Sitting in a reserved seat on a train

[SummaLuvin]

AIBU to think there is nothing wrong with sitting in a reserved seat on a train providing you move quickly and without fuss if the booker comes along?

I always look for an unreserved seat, but if there isn’t one I take my chances. Frequently the person who reserved it never shows up - whether they miss the train, can’t get to the seat as it’s so busy, or can’t be bothered to find their seat as it’s quiet… If no-one ever sat in these reserved seats then on busy trains the aisles and areas between carriages would be even more crowded, so I see it as more of an issue for them to be left vacant. But some people seem to think it’s a faux pas to ever sit in a seat that is reserved. What’s the general consensus?

Exactly!

My daughter wouldn't feel able to ask you to move. She's ended up standing for hours on trains because someone has sat in her reserved seat.

I can read and follow a discussion, thank you. People have said and others have implied that it's wrong to sit in a reserved seat no matter what.

can read and follow a discussion, thank you. People have said and others have implied that it's wrong to sit in a reserved seat no matter what.

Sorry. I got that wrong.

No worries 🙂

I did not mean my posts to be so aggressive, I’m sorry they came across as an attack. My point isn’t that you personally need to justify yourself. It’s that you won’t convince people in general to change their behaviour unless you educate them. Simply telling them what you want them to do without explaining why just won’t be that effective. People will make assumptions if they don’t have the information.

Some posts on here talking about how Autism makes someone unable to ask, for instance, will likely be somewhat effective at getting others to change their behaviour and look around at the station the seat is booked from.

My point isn’t that you personally need to justify yourself. It’s that you won’t convince people in general to change their behaviour unless you educate them.

Oh away. I'm not responsible for educating people.

So long as you move when asked.

If someone is in my seat I generally don't mind if there is somewhere unreserved for me to sit, but if the train is packed I expect them to move. Also I travel long distance a lot and usually specifically book a table seat so I can work.

I was on a train the other day and someone was in my seat, mighty shirty when I politely insisted he moved because I needed the table I booked.

Someone upthread mentioned St Pancras to Sheffield and EMR are literally the worst for this. Shorter than needed train with 90% seats reserved apparently. Noone could get through and they announced if someone's sitting in your booked seat we can't make them move!
My complaint is still waiting an answer after 2 months

Not responsible, no. But no one on here is responsible for ensuring you get your seat when you can’t ask for it. If you don’t educate, people will fill the gaps for themselves with whatever suits them. And that’s unlikely to work in your favour.

But no one on here is responsible for ensuring you get your seat when you can’t ask for it.

They are if she's reserved it and they choose to sit in it anyway.

@NumberTheory

But no one on here is responsible for ensuring you get your seat when you can’t ask for it.

I mean, the person who is sitting in a seat that is reserved is responsible for getting the fuck out of it.

How dare you suggest to me I should be educating people about basic manners. I think you are the only one short on education here. I can't imagine why you think anyone should need to be educated about moving from a seat when the reserver arrives to sit in it.

I hate when I go to my reserved seat and someone is asleep in it! I think, you cheeky fucker, make yourself comfortable why don't you?! But I take enjoyment in waking them up and telling them to sling their hook!

This, I used to have booked seats when I was
gong to and from uni and lacked confidence and hared asking so sometimes would see if there was an alternative seat as didn't want to ask someone to move.

@Percypiglover - quite .

Only sit in a reserved seat if it's still empty after the train has left the station from which it was reserved from .Leave it empty until then .

No, you can obviously sit in a seat if it isn't booked until a later station. You don't need to wait until the station has been and gone.

Don’t see the problem as long as you move when asked, particularly if the alternative for you is standing. Agree that people often don’t arrive for their reserved seats

I think the whole situation is just a bit stressful. You've booked a seat in the expectation that you'll have a seat, but then you have to fight through people standing to claim your "privilege", then you have to assert your privilege and ask someone to move.

I don't think there's anything wrong in sitting in an unused booked seat until the "owner" arrived, but I think any discontent they show is more to do with feeling uncomfortable than actually being annoyed that you temporarily sat in their seat.

Not everyone feels comfortable asking the person sitting in their reserved seat to move .
Occupying a reserved seat often happens when a train is crowded so you have the additional issues of knowing that the person you're evicting is going to have to stand plus holding up people behind you as the person gathers up their stuff.

Table seats seem to be sought after and I like them as well .Which Is why I book a table window seat .And then you get the situation where the person sitting in the aisle seat has to vacate while the person occupying your reserved window seat is moving so that you can sit down .
Or you're faced with 3 grumpy seated passengers wondering why you're so entitled that you're not happy to take the aisle backward facing seat that's vacant instead of the forward facing window seat that you reserved .

Why not just leave the reserved seat empty until you're sure the reservee isn't going to take it ,ie after the train has left the station ? Or ,if you can ,reserve a seat yourself .

@WeWereInParis perhaps we're at crossed lines here .
I said after the train has left the station from which it was reserved from.
No problem with someone sitting there for the first part of the journey when it's reserved from a later station .

You obviously never travel on trains - no you don’t have to pay to reserve, you just book it.

If you did ever travel on trains you would know that loads of reserved seats are never used, presumably because the person just sits down somewhere else handy.

You do not have to be brave to ask someone to move seats, you just say ‘Hi - that’s my seat’ and they say OK and move.

Not enough eye rolls in the world..

you havent paid for it though

You do not have to be brave to ask someone to move seats - some people lack the confidence ,feel uncomfortable or just don't want to have to ask .It's no good assuming that everyone is ok with asking .And we don't know what reaction we're going to get .

and they say OK and move. I have literally NEVER had anyone just say ok and move .Often it's a "are you sure ? " "there must be a mistake " "I thought it was mine" and having to proffer tickets for inspection and they're still blagging "oh I didn't realise" or a silent grudging eye rolling move .And all with a queue of people behind you waiting to get past .

Paid for what? Seat reservations are completely free. No one pays.

If only. People eye roll and even flatly refuse to move.