Why do solo train users take a table for 4?

[Badbadbunny]

Why do solo train users take a table for 4 and then huff and puff when a couple or family join them? Just on a train with lots of empty twosome seats but only one table for 4 free and a single woman takes it, and made a big fuss about moving her bags off the seat and clearing the rest of the table after she put loads of stuff on it when a family of 4 came on with one of them having to sit elsewhere.

If there is space at a table I’ll sit there. Should people travelling alone sit in the less pleasant seats with a drop tray then?
Of course anyone is welcome to also sit at the table I’m at - I don’t expect to have the whole space to myself- but not will I be disadvantaged because I’m travelling alone.
A family travelling does not deserve the table more than I do. If I get there first, I get a seat.

Much the same as previous posters, I usually like a table seat so I can work on my laptop. I don’t mind at all if other people sit at the table…BUT I really don’t like the way some people behave. I don’t ’huff and puff’ but I imagine that some people might notice that I’m uncomfortable with some of these things:

• child slopping food and drink all over the table and splashing my laptop
• noisy chatterers who wave their arms around while talking and keep bashing my laptop screen
• child obviously wearing a very smelly nappy
• someone who sits down and plonks several cans of lager on the table, then proceeds to drink them, burp loudly and become increasingly drunk (or someone who is already drunk)
• someone who spends much of the journey talking loudly on the phone or playing music/ videos out loud
• someone who gets on carrying a takeaway bag of something smelly
• someone who sits opposite and the stretches out their legs and keeps kicking me

I prefer an airline seat, more privacy, less chance of someone talking to me.

Can you please explain how one person has "taken" a table for 4?

I like the space, I like the room to spread my stuff out and eat on a table. Feel free to sit opposite me but I have just as much a right to be there as you do.

As someone who is only 5’3” I find a table seat gives me less room because the person opposite usually has longer legs and if it’s a man he will invariably stretch out into my space. 99% of the time I travel with my children and the I'm
so important businessmen take up half the table. I prefer an airline seating travelling with just one child or by myself as more likely to not have to tolerate anyone eating or sniffing or being in my eyeline. We are an ND family though and struggle a lot on trains with people making noises.

I want to know why someone would choose to sit next to me on the train when there are loads of unoccupied pairs of seats. And then look offended when I get up and move. Wtf is the matter with people?

Tables are first come first served. It's much more comfortable to have a proper table in front of you than a little fold-dosn tray so she's perfectly entitled to sit there - but only to occupy one of the 4 seats and must be willing to share with 3 other randoms without complaint.

As a woman travelling alone I've had a couple of unpleasant experiences in the pairs of seats where I've had men making creepy comments and encroaching on my space in an intimidating way. If you sit at a table there's usually a table opposite too, so that's seven people who can see what is going on and it's not enclosed like the airplane seats. Basically, less likely to get harrassed at a table.

I've never huffed and puffed if someone else has come along and also wants to sit at the table and I don't put my bag on the seats either.
But if the family wants to be sure they have seats together they should reserve seats. Exactly the same as on planes where some families don't want to pay to book seats together and then expect people to move to accommodate them.

I commute 2 hours each way and much prefer working at a table, as do most of my fellow commuters. I have never seen anyone huff and puff when other people sit down - but have seen people be irritated with noisy passengers taking calls on speaker or listening to stuff without headphones

Do trains do tables for one or 2?

Maybe they want or need a table.

If others want the table they have every right to sit next to or across from the one person already at the table.

Because not all of us got the memo about single people being second class citizens who can only be tolerated in the margins of any public space.

Eh? How can you not work this out? I’m sure everyone who’s posted above he has worked out that they want a table. Why on earth would you think that a single person should get the more squashed seats with no table?!

This exactly

Perfectly reasonable to sit at a table. It's a train, not a cafe. Seats are individual and the table seats are for anyone who wants one. If you reserve a seat, a table seat is often allocated whether you ask for one or not (unless you specify otherwise). They're not just for groups.

She shouldn't be rude about being joined by other people, but equally some groups really do make a colossal song and dance about getting seated and completely monopolise any space they're in.

Worth bearing in mind that if the family of four wanted to sit together, they probably should have tried to book seats, as you can specify table seats as a preference when you book a ticket.

I sit a a table for four every night. It’s comfier and at the second stop almost the whole carriage clears out and I usually get the table all to myself.
I don’t ever make a fuss though if anyone joins me which they always do on a commuter day

As a sometimes solo train user I will sit at the table if I bloody well want. I am not talking up the whole table only one seat. It is also easier so work at the table. Why do families come on trains and think people should move so they can get the table seats? Why do you think you and your kids should get priority over others?

because i can sit where ever i like and need the leg room.
No fuss if other people join and bag stowed.

Sometimes that is the seat allocated if i reserved. Why can a family sit in 2 x 2 seaters no great hardship either

The best seats are the little two tables, or even better the single seat table - but they’re almost always taken.

I sit at a table because I like to sit at the table. I think everyone prefers it. If I’m out with DH or two of the kids and we see a table seat with one person sat there, we’re going to join them. Huff and puff all you want pal. Table seats are just the best seats. Half the time people don’t mind and sometimes they’re even up for a chat (which I really like).

Fine if you are happy to a family to join. When I used to travel with 2 small kids, we would beeline for a table with one occupant as then we could sit together rather than split across 2 seats. I can't see how that is better for the solo traveller, we weren't awful but we did chat and eat (and play Uno), but it's a risk they take.

For me travelling alone, I'd never sit at a table. Trains are so full, I would certainly end up surrounded, so I would rather be tucked away at the window of a two person seat.

Your title should be “why do some people huff and puff when someone sits next to them on a train”
Anyone can sit at a table.

I hate a table for four. Much prefer an aisle seat in a row of 2.
Had to sit at a table the other week and a guy came on and sat opposite with a very large cup of liquid and proceeded to take the lid off and set it on the table as it was too hot to drink.
Everytime the train lurched on a bend I thought I was going to get covered.
Fortunately 10 minutes later he had to move as the seat was reserved.

I know! Your post made me immediately laugh. Why do they? I think it is herd mentality in reverse. Or maybe they are really social people who want to sit in a group of total strangers.

Because I’m usually travelling for work and need to work on my laptop.

It’s absolutely fine if you want to sit there but I’m not moving to facilitate a group all sitting together. I would move for a solo parent with multiple children if possible.

If I’m travelling solo I’d never choose an empty table for four. I don’t want to potentially share a table with three strangers, especially as you end up not knowing where to look. I’d choose a normal seat any time.