Is it rude to attempt to reach the doors while the train is still moving?

[tannedfrog]

On a very busy Jubilee line train arriving at a station where no-one usually gets off but many get on, I attempted to move towards the doors while the train was slowing down.

I was told off and that I needed to wait until the train had stopped before the person would make way for me.

Who is in the right in terms of normal tube etiquette?

 

[The Apprentice]

I'd say it varies on a case by case basis. Though even if usually not many people get off there, you aren't to know who specifically.

If it is absolutely packed to the rim i.e. people do not even attempt to get on that train when its' doors open then I think it's fair to make an early attempt to get near the doors however if it's just a reasonably busy train where some walking/shuffling is more possible then better to wait until the train stops or else you start shuffling and pushing past people who are/could be also getting off at that stop - in which case you look and feel stupid.

 

[yorkie]

On a very busy Jubilee line train arriving at a station where no-one usually gets off but many get on, I attempted to move towards the doors while the train was slowing down.

I was told off and that I needed to wait until the train had stopped before the person would make way for me.

Who is in the right in terms of normal tube etiquette?

I agree it depends on a case-by-case basis, but I've never seen anything like that before.

I guess the solution is to say "excuse me, are you getting off at the next stop?" to the person blocking your way and if they indicate they are, then you know to follow them, and if not then it would be totally wrong of them not to allow you to pass (though it can get complex in cases where there are many people in your way and conditions are really busy).

It would be daft to say that no-one should ever make their way towards doors until the train has come to a stand, as if that policy was followed it would cause no end of problems, so if the other passenger was suggesting that, then they're clearly wrong.

 

[Muzer]

Nah, it's London. It's illegal to talk to strangers except in disapproval for not knowing the etiquette

 

[Class172]

Nah, it's London. It's illegal to talk to strangers except in disapproval for not knowing the etiquette

Even eye-contact is frowned upon.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

On a very busy Jubilee line train arriving at a station where no-one usually gets off but many get on, I attempted to move towards the doors while the train was slowing down.

I was told off and that I needed to wait until the train had stopped before the person would make way for me.

Who is in the right in terms of normal tube etiquette?

Depends entirely on how you moved towards the doors. Were you pushing past people? It seems odd that somebody would chastise you just for moving towards the door if it wasn't affecting anybody else.

 

[Tetchytyke]

I get irritated if someone tries to get past me when I'm standing in the narrow bit of the aisle on the deep tube stock. There isn't the room, for one thing, and secondly I don't like to let go of the grabrail until the train has stopped. This is even more important on ATO lines, because the train doesn't always brake or accelerate when you expect it to.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Blimey - I never hold on including on the ATO lines... ( unless the train is crowded and I can't go into the "balance" position ).

 

[island]

Nah, it's London. It's illegal to talk to strangers except in disapproval for not knowing the etiquette

There was a chap got on my tube a few weeks ago on a Sunday and loudly announced to the carriage "everyone, take out your headphones, put away your phones and newspapers, and talk to the person next to you. It is the weekend; I forbid you to be anti-social until Monday at 7am".

 

[tannedfrog]

I get irritated if someone tries to get past me when I'm standing in the narrow bit of the aisle on the deep tube stock.

It was exactly this. I didn't push past but indicated that I would like to move towards the exit

The station I was getting off has a ratio of 1 person off to 20 people trying to get on, at that time in the morning!

 

[Clip]

There was a chap got on my tube a few weeks ago on a Sunday and loudly announced to the carriage "everyone, take out your headphones, put away your phones and newspapers, and talk to the person next to you. It is the weekend; I forbid you to be anti-social until Monday at 7am".

Did he get a shoeing?

 

[paddington]

I was told off

I'd say that that person broke the most important rule by talking to you.

 

[tranzitjim]

Depends if you are getting on or off.

If you are getting off, then I say, you should be standing at the door as the train arrives in at the platform.

If you are getting on, always presume there may be people who may get off, and they have the right to get off before you can get on. Therefore, I would say 'Always stand to the side of the door, wait for the door to open, and see if the doorway is clear before you hop on.

 

[bb21]

Rude? I can't see how it's rude. Waiting till the train has stopped then start swapping places would just add to the dwell times, and then the very same people will probably be moaning about because they lost valuable time.

That said, I have yet to encounter anyone who refuses to at least shift a little when enquired politely.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Blimey - I never hold on including on the ATO lines...

I'm on the Northern Line and the ATO still seems very jumpy. My sense of balance is appalling though!

I'll shift over if I can, if asked. It's the ones who barge past when there's clearly nowhere to go that get me.

 

[cdonnigan]

of course you should make your way to the doors, if you waited till the train stops and then fight your way through people getting on and off theirs also a chance you could have the doors closed on you, ask the person polity to move out of the way and if the refuse theirs always a thing called a elbow you can use to get past them.

 

[joeykins82]

It depends on whether or not the people between you and the doors also look like they themselves might wish to alight. Squeezing past people who want to get off is likely to cause unhappiness!

 

[Mikey C]

I find it depends on the station, when you use a route regularly to get to learn whether half the carriage is likely to get off, or if you're the only one and need to be by the door before 50 people all try and board.

Of course there are dangers. Once on the Paris Metro, I stood up to walk to the doors while the train was still moving, it stopped suddenly and I went flying. Naturally I put a hand out to stop my movement, which landed on the chest of a very shocked woman. Apologising in French was tricky, but it was a nice soft landing