|
omgus
4,839 posts
44 months
|
mackay45 said: I have never noticed particularly odd behaviour from anyone I've been sat next to! By process of elimination I'm sorry to say that makes you one of the weirdos that everyone else is talking about. 
|
|
|
Chrisw666
20,791 posts
68 months
|
Essentially the problem with public transport appears to be the same as the majority of the problems on the road, i.e. everyone assumes they are superior to everyone else, everyone assumes the worst of those around them and everyone assumes the position of individual with the most important journey.
Have any of you miserable regular commuters ever wondered how great journeys would be if you chatted idly to your fellow travellers? Even the fat or smelly ones?
|
|
|
mackay45
291 posts
40 months
|
omgus said: mackay45 said: I have never noticed particularly odd behaviour from anyone I've been sat next to! By process of elimination I'm sorry to say that makes you one of the weirdos that everyone else is talking about. As soon as I hit submit, I knew that comment was coming! 
|
|
|
Podie
38,370 posts
144 months
|
Chrisw666 said: Have any of you miserable regular commuters ever wondered how great journeys would be if you chatted idly to your fellow travellers? Even the fat or smelly ones? Despite commuting into London, I go from what can barely be called a station. It's two platforms and a pile of bricks. There is a group of regulars - not only do we talk, but we actually socialise outside of commuting. Drinks at the pub, meals out, and a BBQ in the summer.
|
|
|
Chrisw666
20,791 posts
68 months
|
Podie said: Chrisw666 said: Have any of you miserable regular commuters ever wondered how great journeys would be if you chatted idly to your fellow travellers? Even the fat or smelly ones? Despite commuting into London, I go from what can barely be called a station. It's two platforms and a pile of bricks. There is a group of regulars - not only do we talk, but we actually socialise outside of commuting. Drinks at the pub, meals out, and a BBQ in the summer. I knew I'd be right  I once spent 3 days in London for work stuff and made it my mission to talk to a new person everytime I got on a train or bus, most assumed I was a religious loon or a dodgy salesman.
|
Advertisement
|
|
|
Podie
38,370 posts
144 months
|
Chrisw666 said: Podie said: Chrisw666 said: Have any of you miserable regular commuters ever wondered how great journeys would be if you chatted idly to your fellow travellers? Even the fat or smelly ones? Despite commuting into London, I go from what can barely be called a station. It's two platforms and a pile of bricks. There is a group of regulars - not only do we talk, but we actually socialise outside of commuting. Drinks at the pub, meals out, and a BBQ in the summer. I knew I'd be right I once spent 3 days in London for work stuff and made it my mission to talk to a new person everytime I got on a train or bus, most assumed I was a religious loon or a dodgy salesman.  Don't talk to Londoners... it's only safe when you're in the provences..
|
|
|
Chrisw666
20,791 posts
68 months
|
Podie said: Don't talk to Londoners... it's only safe when you're in the provences.. They need educating on social skills from us friendly northerners, though where exactly in the north friendly people hail from I'm not sure.
|
|
|
Einion Yrth
10,381 posts
113 months
|
Podie said: Don't talk to Londoners... it's only safe when you're in the provences.. I thought there was only one and anyway my French isn't that good.
|
|
|
Podie
38,370 posts
144 months
|
Einion Yrth said: Podie said: Don't talk to Londoners... it's only safe when you're in the provences.. I thought there was only one and anyway my French isn't that good. w  ky iOS tut.
|
|
|
BrabusMog
4,916 posts
55 months
|
Podie said: Chrisw666 said: Have any of you miserable regular commuters ever wondered how great journeys would be if you chatted idly to your fellow travellers? Even the fat or smelly ones? Despite commuting into London, I go from what can barely be called a station. It's two platforms and a pile of bricks. There is a group of regulars - not only do we talk, but we actually socialise outside of commuting. Drinks at the pub, meals out, and a BBQ in the summer. You're lucky! I sometimes see the same people on the way back and, like me, they seem to have a favourite seat/carriage so they can get off and out the station as quickly as possible. I speak to enough people during the day and am usually doing something most evenings so I have no desire whatsoever to speak to my fellow commuters, it's a nice bit of downtime.
|
|
|
stemll
1,507 posts
69 months
|
My commute into Euston on London Midland is fine. I always have a seat and very rarely have anyone sat next to me (no, I don't put my bag there). What you're all doing wrong is sitting with the poor people. Get a first class ticket you cheapskates  .
|
|
|
Maycott
565 posts
119 months
|
Loving this thread for a rare opportunity to be smug and for it affirming my very recent move out of the rat race
After commuting into London from Hampshire by train for fifteen years I have finally found:
- Job satisfaction
_ The same salary
- Prospects
And a commute that has reduced from 2 hours door to door whilst crammed onto a crappy early morning snot bucket, cough filled grumpiness sit on the floor 'cos all the seats are taken or a late evening vomit comet to the immeasurably superior joy of traffic free roads, Chris Moyles (ok - questionable) and the 911 for 40 minutes as I drive from Winchester to Bournemouth
I have, once, wondered if I'd done the right thing.....this thread helps me to realise that I certainly have
Cheers!
|
|
|
banksey
60 posts
41 months
|
I pay £3280 quid a year, I never have any problems... I've actually made a few mates, one being a DJ who gives me free promos now! :lol
|
|
|
Podie
38,370 posts
144 months
|
stemll said: My commute into Euston on London Midland is fine. How was last night? I was over 2 hours late...
|
|
|
Gwagon111
3,347 posts
30 months
|
I did witness a cracker from a South west trains guard / ticket bod on a train home last month. There was a guy doing the 'bag on seat' thing, a girl asked him if the seat was free as the guard was just approaching. The bag on seat guy tried to blag it. The guard said "put the bag in the overhead rack, or buy it a ticket". I did chuckle
|
|
|
Tidybeard
259 posts
58 months
|
Pints said: Your response did make me chuckle but I refer you to the bold bit above and declare, in a loud voice, "Karma!" . No thanks, I'm trying to eat less curry. FWIW, my train is always half empty and it is peak time into London (apologies to our London-based colleagues but staggeringly this does happen...).I never inconvenience anyone as they never need to sit near me. If they did I would of course give up the bag's seat, I'm a decent human being. Heaven forbid that a train w ker like me should fail to read the OP's mind and - horror of horrors - deprive him of his "nap".....
|
|
|
aclivity
3,538 posts
57 months
|
When I was first working in London, in 1994, I was sofa surfing as I hadn't found anywhere to live. I was staying in Crawley and commuting into either Victoria and getting the tube to Tower Hill, or London Bridge and walking over on a nice day.
Anyway, it was a Friday, and I was going back up north for the weekend, so as well as my usual bag I had a rucksack full of dirty washing (what's the point of visiting parents if you don't take a full bag of washing?). It was one of the old slam door trains, with the "island" style seats, each with their own overhead shelf. I threw my rucksack up on the shelf, then sat down to enjoy my coffee. It was a bit hot, so I took the lid off ...
as the train drew into Gatwick, the driver applied the brakes a bit more sharply than usual. As I looked up, I saw - in what appeared to be slow motion - my heavy bag start to fall towards me. With cat like reflexes, I held my coffee cup away from me. The rucksack fell on to my extended arm, throwing around half of my coffee (luckily a bit cooler now) into the air. The rucksack protected me from all of the flying liquid, which was nice. Then it fell off my arm, and another wave of coffee sploshed out as my arm sprung back up.
I was, as I said, completely dry. Not so the gentleman sat opposite me. He was fairly drenched, particularly around the knees, thighs, and crotch. I apologised profusely, offered to pay for cleaning / whatever, but he just got up and walked away, possibly as anger management as he would probably have hit me if he had stayed!
The funniest bit was that I still had some coffee left, and it was just the right temperature for me. Could have done with a bit more, but you have to take what pleasures you can, I guess!
|
|
|
trooperiziz
8,032 posts
121 months
|
Podie said: stemll said: My commute into Euston on London Midland is fine. How was last night? I was over 2 hours late... Only 10 minutes late for me, I walked into the station as the 16:24 was boarding, even though it wasn't actually 16:24... Utterly crammed though, perfect for the hottest day in recent weeks
|
|
|
Crossflow Kid
4,609 posts
60 months
|
Tidybeard said: This seat is not free, my bag is using it and I prefer its company to yours. Thank you. I feel sorry for the bag.
|
|
|
OldJohnnyYen
938 posts
18 months
|
banksey said: I pay £3280 quid a year, I never have any problems... I've actually made a few mates, one being a DJ who gives me free promos now! :lol My mum is the same, I thought she was bonkers at first. She invited a women she met on the bus to work to my wedding, I told her no, she came anyway and is now one of our families closest friends.
|
|
