To get irrationally angry at train behaviour

[MisanthropeLikely]

I'm not an angry person, but I'm thinking I might be becoming a Victor Meldrew when travelling. Particularly by train. Particularly long distance. Specific behaviour that enrages me:

1. People that have loud phone conversations or video calls on trains

1. People on long train journeys with limited space in the luggage rack who selfishly put their small bags on it rather than in the overhead, meaning people with larger cases have no space to put it

1. People who spend ages farting around standing in the aisle during boarding so no one can pass.

1. People who act like it's the Olympic 100m in their rush to get off

1. Men who manspread into the aisle

1. People who sit on your reserved seat and then refuse to move.

1. Lone travellers who take up 4 seater sections, preventing people in groups from sitting together

1. People who ostentatiously poo on trains. I mean, I get you sometimes have to go but some of the things people do are disgusting

1. Listening to music or watching videos with no headphones

10. Train stations that are massive but wait until 10 minutes before the train to tell you your platform so you need to have a stress race to make it with your bags.

11. People who wont move their bags off seats on an obviously full train.

I get irrationally angry about this stuff. My worst ever experiences were:

I was on a train once and this man had vrazely taken our reserved seats despite them being marked reserved and other empty seats. He'd set himself up some kind of fucking buffet on our table with a cloth and everything, then when I politely asked him to move, he told me to go and sit somewhere else because I was disturbing his meal.

Another time I was boarding a eurostar in an intense heatwave after a huge delay. It was roasting, I'd been standing at the gate for two solid hours in menopause sweats with a load of heavy bags. They started boarding. It's about 29 steps down to the platform, and a ramp os provided for people with luggage. The attendant was at the top of the ramp telling everyone who did not have luggage to take the stairs.

Anyway, there I am struggling to keep ny heavy suitcase from rolling right down the ramp and taking me with it, and some woman with no luggage at all aside from her small handbag decided to walk down the luggage ramp and overtake everyone on the inside. As there was no space, she moved her legs into my suitcase and then shouted at me "YOUR SUITCASE IS ON MY LEGS, WHY DONT YOU WATCH WHERE YIUR GOING"

I flushed bright red and said "I'm going downhill with a heavy bag I can barely control, multiple other bags and you walked into me trying to overtske", she turned and sniggered at me. A real deep, patronising snigger.

I still hold a grudge a year later.

Does anyone else experience these feelings or is it just me? I am petrified of flying so travel extensively by rail and I am at a point where I don't enjoy travelling because I feel so irrationally cross at inconsiderate and rude people.

Anyone else?

Not being an arse but if you cannot control the bag, you are carrying.Don't take one that big. It doesn't matter what the other passenger said she admitted she was struggling to control it.

When someone’s blocking the aisle behind them on a busy train while they faff, preventing others from getting to their seats and even getting onto their carriage at all, it’s not for the poor buggers left stuck behind them to learn patience, it’s for the aisle blocker to be aware of others and learn some consideration. And yes, nine times out of ten “excuse me” doesn’t work, they never seem to hear you or they just ignore you because they think their need to get themselves comfortable as slowly as possible overrides everyone else’s need to get to their bloody seat! Just sit down then sort out your coffee, coat, bags, etc once everyone else has been able to board!

Only because she was on a ramp. Most suitcases are a bit harder to control on a ramp. The other commuter barged into the suitcase then blamed the poster.

A larger suitcase is unavoidable if you are staying away for a longer time. You didn't answer my question. What would you take for a 2 week trip?

If they're making enough noise for people to move that's antisocial.

Maybe you should have some consideration for the person who may be moving slowly due to a hidden disability. I speak from experience! I always move aside to let people pass me though.

That poster is probably one of those who blocks the aisles on trains hence why they seem to be so sympathetic with aisle blocker and thinks everyone else should have some patience while we wait for said aisle blocker to fuck about blocking everyone else

Oh we do! But when they’re just fucking about and not having consideration for others who they are blocking then they can fuck right off! I’m starting to think you are one of these infamous aisle blockers on trains hence why you seem so sympathetic towards them!

I’m starting to think you’re one of those people with no patience!

Oh wow what a constructive argument to put across to defend selfish, self centred fuck wits! Yeah everyone else should have more patience and tolerate these morons! Ok 👌 🤣

Great. Now I’m having imaginary conversations with the annoying people

Well, toilets are there for people to poo in. I doubt anyone is making a huge performance out of it in there. Must be pretty embarrassing to need the loo on a busy train when there are several people hanging around outside the cubicle.

And the table seats are for 4 travellers, not necessarily 4 people who know each other. If my reserved seat is on a table, then I wont budge. If you are a group that wants to sit together, then you should have booked seats.

I sit on the aisle seat because I want the outside seat. In the winter I don't want to be next to the window because the heater blows out hot air and it gives me a headache. And I don't want someone with a dog sitting next to me. Or someone who will take ages to get off at the station and hold me up. And some women don't want a manspreader next to them.

I don't care if people don't like having to ask me if they can sit down. Open your mouth and ask.

I want the outside seat. I got there first so I get to choose. That is all.

One thing I wish people would do is take their rucksacks off their backs and carry them in front of them so they don't whack everyone's shoulders as they walk by.

And before anyone says it, it would of course not be an issue (for me) if I sat in the window seat :)

Also have you ever thought that the people waiting for these selfish pricks who block aisles may also have disabilities and aren’t able to stand for too long but are kept waiting and standing by selfish pricks who block aisles on trains to fuck about with their luggage! Or does playing the disability card only work when it suits your narrative?

Yes I’ve also been whacked in the face before by people’s rucksacks while they keep turning around to talk to their mates and then turn back the other way to talk to their other mate and WHACK straight in my face! Surely they should know that if they have a massive backpack on their back and keep moving it about from side to side it has the potential to really hurt somebody. By all means keep it on your back if it’s easier to carry like that while you’re on the platform but take the damn thing off your back and carry it before you get on the train or you’ll end up knocking somebody out!

....selfish pricks who block aisles on trains to fuck about with their luggage!

Like putting in the overhead racks, as pp said they should?

Can't win.

That’s fair enough, nothing wrong with that, I was thinking of those could move to let people pass or just wait until everyone has boarded to sort themselves out, but just don’t care / have absolutely no awareness of others at all.

I don’t agree, it’s not a space designed specifically for groups surely it’s a space designed for those who need a table….. that could be groups or solo travellers.

I only ever use train travel for work trips. I invariably need to work on my laptop as travel is often during my working day, so I need a table seat.

If groups want a space together they should pre-book the seats.

But how would you know? It's getting a bit ridiculous now with posters saying those who are slow due to disability might be being inconsiderate to those behind them who ALSO have disabilities. Existing in a public space means accepting that your own personal preference and ideal scenario is unlikely to be achieved. Of course there are many selfish inconsiderate arseholes out there too but most people are just trying to get on with their data d sometimes that involves getting in other people's way. It is allowed.

The last time I went on the train in the UK was 6 years ago. Had booked seats for me, my mum and dd, and I had ds in a baby carrier. Very crowded train and people were sat in our booked seats and wouldn't move.

Its so stupid that they sell more tickets than there are seats for anything longer than a local commuter train - don't do that in my country, you buy a ticket and you get a seat, which you can pick from the seat map if you buy online or on the app. And there's little phone call cabins between some carriages where people can go to make their noisy phone calls in peace. And people that need to work on the train can book seats in the working carriages, where there's individual swivel seats against a long table going up the carriage so can use your laptop while looking out the window at the view. And a bookable conference room for meetings.

I completely disagree if you are talking about table seats. These aren’t designed for groups but for people who specifically want a table! This can be for many reasons. As a solo traveller I always book one to put the study materials I am using on as I can’t do this in a single seat. I travelled for years with young kids and booked table seats well in advance if they were available but never felt I was ENTITLED to them

I have to say, I’ve been surprised with the rather forceful attitude here that solo travellers shouldn’t sit at tables. I normally book an airline seat when travelling alone if I can, but that’s because I don’t want to potentially battle 3 pairs of legs, not because I feel I don’t deserve to sit at a table.

Agree on most of these...but I love sitting at a table for 4 as I find it claustrophobic squashing into a 2 seater. And I have paid for my ticket, same as everyone else. I don't expect to have it to myself.

But I would also move to allow a family to sit together if they haven't booked seats together already.

I hate when you're at a table though and someone massively encroaches on your half of the table.

And I also ask the bag sitters to move on a regular basis as that pees me off.

If they won't move the bag after a polite request, then either sit on it or toss it down the aisle. If the bag thinks it's entitled to sit down, then the bag can pay for a damn seat.

Same goes for the buffet binger, his tablecloth is getting whipped out from under him like a magic trick.

Some English people are just too passive. In my/my parents' country these men and women would catch 50 pairs of hands for trifling and disrepecting other passengers. There is a base level of public decorum, and people abide by it. That's how I was raised too, and that's the energy I bring. Public space invaders know not to try me because it's on if they wanna trifle.

You need to stand up for yourselves. These chancers will bring themselves into line real quick when that dusty purse or luggage gets placed on the floor where it belongs.

When the trains were all messed up after a storm and there were lots of cancellations, my granddaughter, 10/11 at the time managed to get on one that came in randomly. As it pulled out of the station, oddly at exactly the time her ticket said, my daughter phoned in panic, she'd seen the train was cancelled so I reassured her things were ok. I then got a text saying that as the train we'd booked was cancelled I would get a refund, no applying at all.