Sitting with a person when a train is empty

[PeterC]

Why is that odd?
Its more comfortable standing than being squashed next to someone, particularly if you have a bag You don’t want to put in the rack.
It makes it easier to get off if you aren’t going far.
Standing is cooler in the summer (Or if you have stomped it to catch the train)

Annoying but not uncommon. When the Metropolitan Line used A stock it was common to see people standing rather that be the third in a three person seat. It could be frustrating when the doors were jammed with standees when seats were available.

 

[AdamWW]

Annoying but not uncommon. When the Metropolitan Line used A stock it was common to see people standing rather that be the third in a three person seat. It could be frustrating when the doors were jammed with standees when seats were available.

In my experience it became a lot more common after Covid when people weren't comfortable sitting next to anyway. It seems to have got a lot closer to back to normal now, if not completely.

 

[Freemo]

It slightly amuses me on the peak time XC north from Sheffield which has 6 minute dwell that some people who are presumably not regulars are visibly annoyed when somebody sits next to them on the two thirds empty carriage, which 5 minutes later has every seat taken.

Similar with the hopeless optimism of having built a home office with the assistance of the seat next to them.

 

[43066]

Why is that odd?
Its more comfortable standing than being squashed next to someone, particularly if you have a bag You don’t want to put in the rack.
It makes it easier to get off if you aren’t going far.
Standing is cooler in the summer (Or if you have stomped it to catch the train)

Personally, being tall and broad shouldered, I’d much rather stand than squash into a three abreast seat which is uncomfortable for all concerned.

 

[Scousemouse]

I was once asked to give up a front seat on a DLR because some woman got on and her brat wanted to pretend to drive the train.

I refused as I was quite happy where I was.

She spent the entire journey from City airport to Bank moaning loudly on the phone and to anyone who would listen that the mean women in the corner had ruined her Childs day.

Bah humbug

 

[Beebman]

Mentioning the DLR reminds me of the time I travelled on the extension to King George V station just after it opened in 2005. I managed to grab a front seat at Bank even though there was quite a crowd and indeed the train left full and standing. By the time it reached Pontoon Dock it was almost empty but I still had someone sitting next to me. I did wonder if he might move over to the other (now empty) front seat pair but he didn't and he stayed there to the terminus. Not really a huge problem but I recognised him as journalist and former MP Matthew Parris. Maybe I should have tried to start some sort of conversation (a friendly one about the new line!) but I was too shy a person then. Anyway I'm just mentioning this to show an instance of the only person sitting next to me on an empty train being quite well-known.

 

[Ewan0025]

people who do this should be put on a list
psychopathic behavior

 

[Wolfie]

people who do this should be put on a list
psychopathic behavior

Really? Your personal norms are not, whatever you may think, universal. Particularly when it comes to people from a different background. You better get used to that or else you will likely have continued life-long problems.

 

[Joey Beauchamp]

Sort of the other way round

I was on a crowded train yesterday. I managed to get the window seat in a 3/2 seat set up with a small table

The rest got taken up by a family. They were fine / kids not noisy/ polite- they were eating and drinking which doesn’t bother me - but I did feel hemmed in

The train emptied out considerably at Tonbridge and there were other fours and fives completely free

I thought they might move to have one of those to themselves but they didn’t - their choice of course

So I did. Politely explained that I wanted to stretch out a bit. They obviously understood

I did wonder if they didn’t move for fear of offending me

Depending on where they were getting off, they may have just thought that moving wasn't worth the bother. Especially if kids had food, games, toys out.

They were probably also conscious that when they told the kids they were moving there'd be the ubiquitous "why?" which may have made the situation awkward.

 

[Ewan0025]

Really? Your personal norms are not, whatever you may think, universal. Particularly when it comes to people from a different background. You better get used to that or else you will likely have continued life-long problems.

i wasn't being serious

 

[AdamWW]

Mentioning the DLR reminds me of the time I travelled on the extension to King George V station just after it opened in 2005. I managed to grab a front seat at Bank even though there was quite a crowd and indeed the train left full and standing. By the time it reached Pontoon Dock it was almost empty but I still had someone sitting next to me. I did wonder if he might move over to the other (now empty) front seat pair but he didn't and he stayed there to the terminus. Not really a huge problem but I recognised him as journalist and former MP Matthew Parris. Maybe I should have tried to start some sort of conversation (a friendly one about the new line!) but I was too shy a person then. Anyway I'm just mentioning this to show an instance of the only person sitting next to me on an empty train being quite well-known.

Personally (other opinions are availablable) I think all front DLR seats are fair game whether it involves sitting next to someone or not.

 

[NeilCr]

Depending on where they were getting off, they may have just thought that moving wasn't worth the bother. Especially if kids had food, games, toys out.

They were probably also conscious that when they told the kids they were moving there'd be the ubiquitous "why?" which may have made the situation awkward.

Thanks for the reply

They got off at Ashford so maybe half an hour?

I’m sure there were reasons and - as I say - they were fine. I guess I was wondering if there was that sometimes underlying thing about causing offence

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

The video on TikTok now has just under a million views and 56K likes, so it’s safe to assume most people agree with me! I didn’t expect it to get such a reaction.

 

[Tracked]

Similar annoyance - why do people park next to you in an empty car park? Why would they want to make it harder to get out of their car?

Had something like this at Meadowhall years ago, it was a quiet mid-week morning but I parked at the far end of the car park (any further and I'd nearly have been in Rotherham!) more or less at the opposite end to the shops and the few other cars there at the time.

Came back an hour later and the car park was busier near the shop, then there was about 3/4's of an empty space between these and my car ... and the two cars parked either side of it

My other slightly related thing, back from when I was a commuter, I used to get a Doncaster-Chesterfield train (XC Leeds to Southampton Central) that usually had about 5-10 minutes dwell time at Sheffield. I'd always get up at Sheffield and stand in the vestibule of the door that stopped nearest to the subway on Chesterfield. If I closed the door at that point, or it closed automatically, it 'd usually open straight afterwards because someone wanted to use it to get on board, even if it meant going out of their way to do so (to the point of bypassing the still open door of the next carriage sometimes, once I'd noticed this behaviour it was hard not to see it).

Going slightly further off track, the only reason I'd get up and stand at that point is because a large amount of men getting on the train at Sheffield appeared to be unable to just sit down without spending 5 minutes blocking the gangway whilst taking their coat off, folding it up nicely, putting it on the luggage rack, getting their laptop out, putting the laptop bag on the luggage rack ... etc ...

 

[Dr_Paul]

I was once asked to give up a front seat on a DLR because some woman got on and her brat wanted to pretend to drive the train.

I refused as I was quite happy where I was.

She spent the entire journey from City airport to Bank moaning loudly on the phone and to anyone who would listen that the mean women in the corner had ruined her Childs day.

Bah humbug

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I was once asked to give up a front seat on a DLR because some woman got on and her brat wanted to pretend to drive the train.

I refused as I was quite happy where I was.

She spent the entire journey from City airport to Bank moaning loudly on the phone and to anyone who would listen that the mean women in the corner had ruined her Childs day.

Bah humbug

You meanie!

 

[Dr_Paul]

I was once asked to give up a front seat on a DLR because some woman got on and her brat wanted to pretend to drive the train.

I refused as I was quite happy where I was.

She spent the entire journey from City airport to Bank moaning loudly on the phone and to anyone who would listen that the mean women in the corner had ruined her Childs day.

Bah humbug

My dad and I had front seats on the DLR some years back, and a little kid came up to the front, and I said, 'Do you want to drive it?', he said 'Yes', so my dad and I moved to another pair of seats, and let the littl'un and his mum sit there.

 

[TUC]

My dad and I had front seats on the DLR some years back, and a little kid came up to the front, and I said, 'Do you want to drive it?', he said 'Yes', so my dad and I moved to another pair of seats, and let the littl'un and his mum sit there.

Well done. It's the kind of fun that any rail enthusiast should encourage in the next generatio.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

My dad and I had front seats on the DLR some years back, and a little kid came up to the front, and I said, 'Do you want to drive it?', he said 'Yes', so my dad and I moved to another pair of seats, and let the littl'un and his mum sit there.

Well done. It's the kind of fun that any rail enthusiast should encourage in the next generatio.

I’d do the same, and feel a bit like a miserable twit if I didn’t, but it’s not obligatory and shouldn’t be expected by parents. Let the person sat there offer, but don’t ask and put them in an uncomfortable situation.

 

[trainophile]

I've offered a couple of times on the Newcastle Metro to let a child have my front seat, but never been taken up on it. (Currently this is the single front facing seat, the double is mostly cordoned off these days since Covid). If it's busy you can get two people sitting opposite and blocking the view anyway.

I can only assume they travel on it so frequently that the novelty has worn off. Also there's not that much to look at en route! It mildly annoys me when people grab the front seat and never look up from their mobile phone the whole way, but that's their prerogative I guess.

 

[YorksLad12]

I wonder how many people deliberately pick the non-sunny side of public transport, I know I do. Have often seen people walk past many empty rows on the sunny side to find a seat on the shady side. On my regular routes now I know exactly which side to go for, and am upset if my allocated seat is on the wrong side. In fact there should be an option on seat selection pages to choose "west" or "east" where appropriate, as well as forwards, backwards, window, aisle etc.

+1 here. It's really annoying that LNER dispensed with the centre crossing in first and the alternating 2+1/1+2 seating in favour of 2+1 throughout. On a morning trip my single seat south is on the sunny side.

 

[Bletchleyite]

+1 here. It's really annoying that LNER dispensed with the centre crossing in first and the alternating 2+1/1+2 seating in favour of 2+1 throughout. On a morning trip my single seat south is on the sunny side.

Removing the centre crossing adds one seat. Which with LNER's load factors probably takes priority.

 

[Wolfie]

i wasn't being serious

Ah, ok, sorry. Having seen some of the other posts in the thread.... Perhaps a judiciously applied emoji...

 

[Master29]

While you may (correctly) point out 'This is Britain', we are also a country that actively seeks to attract business and tourism from other countries, so I now adopt a high degree of tolerance here. After all, someone sitting near you in an unreserved seat isn't nearly as offensive as football chanting or getting drunk and offensive on public transport - something I have only ever seen in the UK.

I personally find it difficult but I take my hat off to you in accepting people sitting near you on a half empty train. If we are to move on perhaps old attitudes like mine need to change and for the reasons you point out. The beauty of that ideal world.

 

[Llanigraham]

The video on TikTok now has just under a million views and 56K likes, so it’s safe to assume most people agree with me! I didn’t expect it to get such a reaction.

Never assume anything! (especially with TokTik users!)
They may just like your video style and disagree with the content.

Have you never heard of this nemonic?
Assume = ass of u + me

 

[ComUtoR]

Never assume anything! (especially with TokTik users!)
They may just like your video style and disagree with the content.

Have you never heard of this nemonic?
Assume = ass of u + me

Over a Mil in views and only 56k likes. Barely 6% of people who viewed; actually 'liked' it. I'm not 100% but I don't think TickTock has a dislike button.

I think it would be safe to 'assume' that 94% of people either disliked it, were ambivalent, or simply didn't give a flying proverbial.

 

[Bevan Price]

No trains involved directly (although you could see their tops over the park wall), but when I worked in London, I sometimes went for an "after-work" walk in Finsbury Park. There was an area with around 10-12 wooden benches. Occasionally I would sit down on one of the benches (all of which were empty), and some weirdo came and sat on the same bench. I moved to another bench - and he followed me. Very creepy, so I decided to continue my walk. This happened several times.

What I now regret, however, is not taking a camera on those walks, and leaning over the wall to photograph the passing Deltics, etc.

 

[Busaholic]

No trains involved directly (although you could see their tops over the park wall), but when I worked in London, I sometimes went for an "after-work" walk in Finsbury Park. There was an area with around 10-12 wooden benches. Occasionally I would sit down on one of the benches (all of which were empty), and some weirdo came and sat on the same bench. I moved to another bench - and he followed me. Very creepy, so I decided to continue my walk. This happened several times.

I wonder if he had a Welsh accent and a particular interest in badgers