Children having their own seat on a packed train.

[user1493559472]

I am on a packed train. A child who is about 3 years old is sat in their own seat and not on the parents lap, would you ask to sit down and the child sits on parents lap? People were standing.
Thank you

A child of three is much less safe standing than a fit adult who can reach holds, and not so easily tired. An adult is also much less likely have have someone fall on top of them, A nonogenarian with advanced osteoporosis is clearly more vulnerable than both.

No

Because the child got to the seat first! That's how finding a seat on a train works, unless you've reserved a particular seat.

Oh! Having re-read the OP, I am changing my answer.

The question was "would I ask a 3 year old to sit on an adult's lap."

My answer was to the imagined question "should a 3 year old sit on an adult's lap."

I wouldn't ask, but I would get a 3 year old I was travelling with to sit on my lap, yes.

I wouldn’t have let my 3 year old sit on their own seat on a packed train or bus. In fact, DS is now 9 and if we are on busy public transport he either stands or sits on my knee.

I don’t know if I would ask someone else to move their child though

I always booked (and paid for) seats for my DC when they were under 5. Far more civilized. It often worked out cheaper overall because I could use friends&family discount on my own (adult) seat. If you really want a seat, you organise yourself and book one in advance.

How do you know he was 3 years old? Also some 3 year olds are heavy.

No why does your request and want of a seat trump theirs....

If you want a guaranteed seat you either use a line which let's you reserve a seat or drive a car. A ticket is not a reserved seat as usually stated on your ticket.

On the tube children travel free up to the age of 10. I don’t think it’s expected to sit a 10yr old on your lap.

Although other posts on this thread have made it clear that I am right in thinking that particular thing!

I've been kicked out of a seat on a train because someone had reserved it for their dog.

I think children should sit on laps.

does that include my 16 year old?

OP isn't denying child a seat, though, is she? She's simply suggesting they could sit on their parent's lap, which is hardly going to be a dreadful hardship to a small child.

This. It’s not like air travel. If anyone (adult or child) wants a guaranteed seat on a train they need to reserve one. Otherwise it’s first come first served. No way would I voluntarily have my 3 year old on my lap for a journey that could be several hours long for all you know. It would be hell on earth.

I've just looked it up and a child travelling for free as an under 5 can only occupy a seat "if it's not required by a fee-paying passenger". But you can also buy them a seat if you think they need one. Tbh with my son I would have as he would squirm constantly and it would always really hurt my legs! So it depends whether they have, but a tricky one to broach....

Because they haven't paid for the seat, most likely.

I would have always moved my child on to my lap when they were small-it’s part of the social contract and a considerate thing to do. It’s not that inconvenient to have a small child on your lap-in fact it’s a nice thing to do! I still give up my seat if there’s someone elderly and infirm.

It hardly a dreadful hardship to OP to stand.

There was a poxy dog in a pram on a cramped bus the other day. The actual people that had to move their folded wheelchair from the disabled space for our client to use had to have it cramped up in the front accesible seat with them. I'd have made the stupid girl with the dog in a pram fold it up. I'd say that's worse entitlement than a small child in a seat (that should have been paid for).

You can actually book and pay for a seat for a child under fare paying age. If you don't want them to stand or sit in your lap. Just pay for it. What I did.

It would be dreadful hardship for the parent though, unless it’s only a very short journey.

Again, OP isn't suggesting that they can't sit, they can just sit on a parent's lap. Of course the parent may have a reason why that isn't possible, which is fine; it doesn't mean OP would be wrong to inquire.

I hate this whole "your ticket is for the journey not a seat" nonsense. It's utter rubbish that train companies have made this the prevalent line of thought so they can charge extortionate prices and pack us all in like sardines. They shouldn't be allowed to charge full price if they can't guarantee you a seat. 'Standing tickets' should be thing and they should be heavily discounted.

I wouldn't ask a three year old to give up their seat as they could get bashed about on a busy service but I would silently hope their parent put them on their lap to make room for me. Definitely wouldn't ask the parent to do that though.

When I was a kid (10+), I was encouraged to offer my seat to adults and I do think this is the polite, right thing to do. I'm in my 30s but a car accident has given me all sorts of aches, pains and problems so standing for a long train journey would be very difficult for me, but nobody would know it to look at me. It's hard to know what people are going through but that works both ways; maybe the parent would struggle to have the child in their lap.

We all need to be moaning at the train companies for the ridiculous prices they charge for subpar services. It's no wonder we all get fed up on public transport. I learned to drive to avoid it but then got bashed up by a lunatic speeding!

So? Neither has anyone else.

It's a ticket to travel, not for a seat.

Well actually it could be. We're not allowed to store laptops at the office, so we have to cart them home daily. Been at work all day up at six am.Carrying a heavy laptop to and from the office, I would actually prefer a seat with this laptop. Before you say, put it in the luggage rack, it's a laptop.I can't.We've got strict guidelines for carrying them.

If you wouldn't mind moving little two year old johnny into your lap, that would be really helpful.