To be shocked that the train companies don't enforce social distancing?

[EndemicPanda]

I read a story on the BBC news this morning saying that trains out of London were packed last night and there were announcements over the tannoys saying that social distancing wouldn't be possible and people should get off if they weren't comfortable with that.

AIBU to be shocked by this? I assumed that trains would only be able to operate at a low capacity like cinemas for the time being and would require reservations.

@Ifailed
how do you expect train companies to enforce social distancing? For a start it's not illegal to stand closer than 1m next to someone, and only Police officers and designated people from Local Authorities can enforce the relevant legislation.

I kind of assumed that you'd have to buy a ticket in advance, which would come with a seat reservation and there would be reduced (~50%) capacity, and they'd tell you not to come to the train station if you didn't have a ticket with a reservation.

But I haven't used the trains since this began (wfh) and it seems like it's a free for all 🤷‍♀️

What’s interesting is that nobody can be prevented from buying a ticket at the machine and simply getting on the train, irrespective of rules about pre-booked seats only.

I assume that it’s only now that the limits of this policy have been tested. Easier for station staff with no back-up to tell one person in Newcastle boarding a London-bound LNER train in September that they have to get off because they haven’t booked a seat than it is to tell hundreds of people at Kings Cross tough, no reservation no admittance even though you have just paid for a ticket.

I kind of assumed that you'd have to buy a ticket in advance, which would come with a seat reservation

Many train routes have no reservation service, there is no one to manage them at either terminus anyway. How would you expect season ticket holders to manage?

I use Southeastern and the Victoria line to get to work as a teacher and since September passengers have been sensible and are social distancing as much as you can. Having said that, when I and other passengers have challenged the odd person not mask wearing (one time the guy was vaping!) we've been on our own. People not complying are generally pretty anti social anyway and quite up for a fight! I wouldn't want to be a train guard in those circs, even if there were any, which there aren't on those lines.

@sherrystrull

Why should anyone police it? People need to take responsibility for themselves. It's hardly new news that we need to social distance. Rail companies are probably hugely short staffed and doing their best just to keep services running.

V difficult to take responsibility for oneself when you take what you believe to be a 'safe space' on a train or tube, and then a crowd get on and take up that safe space you had created, often not wearing masks, etc. and you literally have no place to stand that is safe..in the time it takes to remove oneself from the crowded train or tube to get to some semblance of safety, you may become infected through no fault of your own.

V difficult to take responsibility for oneself when you take what you believe to be a 'safe space' on a train or tube, and then a crowd get on and take up that safe space you had created, often not wearing masks, etc. and you literally have no place to stand that is safe..in the time it takes to remove oneself from the crowded train or tube to get to some semblance of safety, you may become infected through no fault of your own.

Fully agree. We can take our own precautions and follow restrictions, but you can't control other people around you. Same with supermarkets. You can try to social distance and keep away from others in front of you, but you can't control what people behind you are doing, those who come into "your" space.