Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU or is this mad behaviour on a train?

304 replies

capermum · 05/12/2023 20:38

So today I have a meeting the other side of the country today and I get an early train, guy in my seat when I arrive but shifts over for me (it’s a table of 4)
I’m window forward facing
he’s aisle forward facing

But THEN! The guy reaches down into a carrier bag on the floor and pulls out a large bowl which he places on top of his laptop, then reaches down again and retrieves a box of cornflakes that he tips into said massive bowl and then pulls out a big bottle of milk, pours it on the flakes and proceeds to munch away while watching iplayer though headphones like munch munch munch right in my effing ear, it’s not first class or anything so the seats are very close to each other.

I wouldn’t even sit next to my DH to eat cereal that close let alone a stranger!!!

After about 2 mins of this I interrupted his viewing and say “You have to let me out! I have to move while you eat, this is so antisocial and I can’t bear it”
“But I’m nearly finished” he says agog
“But I can’t bear to listen to another mouthful!”

So i do indeed leave while he finished and read my book further down the train where I can, in fact, still bloody hear him munch-munching away…

Then when it’s safe I return to my seat and get back to work

Oh yeah and when I’d arrived I get out my laptop and set it up to work, he reaches right across me an plugs into the socket that would have been closest to me, before I have a chance to, the passenger across from me notes this and offers me his socket with a knowing look, so is this further proof he’s a without doubt a total psycho?

I think in the end I made him as uncomfortable as he made me by calling him out, so I guess we are quits (for now)

It’s quite out of character for me to confront anyone ever, so tell me, is this totally antisocial or am I being over sensitive? and if I’m you think I’m being too soft then, please tell me what’s the worst outrageous antisocial behaviour you’ve witnessed on a train?

My colleague just told me she watched someone clipping their toenails once with those clippers that fling the nails every which way. So that’s probably worse

OP posts:
Dacadactyl · 05/12/2023 20:42

I mean it's odd behaviour from him for sure, but I'm not sure I'd have been bothered enough to move. I don't necessarily think it's antisocial either (I mean, would you have moved if he was eating a crossaint or porridge?)

However if someone clipped their nails next to me I'd definitely move.

Desecratedcoconut · 05/12/2023 20:42

I'm sorry, op, that all sounds awful but I just want to reach through your op and save his poor laptop from the inevitable spillage.

TicTacNicNak · 05/12/2023 20:43

I suffer from misophonia and can't stand the sound of people eating, especially crunching, so I wouldn't have been able to tolerate this either. Very rude of him to eat something so noisy in such close quarters to someone else.

CountryStore · 05/12/2023 20:43

I thought at first you were going to say he spilt milk all over you or something.
I don't think it's antisocial tbh. Maybe a bit annoying, though

Allfur · 05/12/2023 20:44

God he sounds annoying

Aaron95 · 05/12/2023 20:46

Seems like reasonable behaviour to me. Only unusual in that he brought his breakfast with him. If he bought it at the shop or if you were on a plane it wouldn't be odd would it?

Toomuchcawfee · 05/12/2023 20:49

I swear I’m not your colleague OP, but I once watched a man clip his toenails on an overground train. I also once watch a man brush his teeth, gargle with water and then swallow it. People are gross.

Original poster
capermum · 05/12/2023 20:50

I don’t know it was the size of the bowl and the fact he ate off his lap top and next to mine that made it all very awks

OP posts:
Peachtails · 05/12/2023 20:50

A little annoying maybe, but not anti-social.
The whole phone socket thing might have been childish stubbornness on his part after the cerealgate situation.

LadyMcLadyface · 05/12/2023 20:51

YANBU, he sounds like a total weirdo

MonsteraMama · 05/12/2023 20:55

I watched a woman plucking her chin hairs and then wiping each one on the back of the seat in front of her on a bus once.

Cereal on a train is a bit odd, I can't stand the sound of chewing so I'd probably have had to move as well.

Original poster
capermum · 05/12/2023 20:55

And no, not like eating a croissant or porridge in any way, it’s crunching in your neighbour’s ear with the constant fear of spillage on your lap top

OP posts:
Original poster
capermum · 05/12/2023 20:56

So private and yet so public

OP posts:
Prettypaisleyslippers · 05/12/2023 20:56

On most trains in the morning there are people drinking coffee, eating pastries etc, I sometimes buy a yoghurt with that cereal on, is that as bad?

IveOnlyEverHeardOutwithONHere · 05/12/2023 20:56

I’d probably find that more amusing than annoying, although I spend a lot of time on public transport having things crunched in my earhole. Sitting next to somebody eating a cheese and onion sandwich was pretty grim. I’ve inhaled many a stinky meal, been subjected to many a cruncher, lip smacker, open mouth chewer and pig at a trough eater, plus your usual perfume sprayers, shoe and sock removers and general stinky pbastards. Just today I told a bloke on the train not to stand next to me because he stank, and my God did he stink.

Original poster
capermum · 05/12/2023 20:59

They were a good brand of flake too so very crunchy

he had the whole box with him so I could tell

OP posts:
Original poster
capermum · 05/12/2023 21:00

So brave ! A true pioneer

OP posts:
Original poster
capermum · 05/12/2023 21:01

Sorry it’s my first thread so not sure if my replies are quoting the posters !

OP posts:
PangramAddict · 05/12/2023 21:01

I was once on a train with someone cutting their nails. I thought this was disgusting and outrageous and told my friends. One male friend thought that a woman putting in make up on public transport was FAR WORSE. I still don't understand why he thought this was disgusting but all goes to show that people have very varying standards of behaviour on public transport!

Wowzel · 05/12/2023 21:03

The bit where you came back after making a fuss about his cornflakes is where it got weird

Original poster
capermum · 05/12/2023 21:04

PangramAddict · 05/12/2023 21:01

I was once on a train with someone cutting their nails. I thought this was disgusting and outrageous and told my friends. One male friend thought that a woman putting in make up on public transport was FAR WORSE. I still don't understand why he thought this was disgusting but all goes to show that people have very varying standards of behaviour on public transport!

This is very surprising

toenails are so gross imagine if one landed in your cuppa?

a (male) friend also said the same thing about makeup I gues it’s because thy want to imagine women are always this perfect ? And applying poppy should therefore be done in secret

OP posts:
welcometothnuthouse · 05/12/2023 21:04

Why don't you look up what a psychopath is before you label random strangers OP? As a low level diagnosed psychopath I find your comment about his behaviour offensive.

AlisonDonut · 05/12/2023 21:04

I once sat in a window seat. A woman came and sat on the aisle. Took her boots off. Took her socks off. Lowered the table. Took half the shit out of her handbag onto the table. Took her jacket off and shoved it down the side between us. Got her phone, headphones and was listening to loud music. She just created an unholy mess.

90 mins later when I had to get off she just moved out of her seat leaving the table and all her shit out and I couldnt get past all her crap, so I had to stand on the seat to get out.

Fucking maniac. I never sat in a window seat again

rwalker · 05/12/2023 21:06

Plenty of people eat in the train I have
I think you’ll of come across as a bit arsey tbh

Original poster
capermum · 05/12/2023 21:06

AlisonDonut · 05/12/2023 21:04

I once sat in a window seat. A woman came and sat on the aisle. Took her boots off. Took her socks off. Lowered the table. Took half the shit out of her handbag onto the table. Took her jacket off and shoved it down the side between us. Got her phone, headphones and was listening to loud music. She just created an unholy mess.

90 mins later when I had to get off she just moved out of her seat leaving the table and all her shit out and I couldnt get past all her crap, so I had to stand on the seat to get out.

Fucking maniac. I never sat in a window seat again

lunatic I think I’m aisle from now on… forget the view I need a quick getaway

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread