is reserving a seat on a short trip silly?

[highspeed990]

I need to make a trip and the first part involves a cross country slow train. The trip should take about 10 minutes on the cross country, and I noticed 'seat reservations are possible'

Should I reserve a seat because I can? I prefer a table seat but if all the table seats are taken, would it be silly to ask someone to move out of your reservation? And would the guard even make them if they refused?

 

[gazthomas]

Personally I think it is silly on such a short trip, but if you can then it's your decision

 

[highspeed990]

I guess so. But sometimes I get a bit uneasy when travelling, so it helps for me to have a spacious forward facing table window seat, but obviously to anyone else it would seem silly.

 

[gazthomas]

I guess so. But sometimes I get a bit uneasy when travelling, so it helps for me to have a spacious forward facing table window seat, but obviously to anyone else it would seem silly.

On that basis then it is reasonable

 

[alxndr]

I personally wouldn't usually bother, but there's no reason why you shouldn't reserve a seat if you would prefer to do so.
There have been times where I reserved seats when I wouldn't usually bother, for example, when I was travelling home from surgery so that I could make sure I had somewhere to sit.

 

[Bayum]

I would, because I find it so difficult to stand and move for long periods. If I've walked to the station, need to stand on the train, and then walk out of the station and to my destination, I'd be wanting a seat, yes.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I wouldn't as I don't mind standing for 10 minutes, but see no reason why you should not if you want to. And if you have reserved it and the reservations have been marked you have every right to chuck someone out of it (verbally ).

 

[highspeed990]

The train is not likely to be packed, however it is possible for all the table seats to be taken. In this case I might look strange asking someone to move, and the guard may not take the reservation seriously.

 

[xotGD]

I saw a reservation ticket on TPE today: Manchester Oxford Road - Manchester Piccadilly.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The train is not likely to be packed, however it is possible for all the table seats to be taken. In this case I might look strange asking someone to move, and the guard may not take the reservation seriously.

If it's reserved, it's reserved.

 

[Darandio]

I saw a reservation ticket on TPE today: Manchester Oxford Road - Manchester Piccadilly.

Me: Hi, you are sitting in my seat, I have it reserved.
Them: Sorry sir, i'll just get my things together and move.
Me: It's okay, i'm getting off now.

 

[highspeed990]

Really? We'll if such things are normal, I might use that text app and reserve a seat during all my travels

 

[Bletchleyite]

I saw a reservation ticket on TPE today: Manchester Oxford Road - Manchester Piccadilly.

You do get those, generally on the online sites you can either choose with or without, not "don't be silly" for very short legs like that.

 

[highspeed990]

what do you mean bletcheyite?

 

[highspeed990]

Darandio that would very literally be true on a reservation between City Thameslink and London Blackfriars

 

[Bletchleyite]

what do you mean bletcheyite?

What I meant was that if you book online for a journey like:

Manchester Oxford Rd-Manchester Pic
Manchester Pic-London Euston

or somesuch, you can't say "I want a reservation for leg 2 but not for leg 1", it's either all or nothing.

10 minutes is long enough not to be silly. MCO-MAN is about a minute by the time you've sat down.

 

[highspeed990]

Bletchleyite how do you do the quote text bubble thing? I clicked quote but there's no option for me to put it in my comment?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Bletchleyite how do you do the quote text bubble thing? I clicked quote but there's no option for me to put it in my comment?

Oh I see what you're doing now. Click the <<Reply button and it does it. The quote button is multiquote, you get an insert quotes button to use the ones you copied.

 

[xfield]

For most it might be "silly" but some may have trouble standing due to a disability or injury, and would need the seat even for a short while - and it'll be easier to have a reserved seat perhaps than ask someone to move from the accessible seats closest the door (they can't be reserved can they?).

 

[Kite159]

I guess so. But sometimes I get a bit uneasy when travelling, so it helps for me to have a spacious forward facing table window seat, but obviously to anyone else it would seem silly.

Problem with XC is that you can't select the direction of travel due to the frequent reversals the units make

 

[6Gman]

I saw a reservation ticket on TPE today: Manchester Oxford Road - Manchester Piccadilly.

I've seen an ATW Guard busily putting cards to exactly that effect on a 175 at Llandudno!

 

[satisnek]

I saw a reservation ticket on TPE today: Manchester Oxford Road - Manchester Piccadilly.

That's beaten mine (on XC): Birmingham New Street - University

 

[Kite159]

That's beaten mine (on XC): Birmingham New Street - University

Like the Piccadilly - Oxford Road reservations, makes sense if someone is travelling from further afield to University as the system is 'All or Nothing'.

And depending on the ticket held, 10p that person who had the seat reserved on XC probably didn't use it (rather jumping on the first available crosscity train to University to avoid waiting around).

I wouldn't be surprised if there is there has been some random "Fratton - Portsmouth Harbour" reservations for the GWR 158s when someone is travelling from one of the local stations between Southampton & Fareham, changing to the next Portsmouth Harbour service behind the stopper

 

[Bletchleyite]

The problem with those, of course, is that they prevent a "sensible" reservation being made by blocking a seat. Perhaps there should be a minimum distance/journey time for reservations being issued online? (A ticket office would see it was silly and not bother anyway unless the passenger specifically asked for it for some reason).

 

[Ianno87]

For most it might be "silly" but some may have trouble standing due to a disability or injury, and would need the seat even for a short while - and it'll be easier to have a reserved seat perhaps than ask someone to move from the accessible seats closest the door (they can't be reserved can they?).

And oldish couple boarded the Victoria Line at Euston today. Ran in a 'wobbly' manner. for the train and even force held the doors open as they were vlosing. Guy had a walking stick.

Then walked carefully down the carriage to find and sit in the priority seats (lots of other seats free)

Sat down for 25 seconds.

Then stood up and got off at Warren Street.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That's unusual. My experience is that people for whom priority seats are intended actually don't like them, because regular seats are easier to hold onto the seat in front to sit down because the pitch is tighter.

I sit in a priority seat on almost every journey (for legroom) and have never, ever had to give one up.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I need to make a trip and the first part involves a cross country slow train. The trip should take about 10 minutes on the cross country, and I noticed 'seat reservations are possible'

Should I reserve a seat because I can? I prefer a table seat but if all the table seats are taken, would it be silly to ask someone to move out of your reservation? And would the guard even make them if they refused?

If you have taken the time to reserve a seat then you deserve that seat regardless of the duration. (I frequently reserve between Reading and Basingstoke).

No it isn't silly to ask someone to move out of your seat! They haven't bothered to reserve - you have, therefore you deserve the seat, not them. Although maybe if an elderly person is sitting there, I'd just look for an other seat instead...

 

[satisnek]

And depending on the ticket held, 10p that person who had the seat reserved on XC probably didn't use it (rather jumping on the first available crosscity train to University to avoid waiting around).

My thoughts exactly!

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I guess so. But sometimes I get a bit uneasy when travelling, so it helps for me to have a spacious forward facing table window seat, but obviously to anyone else it would seem silly.

No definitely not silly to me. I always have to face forward or I get nauseous.

 

[IanD]

That's unusual. My experience is that people for whom priority seats are intended actually don't like them, because regular seats are easier to hold onto the seat in front to sit down because the pitch is tighter.

I sit in a priority seat on almost every journey (for legroom) and have never, ever had to give one up.

On the Victoria line?