Passengers with no manners

[TUC]

The trick on some long distance is to reserve one seat and then sit in the seat next door!

Well that's pretty self-centred and unhelpful in itself.

 

[Antman]

No, he sits in a vacant seat!

And what if there are other vacant seats available?

 

[Harbornite]

As a regular train traveller I guess I'm not the only one who sees "flappers". People who just feel the need to run around the platform as if the train is going to go without them if they dont run towards it.

Today, for some reason, one such flapper really got my goat.....

7am this morning. Platform pretty much empty. Train arrived - pretty much empty as per normal. I'm standing by the door waiting for it to open (off to the side so people can get off - another bugbear of mine). I spot a woman in her 40s maybe, zooming up the platform.

She gets to me, steps in front of me and stands between me and the door. There was no gap though really. She was so close I could have put my arms around here. Of course, door opens and she dives onto train before the person waiting to get chance had got off.

I noted as I got on the train she'd dived into the nearest seat to the door and had sat down with her bag on her lap.

What on earth is wrong with these people? Just calm down a bit!!!!

Don't people realise that, you're on the platform, the train will not go without you. There is plenty of time to get on the train AND retain good manners without resorting to rude behaviour. Especially so if there is just one other person getting onto the train at that door!

(BTW - looked like she was travelling to New Street. I can imagine her flapping big time coming home from there. Bit more stressful than newport!)

What a b*tch. Some people lack basic manners, it's best to let them get on with it.

 

[TUC]

At the station? On the platform?

Well, take a journey I make sometimes 2 or 3 times a week from Elephant & Castle to the outskirts of Halifax. That's a four hour journey. Travelling for that length of time on an evening, is it reasonable to regularly go for that long without a hot meal? No. Should I wait at Kings Cross for an extra hour and get home even later so that I can eat on the platform,. That hardly seems reasonable , so eat on the train it is. Given that further down the train there are first class passengers eating hot food it hardly seems unreasonable.

 

[Deepgreen]

This discussion has been done to death before, but... In many cases, it's legroom. I'll always go for an aisle seat because I can only really fit in comfortably if my knee protrudes on the aisle side. That said, the window seat remains clear, and I'll make it clear people are welcome to sit there.

I would say that the majority of people I see doing it are well under six foot tall. There is no pattern to it - some people with however short legs unaccountably want to sit either close to the aisle, or away from the window, whichever is the stronger cause. It wouldn't matter if they weren't so protective of the window seat adjacent!

 

[Deepgreen]

And what if there are other vacant seats available?

Choosing to sit in any vacant seat should not be construed as seeking confrontation. Of course if every other seat in the carriage were vacant - that's different, but if it's 50/50 some people need a point making to them which need not necessarily be confrontational. If someone was to appear 'huffy' to me if I wanted to sit there, they would get very short shrift.

 

[Stampy]

Had one about a month ago on a trip back from York to Peterborough..

Waiting on the platform for the 1632 train (after the 1602 which I was booked on was cancelled) and as the train stops and the door opens - some snobby woman barges past us all with 2 "friends" and a case of wine, as shoves her way into some vacant seats..

Cue 4 people (including me) stood/sat in the corridor of the train whilst "she" sat there facing us, laughing and waving her glass in the air..........


Revenge was sweet though - as she left the train at Doncaster with a flea in her ear, and 2 embarrassed friends - as she was on the WRONG train, and had travelled too early!!!

 

[chorleyjeff]

As a regular train traveller I guess I'm not the only one who sees "flappers". People who just feel the need to run around the platform as if the train is going to go without them if they dont run towards

Don't people realise that, you're on the platform, the train will not go without you. There is plenty of time to get on the train AND retain good manners without resorting to rude behaviour. Especially so if there is just one other person getting onto the train at that door!

(BTW - looked like she was travelling to New Street. I can imagine her flapping big time coming home from there. Bit more stressful than newport!)

Actually trains do leave while you are on the platform carrying your luggage towards them. A bit annoying at 10 pm on a cold winter night to say the least when you are trying to catch a connection from a late running train.

 

[Deepgreen]

The elephant in the room here is, of course, feet (or more particularly, shoes) on seats. Aargh! I remember one occasion, many years ago, when a large, grizzled older guard walked through my SWT train (a 455) simply wordlessly swiping kids' feet off seats as he went - all were so stunned he had moved on to the next carriage before they could react!

 

[HH]

Well that's pretty self-centred and unhelpful in itself.

Indeed it is. I've seen a well-known actor pull that particular trick.

 

[Antman]

Choosing to sit in any vacant seat should not be construed as seeking confrontation. Of course if every other seat in the carriage were vacant - that's different, but if it's 50/50 some people need a point making to them which need not necessarily be confrontational. If someone was to appear 'huffy' to me if I wanted to sit there, they would get very short shrift.

But if there are numerous seats available but somebody particularly wants to sit on a seat where somebody has put their baggage............well!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The elephant in the room here is, of course, feet (or more particularly, shoes) on seats. Aargh! I remember one occasion, many years ago, when a large, grizzled older guard walked through my SWT train (a 455) simply wordlessly swiping kids' feet off seats as he went - all were so stunned he had moved on to the next carriage before they could react!

Indeed, the ultimate in anti social behaviour!

 

[Deepgreen]

Indeed, the ultimate in anti social behaviour!

I assume you mean the kids (and horizontal sitters in general) not the guard?!

 

[Antman]

I assume you mean the kids (and horizontal sitters in general) not the guard?!

Absolutely................and full marks to the guard

 

[PHILIPE]

This discussion has been done to death before, but... In many cases, it's legroom. I'll always go for an aisle seat because I can only really fit in comfortably if my knee protrudes on the aisle side. That said, the window seat remains clear, and I'll make it clear people are welcome to sit there.

Agree. Here's where it's been done to death quite recently.

www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=109468

 

[Robertj21a]

So you go out of your way to cause confrontation with other passengers?

What a ridiculous comment but, unfortunately, only what I have come to expect.

 

[Tramfan]

Not sure if I'd class it as having no manners more just total oblivion to the world around them, but the people that get off an escalator and just stop dead for no reason really annoy me

 

[backontrack]

At St Pancras on Saturday, I was in the queue for the ticket barriers when an Asian man said 'excuse me' and just pushed past everyone. Then, he went through the barriers (he showed his ticket, of course).

It didn't inconvenience us but you've got to wonder: why? :roll:

 

[Commuter66]

1. People cycling/ skateboarding on the station platform.

2. People climbing over me and my bike to get on the train as I am trying to get off. And then complaining when they trip over my bike pedals, whereas if they let me get off they would not have tripped over bike pedals.

3. Complaining that I am in the way of the door when my bike and I have to squeeze through a gap the size of of a 3 x 2 train seat. (my handlebars will hit someone if i try to squeeze through a gap is that small)

 

[Antman]

What a ridiculous comment but, unfortunately, only what I have come to expect.

It was you that made the ridiculous comment in the first place!

 

[Flamingo]

I was on a train one Sunday, and an older male was standing in front of a door panel. I said "Excuse me, I need to get to the door", and he turned around, looked me up and down in my uniform and snarls "I'm getting off in a minute, you can bloody-well wait!" and turns his back on me.

As we were a few minutes early, I said nothing, but stood there as the train came to a halt, and he spends about ten seconds pushing the door handle. He then turns back to me, and shouts "Why isn't this bloody door working?" - I held up the CDL key with a big grin and said "Because you won't let me get to it to unlock it, sir". Everybody around laughed, and the man finally moved out of the way and let me unlock the door.

After getting off, he then went off at one of the platform staff, demanding my name from the platform dispatcher - which I would have happily given him if he had asked me! I never heard any more, so I guess Mr Angry realised he'd look a prat if he wrote in (or he got vouchers and an apology without me being consulted).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

So you go out of your way to cause confrontation with other passengers?

But you consider it acceptable, even commendable, for someone to walk through the train, assaulting passengers by knocking their feet off the seats? Not in the least confrontational, that!

Strange double standard...

 

[greaterwest]

One big bugbear of mine at stations is the use of the Wide Aisle Gate (especially where there is only one in "First Come First Serve" mode!!!!)

There could be four other barriers in "exit" mode and there will still be a queue of people at a WAG because one person uses it and the rest of the sheeple have to follow, so when a bicycle wants to come through they can't because of the queue of people getting off a train.

 

[Antman]

I was on a train one Sunday, and an older male was standing in front of a door panel. I said "Excuse me, I need to get to the door", and he turned around, looked me up and down in my uniform and snarls "I'm getting off in a minute, you can bloody-well wait!" and turns his back on me.

As we were a few minutes early, I said nothing, but stood there as the train came to a halt, and he spends about ten seconds pushing the door handle. He then turns back to me, and shouts "Why isn't this bloody door working?" - I held up the CDL key with a big grin and said "Because you won't let me get to it to unlock it, sir". Everybody around laughed, and the man finally moved out of the way and let me unlock the door.

After getting off, he then went off at one of the platform staff, demanding my name from the platform dispatcher - which I would have happily given him if he had asked me! I never heard any more, so I guess Mr Angry realised he'd look a prat if he wrote in (or he got vouchers and an apology without me being consulted).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


But you consider it acceptable, even commendable, for someone to walk through the train, assaulting passengers by knocking their feet off the seats? Not in the least confrontational, that!

Strange double standard...

I suspect you're being deliberately obtuse but obviously their feet (ie dirty shoes) shouldn't be on the seat, as for baggage on seats I usually find that a polite request to move it if no other seats are available usually has the desired effect.

 

[sheff1]

One big bugbear of mine at stations is the use of the Wide Aisle Gate (especially where there is only one in "First Come First Serve" mode!!!!)

There could be four other barriers in "exit" mode and there will still be a queue of people at a WAG because one person uses it and the rest of the sheeple have to follow, so when a bicycle wants to come through they can't because of the queue of people getting off a train.

Usually the barrier assistant will be positioned next to the wide gate. Therefore if you suspect (or know !) that your ticket will be rejected or you need to retain it claim Delay Repay the obvious gate to head for is the wide one. Next time I am queuing at the wide gate for that reason and an annoyed cyclist approaches from the other direction, I will give you a wave

 

[greaterwest]

Usually the barrier assistant will be positioned next to the wide gate. Therefore if you suspect (or know !) that your ticket will be rejected or you need to retain it claim Delay Repay the obvious gate to head for is the wide one. Next time I am queuing at the wide gate for that reason and an annoyed cyclist approaches from the other direction, I will give you a wave

The barrier assistant may well be by the WAG (though not in all cases, look at Reading) and the issue isn't with those with broken tickets or those who want them for Delay Repay (that's fine), it's with those who use it without any real need to (with working tickets!)

 

[fowler9]

Anyone who stands by the door and tries to get on before I have got off. Anyone departing Liverpool South Parkway in the evening peak and treats me as a hindrance as they come down the stairs and I am going the other way, even worse if they go through the "big" barrier when they have a ticket that will work in the little barriers.

 

[Requeststop]

I suspect you're being deliberately obtuse but obviously their feet (ie dirty shoes) shouldn't be on the seat, as for baggage on seats I usually find that a polite request to move it if no other seats are available usually has the desired effect.

Actually I'm with Flamingo. (S)He'd be in uniform and as they walk down the carriage those with feet on seats should have the nous to remove them. I think it was on TPE or NT that I saw notices about feet on seats at eye level and people deliberately ignoring the signs, including a member of staff in uniform. Kicking their feet off seats is acceptable. Bags on seats, and sitting in the aisle depriving others of a window seat is a crime whose punishment sadly cannot be well fitted these days. As Luggage racks are sadly solid and not the string netting of olden days, you cannot tie misbehaving passengers thumbs to the said string netting and make them stand for the whole journey. The worst offenders of bags and aisles in my experience are of the female persuasion. They should do what they have on suburban and long distance trains in Malaysia and have female only coaches. Cram them all in there and leave the remainder of the train to we well behaved of the male persuasion, and we can have a few beers and a few fags in contentment.

 

[fizzwheel]

I think the chap this evening falls into this category

I tend to get on the quiet coach on a HST going out of Reading on my way home as I like the quiet and its easier to get a seat.

I know where the door will be when the train comes to a stop so I tend to stand in the same place, so does this chap and he likes to get on the train first.

I noticed the evening there was an old lady with a massive suitcase and a GWR member of staff sat with her about where I was standing to get on the train.

Train comes in and we all shuffle forward a bit and form a queue to get onto the train. GWR staff member walks forward as well with the old lady who quite obviously needs a bit of help as she cant manage her suitcase.

I step back a bit at this point to let the GWR member of staff on first and so the old lady has a little bit more room. I'm in no real rush to be first on, its why I get on the train at this coach as I know I can get a seat.

We all stand back and let the passengers out. The chap I am talking about then barges forward shoves the GWR Member of staff out of the way and nearly knocks the old lady over in the process. Just so he can be first onto the train.

I'm thinking seriously did you just do that..

 

[trainophile]

People using the escalators at the Liverpool underground stations, who do not understand the meaning of "stand to the right".

Sadly it's generally older couples who block the width of the escalator, oblivious to the fact that people behind them might be in a hurry to get by. I got a filthy look from an elderly gent the other day at Lime Street, as I had one minute to get down to the West Kirby train, and he was standing on the left with his wife on the right. I had to say "excuse me" twice before he grudgingly stood aside. I just caught the train by seconds, and as it pulled out I spotted the couple coming round the corner onto the platform, with what looked very much like a "the penny has dropped" expression!

I've said this ad nauseam, but I prefer an aisle seat as I can't stand being in the glare of the sun, and I don't like being hemmed in. It's not a problem if someone wants to take the vacant window seat, but I'm not moving into it myself. I don't huff and puff about standing up to let someone in to it!

Going back to the OP, I'm not saying this is the reason, or a valid excuse, but some women just naturally expect a man to chivalrously let her go in front of him. I'm always pleasantly surprised even nowadays how many men will step aside at the door of the bus to allow a woman on first. Now that we are all equal, there isn't really any expectation from most of us, but perhaps the woman in the OP was used to such treatment.

 

[VauxhallandI]

I was on a train one Sunday, and an older male was standing in front of a door panel. I said "Excuse me, I need to get to the door", and he turned around, looked me up and down in my uniform and snarls "I'm getting off in a minute, you can bloody-well wait!" and turns his back on me.

As we were a few minutes early, I said nothing, but stood there as the train came to a halt, and he spends about ten seconds pushing the door handle. He then turns back to me, and shouts "Why isn't this bloody door working?" - I held up the CDL key with a big grin and said "Because you won't let me get to it to unlock it, sir". Everybody around laughed, and the man finally moved out of the way and let me unlock the door.

After getting off, he then went off at one of the platform staff, demanding my name from the platform dispatcher - which I would have happily given him if he had asked me! I never heard any more, so I guess Mr Angry realised he'd look a prat if he wrote in (or he got vouchers and an apology without me being consulted).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Marvellous story, A+ Sir

 

[RichmondCommu]

At St Pancras on Saturday, I was in the queue for the ticket barriers when an Asian man said 'excuse me' and just pushed past everyone. Then, he went through the barriers (he showed his ticket, of course).

It didn't inconvenience us but you've got to wonder: why? :roll:

I'm not really sure why you felt the need to mention the fact that he was Asian but hey ho; you've got to wonder: why? :roll:. Having traveled extensively overseas I think it's fair to say that in many countries the idea of waiting in a queue is unheard of!