AIBU to ask who was right in this situation... Couple refused to move for a 'mum' and her 3 children on the train. (When the mum had reserved the seats.)

[FreshWinterMorning]

Just that really. Whose side are you on here?

I won't say much yet as I don't want to skew the poll results.

So pick YABU if you think the mum is in the wrong.

And pick YANBU if you think the couple is in the wrong.

Thank you for participating.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7602911/Furious-mother-three-slams-elderly-couple-refusing-seats-reserved.html?ito=social-facebook&fbclid=IwAR0C3fJhfMxidfTyOfm8wJ2C7v7st2ZgeCZi3aDr8YlabYhoaoMWM_lI_Ik

Ok so the story here may be nuanced but this happened to me. Elderly couple flat out refused to move out of me and DH's reserved seats, just ignored me no eye contact while I stood over them asking politely for them to get the conductor to relocate them. Train staff were nowhere to be seen for hours. Wouldn't have been such a big deal but DH had an injury at the time and could barely stand up or shuffle. He ended up having someone give him a seat. As I recall I stood/sat in aisle for the 3.5 hour journey. I was furious because i also looked like the a-hole for wanting them to move.

I bet she wouldn't dare do it now for fear of being called a Karen.

Don't be ridiculous. And Well done for adding more ageism, plus misogyny, to the thread 👏🏻

How do you know that?

They weren’t in the wrong. That doesn’t necessarily put them in the right, but they weren’t in the wrong. The couple did obey the rules - it was first come, first served.

The couple are in the wrong here. You don't sit in reserved seats. They had a massive sense of entitlement, something that often comes with snobbery.

A bit mad calling them out in the media, but if they go around acting like this, then I doubt they'll do it from now on.

Given the solution was first class and they didn't offer that to the elderly couple first class, I'd say reservation DID trump none reservation.

But taking photos with a view to shaking people online makes her worse imo

They did! They’d reserved the same seat numbers, that’s my understanding.

I mean she booked the seats so the people sitting in them should have moved

But she sounds so unbearable I... can't feel bad for her. I think she was loving it.

https://scoop.upworthy.com/proud-mom-shares-punny-drawings-13-year-old-son-used-to-come-out-to-her-532071-532071-532071

The mother/writer also shares her child's coming-out messages (claims the 13 year old wanted her to share them on Twitter 🙄) . So i imagine she could not believe her luck when this 'story' plopped itself right in her lap.

@WashItTomorrow

The seat reservations had been cancelled. That article is very selective and hasn’t mentioned the important facts.

As @Xmasblues asked - how do you know this ? What 'important facts' are you on about?

I have to say DH and I went to Paris by Eurostar not long after it had opened. It was our second trip, so we knew the ropes. We found our carriage and as we got to our seats, found a group of 4 older English types sitting at a table where we had 2 seats. They wouldn't have it. Tubby red faced bloke looked me up and down and said 'This is first class, you know' (It wasn't). I showed him our tickets. 'Look', I said, 'Train number, coach number, seat numbers'. They showed me theirs. They had the same numbered seats in a different numbered coach. They got up and stalked off without a word.

Why, what happens when you click on a daily mail link?

Deja vu here 😃

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3725092-Elderly-couple-on-train

Even if the seat reservations weren't working the fact she had reserved them takes precedence

I travel on trains almost daily and the train manager always says on his announcement if seat reservations aren't working that people should give up the seat to those they have reserved with their ticket

What’s the point of a reservation then? The older couple could have reserved seats if they felt they needed them.

She reserved the seats. They are hers. If the older couple needed to sit for mobility reasons and there weren't seats unreserved available then they should've spoken to a member of train staff, or at least asked the person who reserved the seats if they minded.

Your screen gets taken over by annoying adverts and pointless videos.

The old couple are a pair of vile, entitled bastards and I’m absolutely on the side of the person who had ACTUALLY BOOKED THE BLOODY SEATS instead of just assuming they’d be allowed to take someone else’s.

This story was everywhere four years ago when it actually happened, though. Including on Mumsnet, I think.

It’s disappointing for her but old age and potential disability always trumps parent with kids, even with a reservation

being older doesn't stop you from making a reservation, does it? I always reserve seats - I have a child with what would be termed an invisible disability. He also needs to sit. Why wouldn't he matter in this situation?

Something like this happened to me once. I was travelling with a friend and 4 children between us and we'd all booked seats together. An older, though I wouldn't say elderly, probably 60s, couple were sitting in the seats that should have been mine and my youngest child's. They refused to move and the train was packed so nowhere else for us to go. They insisted they had reserved the seats though refused to show me their tickets even though I showed them mine, and were very rude and aggressive. The train manager was nowhere to be found. So I had to squash into the seat behind them with two other children. It was a pretty tight squeeze so we swapped at regular intervals with my friend and her DD, but always made sure there were 4 people behind the annoying people so that the innocent people across the corridor weren't inconvenienced. Normally I'd go mad at my children for kicking the seat in front but on this occasion I let it go...
They got their just desserts when the train manager did eventually come round though. Turns out they did have those seats reserved... for the next day. They'd travelled on the wrong day and unfortunately for them had bargain tickets for only the specified train. The train manager offered us our reserved seats back but we weren't far from our destination then so I said it was ok. We got complimentary vouchers for the buffet car and the couple had to pay the full fair for the journey. 😂😂
I enjoyed the moral high ground, and my free cuppa I must admit. Wouldn't have taken photos or gone to the papers though.

I'd like to know more about the situation but the person absolutely not at fault here is the mum and kids....they did nothing wrong.

Train companies over booking
Not enough trains and carriages
Strikes
People sitting in reserved seats (and refusing to move)
People not giving up seats for older people who need them.

I could understand if they got on a packed train and those seats were free you sit there until someone asks you to move. Sometimes people don't turn up

But if the train was full someone closer exit in an accessible seat could have given up their seats for the OAPs

You generate ad revenue. Like you are doing right now for Mumsnet.

As my 80 year old mum had a life changing back injury, due to standing on public transport, I’m with the elderly couple. I think the woman with children took against them due to their accents too, so a reverse snobbery at play. Glad it ended well for all of them. The children looked old enough to stand safely tbh.

Also - can’t believe I clicked on a Daily Fail link FFS - never again 🙄

I'm on the mum's side and that's from someone 70 plus who travels with disabled husband who is even older. The elderly couple could easily have booked priority seats and if the train company can't identify any they will get a staff member to meet you and sort it for you. The voice of experience here.