Trivia: unwritten etiquette as a railway passenger

[Gloster]

This would be one of these things that wouldn't bother me, to be honest. Is it quite a recent thing, the aversion to other people eating snacks on the train? I'm sure back in the day people were a bit more relaxed about it, and back in the day, many routes had a "Hot Buffet" of course.

I am afraid it would bother me as I have an allergy to eggs. The smell of a boiled egg, in particular, is likely to make me retch. If someone takes out a boiled egg, I move away - fast.

 

[Beebman]

I did a short hop yesterday on Thameslink between Farringdon and Blackfriars, and within a few seating rows one bloke had his feet with shoes on the opposite seat and another was audibly playing music.

 

[nw1]

I am afraid it would bother me as I have an allergy to eggs. The smell of a boiled egg, in particular, is likely to make me retch. If someone takes out a boiled egg, I move away - fast.

OK, fair enough, that's a good point. I guess many of us do not appreciate the wide range of food allergies.

 

[urbophile]

Take your rubbish home with you, or at the least put it in the bin. (I’m forever doing this for lazy bar stewards who seem to think it’s ok leaving it on seats / floor / table).

Generous bin provision would make this easier. On a French TGV recently there was nothing but tiny 'poubelles' at each seat which wouldn't take more than a crunched up crisp packet. British trains aren't much better but at least on long-distance ones someone usually comes round with a big bag.

 

[Mikey C]

Alternatively, if someone has a backpack on, give them room to manoeuvre. If it's a big backpack, trying to take it off in a crowded area will whack more people than just keeping it on.
It's a bit like those stickers on the backs of articulated lorries that say: "If you can't see my mirrors, I can't see you". Keep out of my blind-spot and you'll be fine.

People shouldn't be wearing big backpacks in a confined space like a train carriage anyway!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

People shouldn't be wearing big backpacks in a confined space like a train carriage anyway!

Perhaps people should have a bit more awareness of their surroundings and not expect everyone else to cater to their peculiar preferences. At least you can see a backpack on someone's back no matter how crowded it is... unlike those wheeled suitcases: which are hidden until you trip over them, and cause bottlenecks at staircases while their owners stop to faff about adjusting the handle before climbing the stairs.

The last time I checked trains were from getting from place to place, including for holidays, hiking trips etc.

 

[xotGD]

When there are two of you at a table, sit diagonally so that you can both stretch your legs.

 

[AM9]

Similarly, the area with tip-up seats marked out for bicycles is, actually, for bicycles. Please don't sit there when there are other seats available.



Indeed, and only right of course, although how does any staff pass holder know whether others boarding or standing are not pass holders too!
My personal etiquette, as a pass holder, is never to reserve a seat (except where compulsory, thankfully now rare post-Covid) and sit where I can.

Unless the staff member is in an identifiable uniform, it would be difficult for a fare-paying passenger to know that staff should give those seats up in times of need. So there is reliance on those travelling on passes to be honest.

 

[gg1]

Fixed that for you. Use headphones. There is and can be no excuse for this grossly antisocial and lazy behaviour, which is a Byelaw breach (if only the likes of Merseyrail's thugs would enforce that one!)

As long as they're not the awful Apple style ones which leak sound to everyone in the vicinity, if within hearing range (which admittedly is shorter) I find these far more annoying than someone not using headphones at all

 

[6Gman]

On a full train if a woman is old enough to be your mother or a man is old enough to be your grandfather you offer them your seat.

(I have reached an age where the former is rare and the latter vistually impossible, but ...)

Clearly if a person of any age has a visible disability you do so.

 

[Watershed]

Last week returning home from Manchester a 'lady' started doing a full acrylic nail job complete with adhesive, as well as running repairs to a heavily made up face. The nail adhesive was the stuff used in nail bars with full ventilation required, and yellow warning crosses on the bottles. The couple sat behind her complained, and she put it away, while pulling a face. I didnt get the fumes because of where I was sat, but that acrylic adhesive has a very pentrating smell and is hazardous.

What are the byelaws on this, if any?

Nail varnish is bad enough, that smells of acetone, which is the main solvent in it.

It's likely a Byelaw breach but I'd be amazed if anyone had ever been prosecuted for it:

Byelaw 6(8):

No person shall ... molest or wilfully interfere with the comfort or convenience of any person on the railway

I don't see a problem with people putting on make-up or eating food - but I draw the line if the smell is offensive, as it typically is with nail polish.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

how does any staff pass holder know whether others boarding or standing are not pass holders too!

As you rise, the others should surely say something like 'no, don't worry - I'm staff'.

 

[Jimini]

It's likely a Byelaw breach but I'd be amazed if anyone had ever been prosecuted for it:

Byelaw 6(8):


I don't see a problem with people putting on make-up or eating food - but I draw the line if the smell is offensive, as it typically is with nail polish.

I was on the H&C a while back, and at Mile End two women (unknown to each other) sat opposite me. One then proceeded to paint her nails, while the other cracked open a massive tub of Wasabi takeaway. That was an interesing fusion of aromas.

Nothing for me will ever beat a 'lady' on the DLR I saw about 15 years ago who, upon departure from Canary Wharf heading towards Bank, proceeded to get a makeup mirror out, balance finely on her little finger of each hand, and pop a big spot on her chin with her thumbs, that duly splatted all over said mirror. Oh, and it was the evening rush hour.

 

[jfowkes]

It was considered impolite to have a private or personal conversation in public, that little matter has died a death ever since mass adoption of the curse to peace and quiet, the mobile phone.
From a blue-collar low-income working class upbringing, it was my Grammar School inspired aspiration to become middle class, in adulthood, a prosperous yet non-ostentatious lifestyle, of income, white collar dress , manners, nice house and car etc.
My observation of middle class children is they aspire to be working class, "yoof culture", arm sleeves of tattoos, foul language, Mockney / Gor Blimey accents, public dress of shorts T-shirts and flip-flops,
Our Society of today is simply a Race-to-the-Bottom, nothing more and nothing less.

None of these things fall under the category of "etiquette".

You can be very, very discourteous to your fellow passengers while wearing a £500 suit and speaking the Queen's (Kings?) English. You can be the politest person on the world while wearing a ratty t-shirt and speaking like Del Boy.

Frankly, this is pure classism. Behaviour matters, not looks, accent or dress.

 

[Matt_pool]

If I'm sitting at one end of an almost empty carriage don't sit in the seat adjacent to me or the seat immediately in front or behind me. You have several dozen empty seats throughout the rest of the carriage to choose from, so there is no need for you to sit as close as possible to me!

And when you board a train at, for example, Liverpool Lime Street, there is no need to try and cram into the carriage closest to the station concourse because, depending on how busy it is, you will probably end up standing. Walk to the next carriage, or the one after that, or the one after that, where you will find plenty of seats. You might even find yourself in an almost empty carriage, but don't sit right next to me!

 

[Beebman]

If I'm sitting at one end of an almost empty carriage don't sit in the seat adjacent to me or the seat immediately in front or behind me. You have several dozen empty seats throughout the rest of the carriage to choose from, so there is no need for you to sit as close as possible to me!

Back in the 80s I was sitting on a 310 EMU at Euston which was rather less than 25% full so I was 'manspreading' a little on a double seat. About 2 or 3 minutes before departure a rather large lady boarded and sat on the seat next to me even though the double seat opposite was empty and there was only one person in the group of 6 seats on the other side of the aisle. She then proceeded to push me with the side of her body to give herself more room on the seat. I then stood up, glared at her and moved to another seat a couple of rows away.

 

[Wolfie]

This would be one of these things that wouldn't bother me, to be honest. Is it quite a recent thing, the dislike of other people eating snacks on the train? I'm sure back in the day people were a bit more relaxed about it, and back in the day also, many routes had a "Hot Buffet" of course.

Back in the day most trains didn't have air conditioning to spread the smell....

 

[mike57]

Personal cleaniness and hygiene is also an issue.

On the first occasion a very smelly and obviously homeless person got on and sat next to me, at a table of 4, with another man opposite. Fortunately the homeless person got off again at the next stop, the smell was quite offensive, but about about five minutes later a small dark brown/red 'thing' was crawling on the table, I popped it with my fingernail against the table, it was definitely a flea. The man opposite me looked at me and said, 'Was that what I think it was?'. I texted my wife, and she was waiting at the front door with a black bin liner, my clothes went on a hot wash and I went in the shower.

The second occasion we were doing a supplier evaluation in Liverpool, I had travelled to Liverpool South Parkway and met my colleague there. The factory was a rat infested hovel on the banks of the Mersey, with a complete absence of health and safety. I was all for making our excuses and leaving but my colleague who was a commercial person said 'no we have to complete it', the work they were tendering for was part of a government contract. I always carry overalls, a good job too, the place was filthy, not helped with unprotected shot blasting taking place in the main shed that served as a production area. When we came out I was filthy, I looked like I had been down a coal mine. When I got on the train to come home I got some odd looks, but washing up at the site was a no go, think 'Trainspotting' style toilet, cold tap and no sink. So I had to travel as I was. Once on the train I went to the disabled toilet and cleaned up a bit, at least my hands, forearms and face were clean, but that just drew attention to the rest of me. On the last bit of the journey home one of the guards, who I saw fairly often said "where the hell have you been" and I told the story. Needless to say the company we visited never got a sniff of the business.

 

[E27007]

None of these things fall under the category of "etiquette".

You can be very, very discourteous to your fellow passengers while wearing a £500 suit and speaking the Queen's (Kings?) English. You can be the politest person on the world while wearing a ratty t-shirt and speaking like Del Boy.

Frankly, this is pure classism. Behaviour matters, not looks, accent or dress.

Etiquette:
Basically how to act in a civil manner in public, how to engage with others in social situations, without causing embarrassment to others. forgot to mention those middle-class children who have cultivated trendy "drop the 'aitches" , "glottal stop" , Estuary English accents.

1. The practices and forms prescribed by social convention or by authority
2. Conventional requirement or custom in regard to social behavior or observance; prescriptive usage, especially in polite society or for ceremonial intercourse; propriety of conduct as established in any class or community or for any occasion; good manners; polite behavior.

 

[Purple Train]

People shouldn't be wearing big backpacks in a confined space like a train carriage anyway!

What if you're going on holiday for a week and can't use a suitcase?

 

[Ken H]

What if you're going on holiday for a week and can't use a suitcase?

take it off and carry it. Most have a carrying loop at the top.

 

[SargeNpton]

What if you're going on holiday for a week and can't use a suitcase?

You take it off just before you board the train and carry it on.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

You take it off just before you board the train and carry it on.

Again, that would be more inconvenient for both the carrier and everyone around them. They'll be slower and more of a hindrance. Just be aware of how they'll move, just as how if you're a cyclist you need to be aware of how large vehicles behave when making turns.

I'm going to start taking my large rucksack even if I don't need it, just to see how many people I can "whack" because they were impatient or not paying attention.

 

[Gloster]

Do whatever you want with your rucksack, so long as it causes the least inconvenience to others. Do not swing round carelessly in the gangway so that your rucksack sweeps everything off a table and then thumps people in the face. And remember that all those water bottles and so on that you have dangling can swing out.

 

[Wolfie]

Do whatever you want with your rucksack, so long as it causes the least inconvenience to others. Do not swing round carelessly in the gangway so that your rucksack sweeps everything off a table and then thumps people in the face. And remember that all those water bottles and so on that you have dangling can swing out.

People with big rucksacks which they insist on wearing are an absolute menace on the tube when it's crowded. I've seen several physical confrontations result.

 

[PGAT]

My favourite way to view this is as a black-white gradient. On one end you have the objectively polite and acceptable thing to do. On the other end you have completely unacceptable behaviour. Trying to draw a line between the two is difficult because it is a literal grey area and very subjective.

 

[riceuten]

If I am sat alone at a table and a family of 4 turn up, one of you is going to have to stand. I am not standing up to let you sit together as a family. And I am CERTAINLY not going to stand up and let your teenage child sit down, particularly if I have made a reservation and you have not.

No, I am NOT a nice person.

 

[nw1]

On a full train if a woman is old enough to be your mother or a man is old enough to be your grandfather you offer them your seat.

So a teenager should offer their seat to a woman of age X, but a twenty-something should not?

 

[Peter0124]

Children sometimes cry. Live with it. If you think the whole coach should be silent for your benefit you need to be in coach Volkswagen Golf.

What happens if the sound of crying babies actually causes sensory distress when heard?

 

[tivoli]

On a train, someone on mobile had a poor connection, kept saying "can you hear me?" Completely out of character I said " we can all here you". Didn't get an applause from fellow passengers but there were audible sniggers.