sighted sister - she took her mask off to talk to her sister - which she is legally allowed to do - & a woman had a serious go at her & rubbished her explanation because apparently, according to her, there is no such disability. She got filmed doing this!

Staggered? Appalling??

Whatever next.

I have to be honest, it would take a lot more to have me staggered and appalled.

It's a bizarre and stupid rule but more something you'd roll your eyes over really.

Girls used to go to Chester races on the train, bubbly brought being consumed willy nilly. Guess that is banned now.

None of it is banned. The guard was wrong and picking on an easy target a young lad travelling alone. That is actually appalling, although OP could have been worded better.

The guard picked an easy target. Would have liked to see him try that nonsense with me 🙄

I’m curious how the kids of parents prone to such hyperbole and dramatics turn out.

Either rebel against the histrionics or join the drama llamas

Would have liked to see him try that nonsense with me

Ooh. You’re hard. 😂

reaction a bit OTT maybe, but train buffet menus are appalling, and overpriced - £1.50 for a pack of crisps that would be 20p as part of a multipack?
Apart of being full of unhealthy processed junk to start with, you're also reliant on them having whatever you might be able to eat if you have a restricted (or simply a healthy) diet available.

@labyrinthloafer

I agree that is appalling, they deliver public transport, which is an essential public service to the taxpaying public, and either you can eat or you can't.

Personally I would both complain in writing and mention to my MP.

Really? You must have a lot of time on your hands. As if the thread title wasn't melodramatic enough.

For anyone with special dietary requirements a train buffet won’t be suitable. How is anyone who is strictly Kosher, Halal, gluten free etc supposed to manage unless they eat their own food? That train guard was completely wrong

Can't summon rage about something so small

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

Yes, of course you should, but the point I was making was that most people won't suffer if they don't eat for a few hours. No rail journey in the UK is that long that you HAVE to eat.

Not staggering or appalling, but poor customer service. If people can buy stuff and eat it, everyone can. I was on a train a couple of weeks ago (west coast line) and guards didn’t say anything.

So Covid becomes yet another way to make money for lots of companies. We have seen this elsewhere I'm afraid - our cafes aren't open but you have to eat from our food vans / can't bring a picnic. It's a joke and a bit greedy to be honest

OTT response I think

Shit like this means I won't be travelling by train any time soon. If I go to London on the train it takes 6 hours and I take a packed lunch.

The chances of anyone dying of Covid specifically because I eat a packed lunch on a train are minuscule to fuck all.

You can eat on trains, that hasn't changed. What is appalling is the fact that despite training that says staff shouldn't try to enforce mask wearing, this guard decided to have a go at a vulnerable target who wasn't breaking any rules. Not being asked to wear a mask, not being told he can't eat (if that were the actual rule).

The conductor was illogical and wrong.

Covid doesn’t care whether you bought food from the buffet or brought your own with you. The rules about mask wearing apply to everyone regardless of where the food was purchased.

If you’re allowed to remove your mask to eat, the rule should be applied equally to all passengers.

OTT reaction to something so small.