To expect to sit on an empty train seat?

NellieTheElephant1 · 2022-04-23T09:26:42+00:00

Travelling on a busy train to London, lady wearing a mask sitting on a window seat with her bags next to her on the aisle seat. No other seats available nearby. Asked her politely 'excuse me please' indicating that I wanted to sit there. She mumbled 'sorry no I need to distance'. Surely if you're that worried about Covid don't travel on public transport at busy times?

Clymene · 23/04/2022 10:27

Find the guard/conductor, get her to move her stuff if she refuses. If she wants to distance, she shouldn't be on public transport

TibetanTerrah · 23/04/2022 10:28

Id be tempted to ask if she paid for two seats otherwise I'm sitting there.

HotToddyColdSauvignon · 23/04/2022 10:28

She doesn’t need to distance, she wants a seat for her bags. Just move them onto the floor and sit down

Winterfellismyhome · 23/04/2022 10:28

Sit on her bags

linenalltheway · 23/04/2022 10:29

Maybe she had covid

MinnieMountain · 23/04/2022 10:29

Move them for her.

SeasonFinale · 23/04/2022 10:30

linenalltheway · 23/04/2022 10:29

Maybe she had covid

Then she shouldn't be on the train

PortiaFimbriata · 23/04/2022 10:31

It would be completely unmanageable if everyone did it, but I'd give her the benefit of the doubt as a one off. Sometimes you have no choice but to take public transport - all sorts of reasons why she might have to travel why minimising exposure.

Discovereads · 23/04/2022 10:31

I’d find a conductor and have them approach her. There may be a disability at play and they can check and see if she has a disabled rail card. Otherwise, she is being unreasonable to prioritise her bags over a fellow human being. But I’d still have a train official with authority confront her.

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 23/04/2022 10:32

SeasonFinale · 23/04/2022 10:30

Then she shouldn't be on the train

Show quote history

There are no rules against that any more so she's not going anything wrong if she does have covid

OddBoots · 23/04/2022 10:32

It doesn't excuse her (in fact I realise in some ways it is worse) but maybe she suspects she has Covid and wants to minimise spreading it.

My DD was on a train recently already on her journey when she got a message to say someone she had spent a lot of time with over the previous days had tested positive so she put her mask on and kept as far away as possible from people (when she got home she tested and was positive - we have all caught it from her since.)

MRex · 23/04/2022 10:32

"Sorry, but the train is full so I need this seat."

It doesn't matter why she needs to distance, being vulnerable doesn't entitle anyone to two seats. She can stand by the door or catch a quieter train.

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 23/04/2022 10:32

*doing

Norugratsatall · 23/04/2022 10:36

sorry no I need to distance'

And I would have replied....'and I need to sit down, please move your bags'. Cheeky cow!

FairyCakeWings · 23/04/2022 10:37

YANBU. Cheeky fucker doesn’t get to decide what happens to seats she didn’t pay for.

Youre right OP, if someone is that worried about covid they shouldn’t be on the train, and if she was worried about passing covid to you, then she could have said that and given you a choice.

FloraPostePosts · 23/04/2022 10:37

I also think she knows she has covid and is trying not to infect other people.

Not everyone is an arsehole.

thefirstmrsrochester · 23/04/2022 10:38

seats are for bums, not bags. a reasonable adjustment for her, if she is vulnerable, would be for her to travel at a quieter time. she should move her bags.

crackingreward · 23/04/2022 10:41

FloraPostePosts · 23/04/2022 10:37

I also think she knows she has covid and is trying not to infect other people.

Not everyone is an arsehole.

Getting on a train when you have covid is kind of being an arsehole though, isn't it?

NeverDropYourMooncup · 23/04/2022 10:42

Discovereads · 23/04/2022 10:31

I’d find a conductor and have them approach her. There may be a disability at play and they can check and see if she has a disabled rail card. Otherwise, she is being unreasonable to prioritise her bags over a fellow human being. But I’d still have a train official with authority confront her.

Being an owner of a Disabled Railcard and have been forced to sit on the floor outside the toilet because of multiple cases apparently being more entitled to a free seat than I was to have my paid for one (couldn't get to the guard because the tossers had blocked the aisles with even more cases), I have to say bollocks to that.

Her suitcase isn't Disabled. The Railcard only applies to the person needing the seat.

I wouldn't hesitate to get the guard if they are physically accessible.

Querymary12 · 23/04/2022 10:43

I did this last week. I was on day 7 of having covid and was still testing faintly positive, but I had to get the train (caring responsibilities and I can't drive). I put a bag on the seat next to me because I wanted to avoid infecting anyone.

AhNowTed · 23/04/2022 10:44

FloraPostePosts · 23/04/2022 10:37

I also think she knows she has covid and is trying not to infect other people.

Not everyone is an arsehole.

If that's the case SHE is the one who should be standing, not inconveniencing someone else.

She is the arsehole.

AhNowTed · 23/04/2022 10:45

Querymary12 · 23/04/2022 10:43

I did this last week. I was on day 7 of having covid and was still testing faintly positive, but I had to get the train (caring responsibilities and I can't drive). I put a bag on the seat next to me because I wanted to avoid infecting anyone.

If the train was full you should have vacated the seat.

Querymary12 · 23/04/2022 10:48

I am disabled and unable to stand for long periods of time, otherwise I would have given up my seat.

crackingreward · 23/04/2022 10:49

There may be a disability at play and they can check and see if she has a disabled rail card.

I'm disabled and don't have a railcard

TimBoothseyes · 23/04/2022 10:51

Oh this reminds me of a train journey I took a few years ago. It was going from Bristol to Manchester and it was a bit busy when it left Birmingham. Over the tannoy came the announcement "please could all bags be removed from seats unless they have a ticket. If they are not removed and they don't have tickets, then those bags will be treated as fare dodgers and removed from the train at the next station, the choice ladies and gentlemen is yours to make". I have never seen bags moved so quickly in my life. That guard was taking no prisoners.