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[Stampy]

Had the same experience with food on Saturday on board the 1835 from Manchester back to Stoke-on-Trent.

I'd bought a Cornish Pastie from one of the shops at Piccadilly (as had my mate who was travelling with me)

After getting on the train, and turfing out two people who were sitting in our seats (they wandered off down the train into 2 seperate seats) - we sat down and opened up our food, as did the young Student sitting opposite us..

Train stops at Stockport, and then sets off again......

Next thing, one of the two "turfed out" people is collaring the guard (who had just entered the carriage from the FRONT of the train) complaining that the smell of my food is making him (and his "friend" sick), and that WE should be moved.

We were sat in the first set of 4 seats in Coach B.

Immediately the guard points out that there are OTHERS in the carriage eating food, and (after checking our tickets and seat reservations), suggested to the middle aged gent who'd complained that there were PLENTY of seats available on the train further towards the front......

The gent then wandered off muttering under his breath.

When my colleague and me got off at Stoke, as the train pulled out - we saw the gent and his friend move BACK into our seats - giving us a wave (and two fingers) as they passed!!!

 

[Jonfun]

I fail to understand why people get so upset at others eating on trains. The only effect it has on me is to make me hungry!

 

[bradders1983]

I fail to understand why people get so upset at others eating on trains. The only effect it has on me is to make me hungry!

Mostly because it stinks.

I recall going up to Leeds from Sheffield on one of the first XC services of the day. Was busy and a summer Saturday morning and got a seat at a table.

As we set off, the young Chinese lady sat opposite me proceeded to get a "full Chinese" out of her bag! Some sweet and spurs stuff, and stodgy rice.

Made me feel nauseous so I went and sat on the floor near the doors!

 

[Mugby]

I fail to understand why people get so upset at others eating on trains. The only effect it has on me is to make me hungry!

Depends what it is. I have no problem with people eating on trains, I often do it myself but some junk food can smell pretty horrible.

Regarding the OP, I was travelling on the same line a couple of years ago, 19.33 SOT - DBY one Saturday evening, some football fans boarded at Stoke and one of them had a box of Southern Fried Chicken (or something like) Just after Uttoxeter, he was violently sick over the ajacent seat, all down himself and again in the aisle whilst attempting to reach the toilet. Now whether this was down to the amount of beer he'd had or whether it was food poisoning, I don't know but he had made such an unspeakable mess that the 156 unit had to be taken out of service on arrival at Derby.

One consolation was that a BT Policeman was waiting for the arrival so I like to think that the conductor had phoned ahead and requested attendance.

 

[Jonfun]

You see to me, Bradders, that would just make me call into the takeaway on the way home. Someone once brought out these eight or nine pots of hot meat, dips and various bread-y things that looked like a goat had died and was decomposing but the smell made me so tempted to ask what it was just so I could go and buy some.

That said, I suppose it's individual. I can't eat tomato, for example, unless it's as part of a spicy sauce like salsa or in a curry as the taste of it makes me feel sick. Last night I got caught out when I ordered a burger in 'spoons and they put a tomato on where they just normally put lettuce and onions, so spent the next ten minutes looking like a wally having to dispose of the vile red thing and it's goo which it had deposited over everything.

 

[bradders1983]

You see to me, Bradders, that would just make me call into the takeaway on the way home. Someone once brought out these eight or nine pots of hot meat, dips and various bread-y things that looked like a goat had died and was decomposing but the smell made me so tempted to ask what it was just so I could go and buy some.

That said, I suppose it's individual. I can't eat tomato, for example, unless it's as part of a spicy sauce like salsa or in a curry as the taste of it makes me feel sick. Last night I got caught out when I ordered a burger in 'spoons and they put a tomato on where they just normally put lettuce and onions, so spent the next ten minutes looking like a wally having to dispose of the vile red thing and it's goo which it had deposited over everything.

It was a Saturday morning at about 9am, nobody wants the waft of Chinese food at that time!

 

[TheNewNo2]

I don't mind people eating on trains generally, but it does depend what they're eating. In any communal situation there has to be some accommodation, that is why the microwaves in my office kitchen say "please do not cook fish". A warm cornish pastie isn't smelly, a hot chicken korma is.

I did once see a group of women having a tea party on a Pendolino between Preston and Oxenholme. I also once saw someone on the tube with a big Tesco trifle, studiously eating the whipped cream only.

 

[6Gman]

Class 153 ventilation is ....... weird.

Was on a Crewe - Salop the other day and the draught from an open window was noticeable in the oddest places, and totally absent near the window itself.

 

[Jonfun]

Regarding the OP, I was travelling on the same line a couple of years ago, 19.33 SOT - DBY one Saturday evening, some football fans boarded at Stoke and one of them had a box of Southern Fried Chicken (or something like) Just after Uttoxeter, he was violently sick over the ajacent seat, all down himself and again in the aisle whilst attempting to reach the toilet. Now whether this was down to the amount of beer he'd had or whether it was food poisoning, I don't know but he had made such an unspeakable mess that the 156 unit had to be taken out of service on arrival at Derby.

Almost certainly an excess of alcohol, or too much alcohol followed by trying to eat too much at once. Food poisoning takes a little longer than half an hour to set in.
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It was a Saturday morning at about 9am, nobody wants the waft of Chinese food at that time!

I wouldn't want to eat it at that time of the morning - unless we're talking a Chinese breakfast. Does such a thing exist? What is it? I might need to research this.

But I can't say I'd object to it's smell. The only smells I object to are people who've perhaps neglected to have a bath that morning sitting near me, and people spraying air freshener/perfume/deoderant near me as it'll in many cases set me off having an allergic reaction.

 

[Deepgreen]

Sliding ventilators were much better for controllable ventilation. I never understood why they got rid of them.

They were better, but were replaced by hoppers to prevent people losing their heads when leaning out of them!

 

[Robert Taggart]

Seeing as how Blighty be drowning in 'Coffin Dodgers' - oneself would have open more windows - if only to accelerate the 'passing process'

 

[SS4]

Since OP was told to shut the window I'd have told her to get lost. Had I been asked somewhat politely then I would have shut the window. I'm someone who is naturally hot and may not be aware that others find it cold. Air con is a good idea but I usually find it's set to the temperature of Satan's armpit!

Respect is not earned by avoiding the grim reaper for a pre-determined amount of time but instead by one's actions and demeanour. Demanding OP shut the window and eating a takeaway on board tell me that it's unlikely she's earned respect

 

[Strat-tastic]

I'm someone who is naturally hot

Me too

 

[Jamesb1974]

Baffling. An entire thread on one person asking another to close a window.

 

[stut]

unless we're talking a Chinese breakfast. Does such a thing exist? What is it?

Indeed it does - food forms a vital part of your average Chinese person's diet.

It varies region to region, but dim sum is traditionally a breakfast (or at least morning) dish, but then there's congee (rice porridge, although I reckon they do it better in Thailand - those Thai spices just suit it better), steamed buns, and a whole host of dumpling and noodle-based dishes. Some seriously tasty stuff!

 

[Starmill]

It isn't! You usually end up with some folk coming it's too cold and some complaining it's too hot.

If someone is having that much of a strop at a window, in a train with air conditioning they are likely to turn said strop to the guard! Air conditioning helps, IMHO, if it's working. But this problem is mainly one of attitude, rather than temperature.

 

[Pigeon]

Almost certainly an excess of alcohol, or too much alcohol followed by trying to eat too much at once. Food poisoning takes a little longer than half an hour to set in.

Not necessarily... depends what variety of nasties are in it. I've eaten a curry and ended up throwing up for a week, starting five minutes after swallowing the last mouthful.

But I can't say I'd object to it's smell. The only smells I object to are people who've perhaps neglected to have a bath that morning sitting near me, and people spraying air freshener/perfume/deoderant near me as it'll in many cases set me off having an allergic reaction.

Agreed. I do not get the thing about food smells "making people feel sick" unless they are already feeling pretty dodgy and in danger of being sick anyway; I think it's people exaggerating for effect, since if the smell really did make people feel sick I can't see anyone trying to eat it in the first place.

By far the worst smell problem arises from those odoriferous compounds which are dispensed from some kind of aerosol container and whose use on battlefields is banned by international convention. Doesn't really matter whether people apply them to their body actually on the train or at some point before boarding, because the nostril-reaming stench pervades the entire carriage anyway even if the perpetrator is several seats away, and also gets in your hair and in your clothes so you can still smell it several hours later, and a bath and complete change of clothing are necessary to get rid of it. Which is a problem if it is the outward journey on which you get gassed. They are not quite as bad as nitrogen trichloride, but they aren't far off.

Obviously this argument is solved by air conditioning.

Not at all, it is merely suppressed because there are no controls accessible to the passengers to argue over.

And air conditioning fails horribly in certain conditions. One example being a cold, bright winter's day where the air temperature is low so the system whacks the heat up, but the low sun is blazing in through the windows and roasting you in your seat. Another being when it packs up on a sweltering summer's day and the passengers end up with a choice of smashing the unopenable windows or suffering from heatstroke.

 

[Chris Wallis]

Open windows have been the biggest cause of trouble I've seen while travelling on trains.

Now that I'm a bit more mature (!) I try to be more relaxed about things, but I once saw a City Type in his 20's bullying a 13/14 year old over an open window on 365 leaving KX. Before I knew it the red mist had kicked in and if it wasn't for the idiots girl friend shutting him up things could have got out of hand.

 

[radamfi]

Not at all, it is merely suppressed because there are no controls accessible to the passengers to argue over.

That's the point. It stops passengers arguing with each other. Presumably there will be no more new trains without air conditioning so such debates on trains will eventually go away.

 

[SephenWorceste]

It is odd but takeaway food seems to smell more than home or restaurant food. I hate hot takeaway away food on trains but don't have a problem with onboard restaurants or food service.

 

[quarella]

If someone is having that much of a strop at a window, in a train with air conditioning they are likely to turn said strop to the guard! Air conditioning helps, IMHO, if it's working. But this problem is mainly one of attitude, rather than temperature.

Air conditioning reduces the draught argument however it does create it's own problems. The location of the sensor has to be considered as the draught caused by doors opening can have a negative effect. Even if it is working reasonably well there will still be complaints as it will not suit all for a variety of reasons.

 

[Greenback]

It isn't! You usually end up with some folk coming it's too cold and some complaining it's too hot.

At least it would eliminate arguments over open/closed windows!

 

[paulfoel]

Had this the other day. Elderly lady got on same stop as me.

Walked past and closed EVERY window in the section (about 4 of them) then sat down near the front. It was a warm day.

I sat 2-3 rows behind and re-opened my window. She came over and said she was closed and I had to close it.

I did point out the train moved at speed so an open window 3 rows behind wouldn't have much effect on her.

 

[Greenback]

People should at least wait and see if there's any effect, rather than assuming that any old open window will cause them discomfort.

 

[TheNewNo2]

People should at least wait and see if there's any effect, rather than assuming that any old open window will cause them discomfort.

That would rely on angry people applying logic.

 

[hulabaloo]

Perhaps introduce male and female only carriages with windows locked open or shut respectively?

 

[Mikey C]

On a related topic, double decker buses in winter can get really steamy upstairs when it's raining, the only answer (if you like to see out) being to open a window, but I'm rarely that brave!

It's noticeable how the aircon(ish) system on the Borismaster does control this, except on one bus last winter in which it had packed up, and the windows were dripping in condensation as a result!

 

[Bletchleyite]

All (or almost all) London double deckers, even ones without air cooling, have whacking great extractor fans at the back. They can be noisy, but do completely remove the condensation issue, allowing a better view out and stopping the bus stinking of mould etc. Well worth fitting; it's a shame they are only ever seen in London.

 

[radamfi]

On a related topic, double decker buses in winter can get really steamy upstairs when it's raining, the only answer (if you like to see out) being to open a window, but I'm rarely that brave!

It's noticeable how the aircon(ish) system on the Borismaster does control this, except on one bus last winter in which it had packed up, and the windows were dripping in condensation as a result!

Double glazing avoids steamed up windows, and double glazing is normal in Europe outside the UK and Ireland. The UK and Ireland don't even use double glazing on single decks in most cases. Having 2 axles on a double decker is cost cutting as you can't have double glazing because of the weight. Most places outside the UK and Ireland which use double decks have 3 axles, so you can have double glazing and air conditioning.

 

[Hadders]

There's nothing like a class 365 on a hot summers day, storming down the fast lines on the ECML with all the windows open. A real wind in the hair job