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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

242 replies

SundayCherry · 02/10/2023 10:28

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?

OP posts:
Glasgowgal200 · 02/10/2023 18:54

Spray some perfume/deodorant round about her

piginapot · 02/10/2023 18:54

CherryMaDeara · 02/10/2023 13:07

Could you call British transport police? They might be able to get staff to come to you.

Call 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016* *for non-emergency enquiries.

I've seen some bizarre ideas on MN but calling the police for cheesy feet is up there.

CherryMaDeara · 02/10/2023 19:11

piginapot · 02/10/2023 18:54

I've seen some bizarre ideas on MN but calling the police for cheesy feet is up there.

Show quote history

The TRANSPORT police. Who police transport for anti social behaviour.

Not your local bobby.

oakleaffy · 02/10/2023 19:36

Gross woman...Poor you, @SundayCherry /I read your post while eating and almost honked.

I hope you are now safely at your destination, away from stinking unhygienic people.

oakleaffy · 02/10/2023 19:41

abigailsnan · 02/10/2023 10:36

Yes call the guard get he/she to get it sorted ask him to put her in the mail carriage 😷

Mail carriage...Oh I used to love the old goods carriage years ago- would always travel in there if possible - there used to be a little seat and a table, and it was great for my bike-
I did it as the passenger carriages were always rammed with coughing/spluttering sneezing people.

Papergirl1968 · 02/10/2023 20:05

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 02/10/2023 16:50

I had covid nearly 3 years ago and it still hasn´t come back. I get whiffs of certain scents (e.g. citrus) but that´s mostly it.

I do agree about it being useful when it comes to emptying the compost or doing other kinds of smelly tasks. But I am still really saddened by it occasionally. I wish I had it back. So many lovely smells I want to smell. (and my sense of taste isn´t 100% either).

Not the point of the thread but your comment made me chuckle a little, seeing as this was exactly what I told DP a few weeks ago!😂

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It's a small price to pay, @PumpkinsAndCoconuts but I admit I occasionally miss nice smells like shower gel, baking, or flowers in the garden.
But I'll stop derailing (excuse the pun!) the thread now. 😂

ColleenDonaghy · 02/10/2023 20:08

I know this is old news now, but please don't go spraying perfume or deodorant in a train carriage for any reason. I ended up in a bad way once with my asthma from someone doing that, and even when well it makes me feel uncomfortable and tight. Lots of people are the same.

DriftingDora · 02/10/2023 20:14

OwlBeGone · 02/10/2023 13:31

"Hello, police? I'd like to report criminally cheesy feet."

Yes, very sensible suggestion.

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😂😂 Yeah, they'll give it high priority....in 2048.

PoliticallyIncorrectHitchling · 02/10/2023 21:30

Can you kick them far away as she is sleeping?

Dinobot · 02/10/2023 21:30

I think some of these messages are poorly masked racism. There's a bullying, threatening tone. Speaking English does not equate to moral superiority. It's really heartbreaking and shameful the way she's being described.

RiderofRohan · 02/10/2023 21:33

I once had it out with a rather vile woman on the underground who proceeded to cut her nails on the tube. Clip, clip, clip she went. People are shocking.

CustardySergeant · 02/10/2023 21:35

PoliticallyIncorrectHitchling · 02/10/2023 21:30

Can you kick them far away as she is sleeping?

This thread was started at 10.28 this morning. I'm sure the journey is over by now.

BlurredEdges · 02/10/2023 21:40

Dinobot · 02/10/2023 21:30

I think some of these messages are poorly masked racism. There's a bullying, threatening tone. Speaking English does not equate to moral superiority. It's really heartbreaking and shameful the way she's being described.

Thank you. Yes. The racism in this thread has been clear throughout, it's grim and horrible.

Baffy11 · 02/10/2023 21:50

.

oakleaffy · 02/10/2023 21:59

BlurredEdges · 02/10/2023 21:40

Thank you. Yes. The racism in this thread has been clear throughout, it's grim and horrible.

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No race has non smelling feet- all humans will reek if they don't practice good hygiene and look after themselves.

Feet shouldn't smell, especially not so much as to impact onto other people.

Emotionalsupportviper · 02/10/2023 22:18

saltinesandcoffeecups · 02/10/2023 17:57

And I think this where being an American comes in handy. At some point after being polite with no results there would a a blunt “Lady your feet smell like rotten cheese please for the love of god put your shoes on and book a doctors appointment. That smell can’t be healthy”.

I'm not American but I am an intolerant Ole Trout.

I am going to adapt this excellent advice for general use.

JudgeJ · 02/10/2023 22:19

Dinobot · 02/10/2023 21:30

I think some of these messages are poorly masked racism. There's a bullying, threatening tone. Speaking English does not equate to moral superiority. It's really heartbreaking and shameful the way she's being described.

Rubbish, it's no more racist than the person who speaks pretty good English as a second language but will conveniently forget it all when it's advantageous.

Emotionalsupportviper · 02/10/2023 22:22

BlurredEdges · 02/10/2023 21:40

Thank you. Yes. The racism in this thread has been clear throughout, it's grim and horrible.

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Is it hell racism!

The only reason the other passenger's foreignness was mentioned was because she used it as an excuse not to put her shoes back on.

We'd all have been equally disgusted with someone British-born-and-bred who had been equally anti-social.

Emotionalsupportviper · 02/10/2023 22:23

Dinobot · 02/10/2023 21:30

I think some of these messages are poorly masked racism. There's a bullying, threatening tone. Speaking English does not equate to moral superiority. It's really heartbreaking and shameful the way she's being described.

"The way she's being described"?

As someone with stinking feet who doesn't have the good manners to keep her shoes on?

oakleaffy · 02/10/2023 22:36

Papergirl1968 · 02/10/2023 16:45

There are times I thank God, the universe or whoever for giving me a brain tumour that wiped out my sense of smell completely. Picking up dog poo, cleaning out the cat litter tray, dirty nappies and situations like this are now no problem 😂
(Said tumour has been mostly removed and was benign, by the way. Now I'm recovered I can start to see losing my sense of smell has unexpected benefits)

A few heatwaves ago, there was a malodorous reek that came from a blocked drain.
They had Road~men to dig up the sewer and the smell was sulphurously eggy...I asked the men how they could bear it, and one said ''I have polyps up my nose..I can't smell anything''.
A friend had a head injury after a riding accident {Despite proper helmet} and has lost her sense of smell, too.

saltinesandcoffeecups · 02/10/2023 22:45

Emotionalsupportviper · 02/10/2023 22:18

I'm not American but I am an intolerant Ole Trout.

I am going to adapt this excellent advice for general use.

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Only if I can shamelessly steal “intolerant Ole Trout”

Ariela · 02/10/2023 23:34

Dinobot · 02/10/2023 21:30

I think some of these messages are poorly masked racism. There's a bullying, threatening tone. Speaking English does not equate to moral superiority. It's really heartbreaking and shameful the way she's being described.

We don't actually know if Smelly Feet lady is British with an excellent command of English - or not. She could just be pretending English is not her first language because she doesn't want to put her shoes back on.

user1492757084 · 03/10/2023 03:57

Ask the buffet counter for a plastic bag. Put the shoes in the bag. Spray the feet with perfume.

foxlily · 03/10/2023 04:17

I moved from a smelly person on the train, and had to stand but I no longer felt sick which was a bonus. It was unbearable. They were sitting in the seats in front of me.

Emotionalsupportviper · 03/10/2023 06:11

saltinesandcoffeecups · 02/10/2023 22:45

Only if I can shamelessly steal “intolerant Ole Trout”

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Fair exchange is no robbery. 😁

Take it with my blessing.