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.

Are you sure that you weren't also huffing and puffing? I tend to go for a table window seat unless I'm very tired because I like the legroom. I do stretch my legs out when the opposite seat is free but will move them in advance if I can see the train getting busy. I have had people come on and make such a palava about sitting around me despite loads of empty pairs of seats that it's made me want to huff and puff!

I would move if a family with young children and needed it.

My bad. I misunderstood!

You don't book seats on normal trains , You were going on for a few stops . How ridiculous, here in London trains are like buses. You just hop on and hop off

I find I have far more upper leg room on the airline seats too? I’m 170cms tall. (5’7)

I find the fixed table seats really restrictive and you might have to share with 3 other people…looking at 2 of them!

I find I have far more space on the airline seats, more privacy and am far more likely to sit alone. I sit on the aisle seat and not many people ever ask to get past me to sit near the window.

I never bagsy the other seat with stuff either. I like to keep it clear.

I like to go to the seats at the rear so no one can sit behind me either.

I shouldn’t be giving all my top tips away. Don’t steal my perfect seat!

We always reserve seats when booking our train journey.

I kinda feel like you should have learned to drive before having kids. I like to have the space to work and use my laptop.

Where I can I book a table seat. Most of my work travel is a train and I have more room for laptop. They have a window guaranteed. Feels less enclosed.
I never huff and puff or spread to the seat next to me.

For me the issue is with the spreading and huffiness, not a solo traveller having any seat.

The issue here isn’t a single person taking a seat with a table- I do it myself, especially if I’m working. The issue is the rudeness and entitlement when other people sat down.

Nail on the head. Exactly what my post is all about.

It’s a free country.

The flip down tables are perfectly adequate for lap top use

They're not. They trays are too close to your body to type easily. My laptop is larger than the tray.

You can pull out the extender

Depends on which train you are on - some do not have extenders, some seats are very close together and upright.

There’s no extender on trains I use they are just a flip down. Work laptop is clunky and big.

I've never been on a train with an tray extender so must only be in some regions.

Because they have as much right to a table as you and your entitled crotch goblins

They certainly are not

I sit at a table as a single traveller because I commute regularly for work and I use the time to catch up on emails. I don't put my bag on the seats or take up more than quarter of the table though. I have no objections to other people sitting at the table, and if there is another suitable seat elsewhere I might move to let a family sit together but not if they're acting like they're entitled to a table!

Never seen an extender ever

I agree about the equal rights but that term and tone is really unpleasant.

Please define "made a big fuss".

Some long distance GWR trains have them.

Agreed. Even the ones that extend are not easy to use.

if I know I have laptop work to do I try to book a table seat, but the risk always is that a careless child (or adult, but IME it’s always been a child) will spill juice on or near my laptop. It’s happened several times, but luckily I’ve been able to whisk my computer out of the way.

Parents seem particularly casual about the behaviour of their DC on trains generally though. Hence probably the “huffing”. Family groups have a way of unpleasantly dominating the limited space - I can see why if they share the attitude of the OP. Apparently lone travellers should not be there or have any rights.

Ive jsut booked a solo train journey and on booking it asked questions like do you want to be near luggage rack,toilets .plus,table,direction facing. I answered as i preferred and it allocated me a specific seat number,its a table for 4.
I wouldnt dream of putting my bags on seats or if i did not moving them for other travellers.
I need to work so would prefer at table and prefer forward facing travel due to feelings of nausea when travelling backwards.
I would move for a family of 4 to sit together if i could sit somewhere that met my requirements though.