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Passengers' bad habits

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STEVIEBOY1

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I was travelling home yesterday, changing trains at Twickenham, when I noticed a smartly dressed man, who then proceeded to spit four times as he walked along the platform, which I have seen others do elsewhere, at least he did it onto the tracks. Then a bloke sitting next to me sneezed and did not either cover his mouth or use a tissue, so some of his spray went on my slacks.

I had also been subject to having to overhear two people talking on their mobiles for at least 20 minutes on a previous train about unimportant subjects.

What other bad habits annoy you?

Am I being a grumpy old man?
 
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HilversumNS

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I (and half a bus full of other passengers) once overheard a most interesting phone conversation on a bus made by what I can only refer to as a chav, regarding her latest court appearance.

Apparently the judge had been lenient on her this time. She also told whoever it was about previous appearances and sentencing, including something about actual bodily harm.
 

AM9

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I (and half a bus full of other passengers) once overheard a most interesting phone conversation on a bus made by what I can only refer to as a chav, regarding her latest court appearance.

Apparently the judge had been lenient on her this time. She also told whoever it was about previous appearances and sentencing, including something about actual bodily harm.

One way to feel better about that (maybe childishly and if travelling with somebody else) is to have a fake discussion on your phone talking about their conversation, - in a loud voice of course!
 

TheNewNo2

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I (and half a bus full of other passengers) once overheard a most interesting phone conversation on a bus made by what I can only refer to as a chav, regarding her latest court appearance.

Apparently the judge had been lenient on her this time. She also told whoever it was about previous appearances and sentencing, including something about actual bodily harm.

Well, I count talking to me as a bad habit. I was on a Coastway train back in January, and two women ended up sitting next to be discussing how they were going to court for theft and regaling me with the story of how the ex was a ******* and the charges were trumped up... I just wanted to read my book...
 

Mojo

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Well, I count talking to me as a bad habit. I was on a Coastway train back in January, and two women ended up sitting next to be discussing how they were going to court for theft and regaling me with the story of how the ex was a ******* and the charges were trumped up... I just wanted to read my book...
If you were one of the Magistrates maybe you could have thrown the book at them :D :lol:
 

Kite159

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Chewing Gum

When your sat opposite someone doing an impression of a cement mixer with the gum popping out every now and again when they spin it round and round.
 

les.

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People playing bloody Candy Crush Saga and the like on their phones with the sound on!

Also on a recent trip to Doncaster the girl behind me kept sniffing every few seconds.
 
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Bletchleyite

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People playing bloody Candy Crush Saga and the like on their phones with the sound on!

People playing *anything* on *any device* with the sound on. Is the basic consideration of using headphones lost on some people?

If it annoys me or any other passenger (as it does), it's also a Byelaw offence.
 

Kite159

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People playing *anything* on *any device* with the sound on. Is the basic consideration of using headphones lost on some people?

If it annoys me or any other passenger (as it does), it's also a Byelaw offence.

Or using rubbish (apple) earphones which leak more than a leaky thing
 

jon0844

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Last Wednesday, when we set off early for Disneyland Paris, we got to Hatfield station nice and early. A slow stopper had just left, so I positioned us near the rear doors for the next 8-car train (0732). Having been a commuter for some years, I obviously know where to stand!

No problems for a while until the commuters started to arrive and get into their positions, including one lady who decided to stand in front of me, my wife and son - and our two suitcases. No doubt her thought was 'bloody tourists'.

I let that go until the train started its approach, and I moved forward, only to see her put her foot out to the side to block my suitcase as I rolled it up to where the doors would be (well, to the side to let people off). Once she did that, it was game over.

So as the doors opened I shouted at her to get out of the way and stop being so bloody rude by pushing in. She responded by saying 'I'm just trying to get to work'. My response was quite clear 'But the train isn't leaving until we're all on it anyway'.

Stupidly, I didn't realise that what she actually meant was that she wanted to get to work and if the train was busy and anyone wasn't getting on, it wouldn't be her. Having realised that later on, I got a little more frustrated that I handn't moaned at her even more, but I still think she was suitable embarrassed anyway. PLENTY of other people saw what happened, and she probably sees a lot of them every morning.

I made sure to wish her a nice day when she got off at Finsbury Park!!

Given the service was fast to FPK and then on to King's Cross, common sense said to let us on first and get the cases pushed to the back and then let everyone else on. Indeed, that's what everyone else did - including her after I'd pushed the case back in front of her and made it quite obvious that if I wasn't getting on, neither was she!
 
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me123

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I'm reaonsably sympathetic to mobile phones - as long as the use is appropriate. 30 minute conversation - no. Business teleconference - no. Brief call to friend who's collecting you at the station, informing incoming callers that you're on the train but maintaining polite conversation for a couple of minutes - acceptable. Telling everyone about your toenail fungus... this should go without saying, but please no!

I'm also sympathetic to earphones if and only if the person turns them down on request - I've politely asked a few times and had genuinely good results from people who don't realise that they're causing an intrusion to other passengers.

My pet peeve is blocking potentially usable seats. Feet on seats is a big no-no, and it happens everywhere (even First Class!). As for people who seem to kindly remove their shoes before placing their feet on the seats - I know what you're trying to do, but your feet frankly stink! Even worse than feet, though, is luggage. People often don't realise that most overhead luggage racks can take everything that an airline overhead bin can. So all hand luggage sized things can go in here. Instead, I frequently see overhead racks empty, but the exits to the carriages overflowing with large suitcases (as the small suitcases take up all usable space on the luggage rack).

Even more commonly, small bags blocking seats. I have on one occasion moved a suitcase to the overhead luggage rack rather forcibly as the woman opposite decided to take up a seat for her small suitcase when people were struggling to even board the train. I am still amazed that she didn't consider it appropriate to even try to make the seat available to a passenger, and that none of the other passengers/standees insisted that she move it! I'm also reminded of an instance where I commuted for a few days in a row on a specific service (Hyndland - Coatdyke, originating at Helensburgh). I'd get on the train and see a group of sheepish looking (mostly) men standing, whilst 16 perfectly good seats were taken up by 8 women (usually the same 8 women) and 8 strategically placed handbags. Every day I walked onto the train, asked one of them to move their bag. They did so, and that spurred other men to ask the same. It amazes me that, every day, despite getting on the train close to the end of the journey, I seemed to be the one who had to insist that I get a seat. Maybe I'm just not a gentleman <D

On the other side of the coin, I've seen someone who clearly has more cash than sense buying a ticket for her luggage so it could occupy the seat next to her(!). The staff on the (then) Virgin XC service were having none of it, pointed out that a ticket doesn't even entitle a person to a seat, and moved the bag to a luggage rack.
 
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DelayRepay

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I overheard a conversation between a woman and her partner*. It included the wonderful line "I'm not having an affair with him. I only ****ed him twice and I was drunk both times" :oops:

But the bad habit I do not like is people eating smelly food, and/or leaving their rubbish on a seat for someone else to deal with. <(

And I agree with the previous poster about suitcases. Very annoying that people don't stow them in the spaces provided. This includes folding bikes. <(

*Maybe ex-partner.
 

Kite159

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In my eyes, any passenger caught with feet on seat should be made to pay a charge of £100, call it a "estimated cleaning bill".

Agreed with bags, try getting on a 4-car Southend Victoria service with many suitcases for the airport.
 

Tracked

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People talking loudly down mobile, or people talking loudly to each other - was going round the East Midlands the other week and it seems it's now compulsory for every carriage to have someone noisily dissecting their relationship in it.

Ringtones, which always seem to be set on loud tinny dance music

Drinking first thing in the morning, on a 6:30 train the other week and some lads on their way to a match (can't remember who was playing) cracked open the stella as soon as the train set off. The people who got on at Newark were posher, and open the wine at around 7:15

Litter, the DON-LDS late evening stoppers are interesting at the weekend, if you like shuffling through burger wrappers. On a side note, take your half drunk cups of coffee with you ...

Barging onto trains before passengers have gotten off, or alternatively the people getting off who insist on barging past you no matter how much space has been left for them to get off or how convenient that space is (had this many times, people getting off the train going out of their way to barge into people waiting to get on)
 

table38

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...including one lady who decided to stand in front of me, my wife and son - and our two suitcases.

When I do get the train to work, I have started noticing the same woman who does almost exactly the same thing. Most people can work out where the doors are going to be, and want to be "down that end" to be near the exit at Manchester Piccadilly, so there's a lose gaggle of people milling about waiting for the train to arrive and leaving a decent gap for people to get off.

This woman regularly marches in at the last minute, and stands between those already waiting and the platform edge to ensure that she is the first on!

Unfortunately she is a bit rubbish at working out where the doors will be when the train stops, so she usually walks along the edge of the platform alongside the train, sweeping everyone else out of her way... except this morning when she encountered another lady who decided resolutely not to let her past :)
 

TheNewNo2

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Barging onto trains before passengers have gotten off, or alternatively the people getting off who insist on barging past you no matter how much space has been left for them to get off or how convenient that space is (had this many times, people getting off the train going out of their way to barge into people waiting to get on)

Ugh, I see that so often on the Underground. You physically cannot get on until I have got off, so get out of the way!

People standing in the vestibules of HSTs stopping me taking photos out of the window...



I'm quite surprised that "eye contact" hasn't been mentioned yet. I believe I am correct in saying that if on a train journey you make eye contact with someone more than twice then you have to be signed on to the sex offenders' register.
 

jon0844

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I believe I am correct in saying that if on a train journey you make eye contact with someone more than twice then you have to be signed on to the sex offenders' register.

Yes, that is indeed the case. NEVER look at anyone else, and if you do accidentally then never EVER smile.
 

Merseysider

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Being really damn slow to open the doors when getting off annoys me so much <( Sometimes they're staring at their phone so don't notice the light turning on. On all the trains round my ways you can keep the door open button depressed before the light even comes on and it'll open as soon as the doors are unlocked. Some people are just dozy. I can't stand being stuck behind slow walking people either when I have somewhere to get to or a tight connection to make. Makes me want to buy a small Panzer <D
 

jon0844

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On all the trains round my ways you can keep the door open button depressed before the light even comes on and it'll open as soon as the doors are unlocked.

Ah, but on a lot of modern trains you simply can't do that - which is damn annoying. I always hold the button, but try doing that on a 378 or 379, for example. It will do sod all, and you'll need to release the button and press again only once it's lit up and the audible alert has sounded.

It doesn't help on a 387 at St Pancras when there's the extended delay before the doors are unlocked either. When you can wait 10-15 seconds, even regulars aren't going to stand poised to pounce and may well go back to looking at their smartphone!
 
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Kite159

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When I do get the train to work, I have started noticing the same woman who does almost exactly the same thing. Most people can work out where the doors are going to be, and want to be "down that end" to be near the exit at Manchester Piccadilly, so there's a lose gaggle of people milling about waiting for the train to arrive and leaving a decent gap for people to get off.

This woman regularly marches in at the last minute, and stands between those already waiting and the platform edge to ensure that she is the first on!

Unfortunately she is a bit rubbish at working out where the doors will be when the train stops, so she usually walks along the edge of the platform alongside the train, sweeping everyone else out of her way... except this morning when she encountered another lady who decided resolutely not to let her past :)

The best is when passengers crowd around the doors in such a way where anybody trying to get off has to push their way out. Or the rude ones who try and push onto a train when others are still coming out.

---

The Desiros (and those lovely diesels which roll into Waterloo) allow you to hold the door open button down before it is lit up and the doors open, Electrostars don't.
 
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Drsatan

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On a Hammersmith & City line train I heard what appeared to be a hitman discussing on his mobile his next 'hit'. As he was carrying a plastic bag with what appeared to be a package of sorts (also wrapped up) in it, which could have been a gun or knife, when I got off the train at Mile End (where he changed trains too) and was out of earshot I ended up dialling 101. Unfortunately I didn't hear him mention any names or places. He can't have been a particularly bright hitman as the whole carriage heard him.

On a West Coastway service I spent 20 minutes listening to a white man speaking with a Jamaican patois discussing his plans for Christmas on his phone. He said he'd been released from prison two days prior and was off to Peckham to meet what appeared to be a right upstanding citizen :p
 

DownSouth

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The Desiros (and those lovely diesels which roll into Waterloo) allow you to hold the door open button down before it is lit up and the doors open, Electrostars don't.
And yet elsewhere, Bombardier have shown that they know how to do it right.

Their brand new A-City EMUs in South Australia allow the door button to be pressed once (not held) at any time, and the doors will open as soon as the driver releases them.
 

DelayRepay

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After this morning: Those passengers who don't realise that a table is for the use of the four people sat around it. They spread their newspapers, laptops, iThings, books, food, coffee etc all over and treat it as their own personal desk. Very inconsiderate.
 

Pigeon

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I overheard a conversation between a woman and her partner*. It included the wonderful line "I'm not having an affair with him. I only ****ed him twice and I was drunk both times" :oops:

"She was fat and she was easy, and he tried it on with her, but when he got on top of her, it was like shagging a pregnant woman, he couldn't get it in."

Bert and Ada three rows behind were horrified.
 

Trainfan344

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I'm reaonsably sympathetic to mobile phones - as long as the use is appropriate. 30 minute conversation - no. Business teleconference - no. Brief call to friend who's collecting you at the station, informing incoming callers that you're on the train but maintaining polite conversation for a couple of minutes - acceptable. Telling everyone about your toenail fungus... this should go without saying, but please no!

I'm also sympathetic to earphones if and only if the person turns them down on request - I've politely asked a few times and had genuinely good results from people who don't realise that they're causing an intrusion to other passengers.

My pet peeve is blocking potentially usable seats. Feet on seats is a big no-no, and it happens everywhere (even First Class!). As for people who seem to kindly remove their shoes before placing their feet on the seats - I know what you're trying to do, but your feet frankly stink!

Even more commonly, small bags blocking seats.

I do this on regular occasions if a train is not busy, I will happily take my shoes off and put my feet up, My feet do no stink I can assure you! The guards are always happy to allow this as well.
I also generally have a rucksack I put on the seat next to me but the moment the service looks like it's getting busy I will move it elsewhere to allow other passengers a seat.

In my eyes, any passenger caught with feet on seat should be made to pay a charge of £100, call it a "estimated cleaning bill".

I disagree, it's not against any bylaws as much as you want it to be, it isn't illegal and it almost certainly isn't disgusting.
 

Merseysider

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Trainfan344 said:
I disagree, it's not against any bylaws as much as you want it to be, it isn't illegal and it almost certainly isn't disgusting.
Unless you live in Merseyrail land, in which case the Feet On Seats gestapo will issue you a court summons <(
 

me123

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I also generally have a rucksack I put on the seat next to me but the moment the service looks like it's getting busy I will move it elsewhere to allow other passengers a seat.

I'll allow this; it's more the people who use their luggage and personal belongings to actively prevent people sitting in the seats that annoys me (see rant above). On an empty train, it's fine. When you're more than about half full and getting busier at each stop- time to move it.
 

LowLevel

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I do this on regular occasions if a train is not busy, I will happily take my shoes off and put my feet up, My feet do no stink I can assure you! The guards are always happy to allow this as well.
I also generally have a rucksack I put on the seat next to me but the moment the service looks like it's getting busy I will move it elsewhere to allow other passengers a seat.



I disagree, it's not against any bylaws as much as you want it to be, it isn't illegal and it almost certainly isn't disgusting.

My trains all have clear notices saying 'do not put your feet on the seats' - it makes no distinction as to whether they're shod or not. The only exceptions I make are on long distance late night journeys where I accept people may naturally be inclined to sleep - but I still ask them to put a coat or something down first.

Slack jawed idiots that seem bemused or annoyed at being instructed to move their feet need a bullet and removal from the gene pool asap - I hate having to deal with folk with chewing gum or worse wrecking their clothes having innocently sat down.
 

alxndr

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I've always found eating a container of Lion cereal without any milk staves off other passengers more effectively than a bag, it looks suspiciously like cat food. The number of people who've gone to sit down, had a look, and changed their minds is extraordinary!

My biggest gripe is people who talk in quiet carriages, there's a reason I choose that one, and it's not to listen to your whining, even if you are a driver. Once I even found someone with a dog, and I could guess it's breed from the noise of its snuffling halfway down the carriage (Boxer).
 
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