To tell you about my awkward train encounter 5 mins ago?

[SundayCherry]

On a very long train up to Scotland. 4 hour journey, I’m 40 mins in and all seats are taken- everyone in their ticketed seat. I’m sat there with my book and a coffee when the lady sat next to me took off her shoes (bare feet). Well I feel mean but the smell is horrendous. A real sweaty cheesy feet smell that’s so strong. I dealt with it for about half an hour but it’s so difficult and distracting.

So I decided to buck up the courage (im not very confrontational) and ask the lady if she would kindly mind putting her shoes back on and as she speaks another language she basically said she couldn’t understand me despite me pointing at the shoes- she now has her eyes shut trying to sleep (shoes still off and against the seat of the chair in front)

I really can’t bear to put up with the smell for another 3 hours but there’s no seats to move to! There’s also lots of stops and I want to get comfy and not have to move seat about ten times when people come from other stops.

What should I do?

Spray them with perfume.

I wouldn't let her sleep.

Prod her awake and point at her feet and shoes aggressively.

Or let her sleep and then pick her shoes up (carefully) and take them for a walk on the train and hide.

Or wait by the train doors and chuck them out as the doors open:

She might think twice about taking footwear off in public again after she's had to walk home in bare feet:

STOMP ON HER FOOT

Well I think the journey is almost over so the op has had a great distraction during her ordeal (posting on mumsnet) so if this story is true I will give one last suggestion, if the evil offender is still asleep then steal her shoes and bugger off the train as soon as it docks. Job done.

This is exactly what I would have suggested had I been four hours earlier on the thread.

See how "fast asleep" she was when you picked up her minging shoes between finger and thumb and slung them onto the embankment.

Dirty mare! She knew fine well what you meant. (Holding one's nose and pointing from feet to shoes and back again is a universal language - I'd bet my life on it.)

🤷🏻‍♀️

The BTP specifically asks people to report anti social behaviour, in whatever form it takes.

I think the best solution would have been to pick the shoes up and put them in the nearest bin.

Drastic enough to get the message across, not so drastic that you get reported to the police for throwing someone's shoes onto the platform just before the doors close at Birmingham New Street.

I would have pointed to her feet and made an exaggerated 'URGGGGGGHHH' type noise and wafted my hand Infront of my face ... then pointed to her shoes and and back to her feet until she got the message.

Agree if you can tell the staff start making sick noises next to her

Whip out your hand santizer and squirt it all iver her feet or spray loadsa deodorant or perfume at her.

If she is pretending to be asleep take the shows go to the loo put them out the window and then return to your seat and also pretend to be asleep and deny all knowledge when she wakes up.

In the course of going to get the cup of water I hope noone would accidentally stand on her bare feet, trains can be so rocky.

Has nobody near got a dog that could shit in her shoes? Go look!!

The violent fantasies everyone is posting on this thread are really unpleasant.

I would say causing others to feel sick simply by refusing to put back on your shoes when you’re asked is also a form of violence.

Sounds like that scene from Planes, Trains and Automobiles, where John Candy took his shoes off on the plane.
Shame your not carrying any spray deodorant, or perfume.
I am very sensitive to smells, so this would be a nightmare for me, l would ask to be moved.

Oh no! Poor you
I think it calls for obvious gestures now
Tap of her shoulder, point at her feet, then point harder at shoes then pinch your nose
I hope this works
She obviously doesn't worry about offending you

I travelled up to Glasgow yesterday from Brum, and the bloke sitting behind me was talking quite animatedly to the person beside him and kept thumping the tray attached to the back of my seat while he spoke, and the whole seat was shaking. I just plucked up the courage to ask him to stop, then he got off at Wolverhampton. I really hope cheesy feet woman isn't sitting next to me on the journey back 🤢

True but the possibility of smelling Chanel no 5 with undertones of cheesy feet could put you off for life 😂

"The violent fantasies everyone is posting on this thread are really unpleasant."

Yes and the reality is that the OP has only meekly said "would you kindly mind putting your shoes on". She didn't even tell the woman why she wanted her to 🤷🏽‍♀️.

Nobody else appears to have complained either and the OP managed 4 hours sitting next to her despite other seats being available. It can't have been as bad as she made out then can it? Yet people here are suggesting throwing boiling hot tea at her, stamping on her, aggressively poking her, vomiting on her, spraying her, hiding her belongings and throwing her shoes from the train.

😂😂😂😂😂

Ew that's really grim. I would probably get up and have a wander up and down just to see if there's definitely no free seats.

I got nice a comfy on a train once and then a really sweaty bloke came and sat next to me so I had to move.

Go sit in first class. I did on way back to Leeds. For free. You deserve it and owe it to yourself.

OP must have an ultra strong sense of smell if nobody else has said anything .

BTW , how did the woman manage to put her feet on the seat opposite, if the train's full .

How can she not smell it herself 🤮

@BlurredEdges clutch those pearls any tighter, and you'll squash them... 🙄