The problem is that too many people don't proactively move their bag. They selfishly leave it there and wait and see if anyone has the courage to ask them to move it.
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Sitting with a person when a train is empty
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northwichcat
Established Member
I'd say you're too self concious if you're worrying about which cubicle others are in. If you're using the urinal and someone uses the one next to you when none of the others are in use it's a different matter.
I think some of those complaining about people locating themselves near them don't appreciate that for some people being near another person on an empty train or an empty car park feels safer than being in isolation at a distance.
Also, in both the car and the toilet cubicle examples, for some people use the adjoining space/cubicle feels organisationally neater, and makes it clearer for others which areas are free.
Also, in both the car and the toilet cubicle examples, for some people use the adjoining space/cubicle feels organisationally neater, and makes it clearer for others which areas are free.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Anyone remember the old downstairs layout at Manc Picc where you not only had to consider next to you but also who was facing you, as the urinals were in the middle mounted on a partition that was only about 5' high?
northwichcat
Established Member
Plus could have missed important annoucements. On a service I caught yesterday there was one from the guard where he started by saying this is a very important annoucement and I need everyone's attention. He then said control have requested the train we were on is returned to the depot, so everyone needs to alight at the next station and board the unit that's already sat at platform 7. When people started to leave one man was still sat on the train with his laptop open and headphones in. A woman taps him on the shoulder and said "We all have to get off here", his response was "I'm not getting off. This isn't my station".
I'd say if it that's the case and the train is almost empty, sit near other people rather than as close as possible.
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duffield
Established Member
I had this happen a few years ago, middle of the day, empty carriage, loads of table seats, non-reservable service, bloke sits right opposite me after passing several empty bays .
I immediately smiled, said something like "all yours!" and moved. He looked a bit taken aback, but didn't say anything though.
If someone wants a particular seat that badly, it's fine with me, as long as they don't follow me when I move they're welcome to it.
I immediately smiled, said something like "all yours!" and moved. He looked a bit taken aback, but didn't say anything though.
If someone wants a particular seat that badly, it's fine with me, as long as they don't follow me when I move they're welcome to it.
Purple Train
Established Member
All I can say is that had they done that to me, they would be listening to my collected essays/gushing appreciation of the pre-Raphaelites (and, failing that, Latin declensions, and, failing that, evangelisation) while I studiously avoid eye contact! It's really desperately strange behaviour and definitely the kind of thing I would have complained about. Fortunately it's not something I've encountered - I probably look enough like an insufferable eccentric as it is!
Quite possibly, yes, but I don't think that applies in the OP's example.
Dr_Paul
Established Member
- Joined
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I had a similar experience on a bus one afternoon. I was at the front, upstairs, travelling along Piccadilly, when a bloke plonked himself next to me, pushing me a bit to the side (he was a bit portly), then whipped out a smelly meat pie which he ate, scattering crumbs all over the place. And his personal hygiene was none too good either. There were plenty of empty seats on which he could have sat without discomforting anyone else. Fortunately, he alighted fairly quickly, otherwise I would have moved to another seat.
I do not sit next to, or indeed close to, other passengers on buses and trains if there are sufficient empty seats; I think it's just good manners.
I do not sit next to, or indeed close to, other passengers on buses and trains if there are sufficient empty seats; I think it's just good manners.
There is a big difference though between somebody sitting near you or at your table and quietly keeping to themselves or any travelling partners, and choosing to sit at the same table somebody has a laptop out and proceeding to have a loud meal while other tables remained free.
YorksLad12
Established Member
If I'm on my usual, 4-car XC set from Leeds to Sheffield I'll take an aisle airline seat if I can't get a window (this is the unreserved coach, of course). The Wakefield College kids get off at... Wakefield, there's usually a window seat free after that so I move. For some reason I get odd looks from some people, as if I should stay where I am. Moving gets me leg (and arm) room, same for the person I've left behind. People who don't do this (especially when they sit next to me) are annoying; except, as noted upthread, if it's a woman travelling on her own and she wants to feel safer away from youths or crowds (I've got my earphones in usually).
There was one time though... catching the 0738 from Leeds, it was an unrefurbished Pacer with the bus seats. A woman was sitting in the aisle seat of a three, I asked if I could take the window seat, she moved out of my way... then moved across the aisle to take the aisle seat where another woman had the window seat. Perhaps she wanted an aisle seat so she wouldn't miss her stop, perhaps I was a bloke. Who knows. Other people had walked past and squished themselves in elsewhere. I don't do that.
I agree, although it is sometimes hard to know how much sound is escaping.
That annoyance is nothing though compared to those who play music or take calls with the full speaker on. Why do they do it?
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
If you choose a desirable seat, be that the only table, a priority seat or the front seat of a bus, you can't really complain if someone else feels its desirabiliy overrides the downside of sitting next to someone. If you want to keep the other one free until late, pick a regular seat. On a train, facing backwards is a good bet.
Topological
Member
Quite, and these days just having a table is desirable.
I need the table for work, so if I get on a train with someone at every table but airlines free I am likely to sit at the table.
I've done very little rail travel in Spain but on one trip (regional train, compulsory reservations) the guard was coming round marking occupied seats off on a list so while I don't expect anyone would have been fined for being in the wrong place, it might have caused some confusion.
Same here.
I once made a point to someone on a half empty carriage why they would sit next to me as my son looked on horrified at me. The carriage was half empty, it wasn't as if they didn't like sitting with their backs to travel and yes, there were table seats available. He did ask if anyone was sitting there and I said. No but I don't want you next to me. There are plenty of other seats. As the OP pointed out it's just plain weird. Lets be honest, most people don't want to sit with anyone when they don't have to. It's natural. If it were busy of course it would be a completely different matter.
At a guess autopilot putting them in the best place for their journey. For some journeys l know exactly where l want to get on and indeed off.....
Yup
Topological
Member
Indeed. If it is the location of the door furthest from the barriers at Piccadilly on a 2-car TfW then that is exactly where I am standing, no matter if the rest of the platform seems empty. RealTimeTrains is very useful in that regard.
The person who is annoyed may not realise that is the motivation for the proximity, but possibly they do because of their own choice of that location.
I will sometimes. Today on a crowded and standing Overground train l saw far worse though. An old couple sat with their bloody fat mutt on the seat between them. What the hell?
bramling
Veteran Member
I can sympathise with why people do this, for the very reason that it reduces the likelihood of something happening along the lines of what the OP referred to. Once bitten twice shy is perhaps an appropriate saying.
Scotrail do that on HSTs, everyone in one coach with reservations.
That's fair enough.
bramling
Veteran Member
Why not? Generally in this country the unspoken norm is first-come-first-served, so essentially it’s a case of sucking it up.
Personally in the case of something like a table I might sit diagonally opposite someone if I particularly want a table, but I’d forego it if it meant sitting directly opposite someone who is there first (even if it meant having to have an aisle seat, which I generally dislike). As I afford this courtesy to others, I expect it to apply in reverse. I can’t see how anyone could find this unreasonable.
randyrippley
Established Member
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- 21 Feb 2016
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Happened to me years ago on a virtually empty eurostar from Paris.
French middle aged couple insisted on sharing the table.
Unfortunately for them I'd had a week of high living and alcohol on business expenses, resulting in a bad attack of extremely noxious farts all through the journey. They didn't move, but they certainly suffered for their persistence.
French middle aged couple insisted on sharing the table.
Unfortunately for them I'd had a week of high living and alcohol on business expenses, resulting in a bad attack of extremely noxious farts all through the journey. They didn't move, but they certainly suffered for their persistence.
Happened a few times to me. I thought it was their regular seats or something. I feel that some elderly people like the comfort of sitting close to someone.
Anyone ever sat opposite some one in single seats that face each other like on the Class 390s?
Anyone ever sat opposite some one in single seats that face each other like on the Class 390s?
pokemonsuper9
Established Member
On a Class 769 (they have a 2+1 bit at one end, no tables).
But I have a feeling that's very different to what you meant
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Because you get one seat. The one next to you, if unoccupied, is available for someone else to take. You have no right, moral or legal, to have it for yourself.
If you want to minimise the chance of someone choosing it, make sure you choose an undesirable row. A backward facing airline seat with a poor window view is likely to be the least popular choice so unless the train's full you are less likely to get someone choose that.
Well, from a personal point of view I'm not cramming myself into a normal row (which with my history of DVT could actually be dangerous for me) or standing just so you don't get me sat next to you in a priority row. Your preference to a pair of seats for yourself doesn't override that. Because I can stand I wouldn't kick someone out of a priority row but I absolutely will sit in an empty seat in one whether the person there might happen to like that or not - if they don't need the priority row and they don't like it they can move.
Nor (in relevant cases) am I choosing an airline seat (harder to work on my laptop if I wish to do this) when a seat at a table is available.
You can't expect that others will share your priorities - the best way to ensure them is to pick an undesirable seat.
Also if I've reserved a seat and there aren't any unreserved seats in the coach I'm having it. I'm not risking being kicked out of another one later.
Nottingham59
Established Member
When I had a long-term project in London, I used to treat myself to first class back home to Nottingham on Fridays, via Grantham on the 1835h LNER. I'd always reserve one of the single seats next to the galley, most of which had a single seat facing across the table. I got to talk to loads of interesting people that way.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
I have in 1st, but only where (a) I had reserved it or (b) there were no tables for 2 or double seats on the other side spare (the reason I upgrade to 1st is so as not to sit next to someone - opposite with the massive legroom you get is no major issue). The pair of single Standard seats round a table in a 390 is generally reserved for those who have booked assistance as it's opposite the guard's cabin, if you try sitting there you are generally asked to move.