train etiquette
Discussion
I reserved a seat on the way home from London last week, 19.30 train, not packed etc. Found my seat and there was a mature lady sat in it, I was with my O/H and the two seats had tickets showing they were reserved. Anyway I checked our tickets against the seats and asked her politely if she could allow us to take up our reserved seats,I was shocked by her attitude, first she said they weren't reserved, no tickets so I showed them to her, eventually she moved with much procrastinating and shoving and later when getting off she blithely clips my O/H's ear hard with her shoulder bag, and I don't think it was an accident. She also left all her detritus on the seats and fold down table so I had to clear the area.
Now I was very polite, apologised and explained etc so is her behaviour normal and acceptable? If it had been me I would have apologised and moved without any fuss.
Now I was very polite, apologised and explained etc so is her behaviour normal and acceptable? If it had been me I would have apologised and moved without any fuss.
Very bad form on her part.
However, if the train wasn't packed, were there any other seats that you could sit in that weren't reserved?
I once had a hellish weekend in Glasgow working very long days and evenings and had succumbed to some sort of bug, and felt absolutely rotten getting an early train back to London. For some reason, my seat reservation changed to a different seat at York. I eventually managed to fall asleep which was a blessing because I felt so lousy. But some bloody woman woke me up at York so that she could have her reserved seat when 3/4 of the bloody carriage was empty!!
However, if the train wasn't packed, were there any other seats that you could sit in that weren't reserved?
I once had a hellish weekend in Glasgow working very long days and evenings and had succumbed to some sort of bug, and felt absolutely rotten getting an early train back to London. For some reason, my seat reservation changed to a different seat at York. I eventually managed to fall asleep which was a blessing because I felt so lousy. But some bloody woman woke me up at York so that she could have her reserved seat when 3/4 of the bloody carriage was empty!!
NiceCupOfTea said:
Very bad form on her part.
However, if the train wasn't packed, were there any other seats that you could sit in that weren't reserved?
I once had a hellish weekend in Glasgow working very long days and evenings and had succumbed to some sort of bug, and felt absolutely rotten getting an early train back to London. For some reason, my seat reservation changed to a different seat at York. I eventually managed to fall asleep which was a blessing because I felt so lousy. But some bloody woman woke me up at York so that she could have her reserved seat when 3/4 of the bloody carriage was empty!!
..and on the other hand, if a carriage is half empty, they've got no reason to be sitting in your reserved seat. However, if the train wasn't packed, were there any other seats that you could sit in that weren't reserved?
I once had a hellish weekend in Glasgow working very long days and evenings and had succumbed to some sort of bug, and felt absolutely rotten getting an early train back to London. For some reason, my seat reservation changed to a different seat at York. I eventually managed to fall asleep which was a blessing because I felt so lousy. But some bloody woman woke me up at York so that she could have her reserved seat when 3/4 of the bloody carriage was empty!!
NiceCupOfTea said:
Very bad form on her part.
Damn right, what a miserable old woman.NiceCupOfTea said:
some bloody woman woke me up at York so that she could have her reserved seat when 3/4 of the bloody carriage was empty!!
Nice. Thank f
k i don't bother taking trains anymore, much easier and less stressful to drive instead (well on most occassion it is).There is some 'common sense' to using seats other than the ones you've reserved if the train isn't full... but there may be a problem if you end up sat in someone elses reserved seat who joins the train later. They ask you to move, so you go after your original seat turfing out the occupant who may (but not in this case) have a reserved seat elsewhere which is also occupied.
Generally the system works best when everyone follows the rules, and it starts with not sitting in a reserved seat if it isn't yours. Silly old bag.
Generally the system works best when everyone follows the rules, and it starts with not sitting in a reserved seat if it isn't yours. Silly old bag.
Cock Womble said:
Don't they stick a "reserved" ticket in the slot in the top of the seat any more?
(I haven't been on a train for a while.)
If it's Virgin Trains, each seat has a scrolling LCD display above each set of seats telling you which is reserved, and what station it is free (or reserved) until. Great idea, but most people don't seem to look at them, and it's broken half the time (IME anyway).(I haven't been on a train for a while.)
I think the OP was quite calm and reserved - you reserve the seats because even on a half full train you don't know what other seats are going to fill up or what other ones are reserved. As such, the OP was in the right and the snooty old b
h deserved to be thrown out the window (not that you can do that anymore though).Libertine said:
NiceCupOfTea said:
Very bad form on her part.
However, if the train wasn't packed, were there any other seats that you could sit in that weren't reserved?
I once had a hellish weekend in Glasgow working very long days and evenings and had succumbed to some sort of bug, and felt absolutely rotten getting an early train back to London. For some reason, my seat reservation changed to a different seat at York. I eventually managed to fall asleep which was a blessing because I felt so lousy. But some bloody woman woke me up at York so that she could have her reserved seat when 3/4 of the bloody carriage was empty!!
..and on the other hand, if a carriage is half empty, they've got no reason to be sitting in your reserved seat. However, if the train wasn't packed, were there any other seats that you could sit in that weren't reserved?
I once had a hellish weekend in Glasgow working very long days and evenings and had succumbed to some sort of bug, and felt absolutely rotten getting an early train back to London. For some reason, my seat reservation changed to a different seat at York. I eventually managed to fall asleep which was a blessing because I felt so lousy. But some bloody woman woke me up at York so that she could have her reserved seat when 3/4 of the bloody carriage was empty!!
nipperS2K said:
Cock Womble said:
Don't they stick a "reserved" ticket in the slot in the top of the seat any more?
(I haven't been on a train for a while.)
yup they were there, she ignored them and then argued until I showed them to her.(I haven't been on a train for a while.)
I admire your self-control.
chrisxr2 said:
You now pay to reserve a seat i believe which means you are entitled to sit in it. If the seat reservation has not been paid for, as used to be the case then the reservation meant nothing, had this a few times over the years.
You don't fly often do you.My guess is this women was more pee'd off with being wrong than actually having to move.
I have to admit that if I cant get the seat I want (ie. cant get a reservation) then I'll chance it by sitting in a reserved seat.
However, if the reservee(?) turns up and shows me their ticket then I will of course move without fuss.
You'd be amazed how often this works in other forms of transport too.
I regularly find people sitting in my reserved seat , if I feel so inclined to sit there I ask them to move and if they question it I refer them to the fact that the train guard will move them if they dont go of their own accord.
Never had a problem yet.
Sounds like she was a proper old bag, she'll probably die soon.
However, if the reservee(?) turns up and shows me their ticket then I will of course move without fuss.
You'd be amazed how often this works in other forms of transport too.
I regularly find people sitting in my reserved seat , if I feel so inclined to sit there I ask them to move and if they question it I refer them to the fact that the train guard will move them if they dont go of their own accord.
Never had a problem yet.
Sounds like she was a proper old bag, she'll probably die soon.
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