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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Who was unreasonable train staff or passenger

147 replies

Chaoscreated · 19/08/2023 15:31

Name changed
I am travelling today and witnessed a commotion between train worker and a passenger.
I do not have all specific details.
the train is around a 3 hour journey but there was no reserved seats and was a super off peak train.
due to cancellations of other trains this train became very busy.
I got on the train and there was no seats available in the carriage or the ones either side.
a women was getting on with a child and 2 large suitcases and a backpack.
she was getting assistance but they left as soon she boarded. There was no room. We were all at this point hovering at end of carriage by the doors.
the child got emotional and cried that she couldn’t stand that long.
the train worker came past and the women had asked if it was possible to pay to go to first class and explained that Her DC was disabled. They said there wasn’t any way but
then told us all that carriage A had seats but we couldn’t walk through the train and so the first stop we could get off and walk down and get back on.
women explained that it might take them a while because her DC is not very fast. She did not specify what was wrong with her DC but she seemed to have some form of tube.
they told her as we were standing right there they would have time and not to worry they would not Leave with out them.
the DC then sat on the floor until the stop.
myself, sister and 2 other men got off to make our way to carriage A. We did not have luggage so got off faster, anyway after she got her luggage off the train, she ran behind us but fell behind because of DC.
eventually they joined us on the carriage but there was a commotion
1.the train worker had got stressed with DC on the platform and started shouting they needed to move faster as train was going to go without them. 2. no one assisted like the said they would. 3. Due to her being the last of the group who got back on from original carriage the 4 available seats were now taking by the other 4 of us.
she wants a refund and he was saying it wasn’t their fault nothing they can do so she was going to put a complaint in. By the this point the whole Carriage could hear what was Going on.
she stood by luggage area and Dc sat on floor.
was she unreasonable ?

Note from MNHQ: please read the OP's subsequent posts before responding. She's admitted this thread is a reverse (and apologised for it!) but would still like MNers' opinions.

OP posts:
LodiDodi · 19/08/2023 16:20

I'd bet any amount of money the people who charged ahead of the disabled child for the seats were middle aged+, middle class people. I've never encountered a more self-serving demographic on trains.

MangoMartini · 19/08/2023 16:20

What's the big deal with reverses? MN threads can get a bit mean sometimes so reverses put some distance in, no big deal.

Not necessarily sure a refund is due if seats aren't guaranteed / reserved but it's awful customer service and you deserve an apology at the minimum. Also shocked no-one else gave up their seat for you DC.

Sounds like a rough journey - hope you and DC are ok!

HarrietJet · 19/08/2023 16:22

Reverses are pointless, given we're all anonymous on here. Even more so when the op fesses up within 5 minutes 🤷🏻‍♀️

Vault687 · 19/08/2023 16:22

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

FutureThroughLensOfThePast · 19/08/2023 16:22

Form1ess · 19/08/2023 16:12

The train manager could've declassified the carriages so you could sit in First class. They often do this when trains are cancelled and people are standing (in my experience). You have my sympathies that's a horrible thing to happen to you and DC

In my experience, the earth has to explode before they'll declassify First Class!

OP, for future reference, have you looked at the Seat Frog app? Not all train operators use it and it wouldn't have helped in a cancelled train scenario, but it offers the chance of a cheap upgrade to First Class where there would be more room for your DC.

Galiana · 19/08/2023 16:22

Why did no-one help her? It would have been my immediate reaction. Did you just all hurry off and leave her?

rollonretirementfgs · 19/08/2023 16:22

So you didn't offer to help the lady with luggage and a disabled child, and you didn't offer your seat to a disabled child? You sound awful!

Chaoscreated · 19/08/2023 16:24

@MangoMartini that’s why I reversed and also why I’m not sure if I was being unreasonable.
we had paid for advance tickets specific train and reserved not a any permitted route.
i would never have got off the carriage if it had not been for him saying there would be assistance and that he accepted that DC was slow and that train wouldn’t go then basically moaned she was too Slow and that were going to go 🙈 it was all so very stressful and I think my emotions just got the better of me.

OP posts:
Galiana · 19/08/2023 16:24

That'll teach me for not RTFT.

mrsDracoMalfoy · 19/08/2023 16:24

Maybe YOU should of helped the lady and child. And YOU should off offered your seat. From what I read YOU and the other 3 passengers who ran ahead are BVU!!!

FutureThroughLensOfThePast · 19/08/2023 16:24

rollonretirementfgs · 19/08/2023 16:22

So you didn't offer to help the lady with luggage and a disabled child, and you didn't offer your seat to a disabled child? You sound awful!

'tis a reverse, folks

MagentaRocks · 19/08/2023 16:24

This is why reverses aren’t good, people read the OP and post based on that without reading the other responses

Chaoscreated · 19/08/2023 16:25

Anyway we are just waiting for our pick up now for the last part of the journey hopefully the holiday does more smoothly 🤣🤣🙈

OP posts:
Galiana · 19/08/2023 16:25

You will now get a million replies telling you that you are an absolute arse @Chaoscreated!

SlightlygrumpyBettyswaitress · 19/08/2023 16:26

Hoping it's a reverse

Galiana · 19/08/2023 16:26

Not because you are, but because people will just jump to the end and not realise it was a reverse.

As I did.

Chaoscreated · 19/08/2023 16:26

@Galiana its ok I am 🤣🙈 I just lost it
I was hot/ bothered / flustered and just wanted to give up and go home !

OP posts:
Galiana · 19/08/2023 16:27

It is indeed @SlightlygrumpyBettyswaitress!

Clarabell77 · 19/08/2023 16:27

So not one person helped them with luggage or gave up their seat for a disabled child? Both train staff and you plus the other passengers were ignorant as hell to be honest.

LodiDodi · 19/08/2023 16:27

Try to put it behind you and have a nice holiday

Andthereyougo · 19/08/2023 16:28

So no one helped you with a child, buggy, luggage and moaned you weren’t fast enough? Bloody disgusting.
I despair of Britain, I’m sure not everyone’s a selfish arsehole but there are an awful lot of them where it’s me, me, me.
Yes the staff should have helped you.
Yes other passengers should have offered help, seats, moved to another carriage.

Galiana · 19/08/2023 16:28

Glad you're feeling a bit better now @Chaoscreated!

FWIW I would have helped you, I always help on trains. Hope you have a great holiday.

NotaCFDclue · 19/08/2023 16:28

I’m so sorry no one helped you. That’s so ignorant of the other passengers.

Growingouttogether · 19/08/2023 16:29

Well this ruined your faith in humanity. I’m so sorry that not a single decent human being helped your or offered their seat to your child OP. Enjoy your holiday though.

DinnaeFashYersel · 19/08/2023 16:30

Why did none of you help?

Why did you all sit down and none of you offer the disabled child a seat?

Sounds like all the other passengers were selfish entitled and lacking in basic manners.

Other passengers were unreasonable