Utterly odd exchange on the train

[notabletocope]

Loads of empty seats on the train carriage that I’ve got on.

So because there’s loads of room and I’m early I sit down at a table facing forwards.This woman comes up and says ‘I like to sit facing forward and at a table, do you mind if I sit next to you?’

I said yeah sure no probs.

So we are squashed like sardines whilst there’s loads of empty seats (without tables) all around us.
I got up and said actually I’ll just go over here nil probs and she was like ohhh are you sure?

Yes I’m sure lol because I don’t want to sit next to you squashed up for the next 3 hours whilst there are loads of seats!

How bizarre

Surely you’d just say to yourself ‘oh well the table seat is taken, I’ll sit somewhere else in the other 59 forward facing seats available’? Or AIBU?

I said yeah sure no probs- apparently this wasn't strictly true

Were they no other tables? Not one across the aisle?

I don't think it's all that weird tbh.

If she was a dude she’d definitely fail the urinal test.

I would have got up and left her to it. Don't think it's an 'utterly odd' exchange though. Her preference is a front facing/table seat and that was the only one available. If the train had filled you would have had someone sitting next to you.
Would have been more odd if she'd just plonked herself down without saying anything.

She wanted a table so I suppose it's not that weird. I would have moved as well though because I'm an unsociable grump 😆

It's jot unreasonable to want a table on a long journey. And some people are funny about having to face forward. I think I would have stayed or sat opposite going backwards. Invariably trains fill up. So it seems silly not to have the seat you want because you will be next to someone.

Maybe she prefers to know who she is sitting next to and you looked ‘safe’, rather than having a dodgy person sit next to her.

She knew you’d move. The sort of person who gets what they want under any circumstances. Ugh.

It is strange! Was the train going to get busy? I'd rather sit beside a 'safe' woman than have a random man sit beside me at this stage.

Yep, unless travelling backwards gives you travel sickness, you should have just moved to the other side.

She might feel safer sitting with another woman. Who knows.

I don't why we're all speculating on her reasons, it's in the OP! She likes sitting at a table facing forwards. Some people are very specific with their seat preferences/get travel sick.

I think it was nice of her to ask tbh. She didn't need to. It's a bit strange to be that attached to one type of seat, but aren't we all a bit strange?!

I would have moved too though. I prefer not to sit next to someone. That's my strange seat preference.

She probably knew you’d push on so it was just her way of getting a table to herself . I doubt she was hitting on you or anything.

I jumped on to agree with pp who mentioned cinema seats. Years ago when DP and I were childless and carefree 😂 we decided on an afternoon cinema treat. I think it was a weekday too so very quiet. Naturally someone came in and sat directly infront of us. Cue lots of angry tutting and muttering from DP. I think we moved a couple of seats along in the end but we did think it was odd that he would sit there when he had the whole room 🙄
YANBU

Why is it odd? She said she likes to sit at a table facing forward. There was a seat at a table facing forward beside you. She let you know in case you are one of those odd people who can't stand people sitting beside them. It would only have been odd if she had sat in your lap.

@wizzbitt The guy in the cinema probably just picked what he thought was the best seat. Some people don't have a problem with other people near them.

She explained her reasoning and don’t think it’s odd
if that was the only seat available for her preference.

I’d have moved too I think

My mother is an aging widow who lives alone. I see her seeking out the company/conversation with strangers more frequently. Perhaps this lady was lonely and grasped the opportunity of a conversation.

That would piss me right off. It's like when you park in an empty car park and come back and find someone's parked right next to you.
I think I'm more adverse than most people at having strangers sit next to me on public transport though. It find it really stressful and I hate being close to/touching anyone I don't know. And I get the absolute rage if they have audacity to start eating. My issue I know.
I've found table seats are just asking for people to sit next to you. The best ones to go for are aisle seats of a pair in the middle of the carriage that face backwards. You'll only get a 'companion' then if the train is completely full.

Perfectly possible to strike up a conversation while sitting across from someone at a table seat, facing backwards, or from across the aisle. In fact, people are going to be more likely to chat if they aren’t annoyed with someone who ignores 50 empty seats to crowd them.

It's very odd being squished next to a stranger in an otherwise empty carriage, table or no table.

I would have moved too. Even though I also like sitting at a table when on a train, too.

People do strange things, though.

Did you nab your table seat again?

If I was as sharp tongued as my relatives I’d have said actually I’d d like to sit alone stretch out as the carriage is so empty. But really I’d have ended up saying yes like you did and then moved.

Perfectly ok to chat to others and if she had sat opposite me I would have been absolutely fine with that. Or even if she'd asked to swap so that I was facing backwards. It's just my opinion that it's odd to sit right next to someone when you have loads of other choices

Oh god this. I park with masses of spaces around me in an almost empty car park., and you can almost depend upon it , that some blooming woman will pull in right next to me.

If I’m still in the car, I reverse out, and park somewhere else with lots of space in the car park. 😁😁

why do people do it? There is never enough space, and I don’t want my doors scratched and banged.

A creepy bloke on the platform or in another carriage could make it a good idea to appear as though you're travelling with somebody else.