Morden Via CHX
Member
- Joined
- 9 Apr 2012
- Messages
- 177
but astonished to find a young Asian person in my seat.
what is life
but astonished to find a young Asian person in my seat.
I had the prime HST seat - they go fast on East Coast now you can pick your own seat.
As a regular long distance traveller for work reasons I will always take my booked seat. I'm sorry (and this may sound harsh) but regardless of age or circumstance you shouldn't sit in someone else's seat. If you're elderly or pregnant and you need to have a seat then you'll know this ahead of travelling, thus you should book your own seat and use it. On that note though I had a reservation on a packed EC and an elderly chap was onboard who had his medals on display. I believe a new war memorial had been opened that day. No one moved and I offered him my seat. His response was he was only going to Peterbrough to which I replied "good I won't have to stand up too long". It was at this point he stated he wished more teenagers were like this pleasant teenager. I didn't have the heart to tell him I was 29.
Another instance though that I had fun with was travelling from Newcastle to London a few weeks back. I wasn't in my usual work attire as I'd been doing "mucky" works. I boarded and went in search of my first class seat to find I middle aged business women sat in it. I explained the predicament and her response was "I'm not moving for a student". In front of all the other passengers I had to let her know that "I'm not a student I'm actually 30 years old". She still wouldn't move so the TM shifted her. Unfortunately this was to the seat at the other side of the aisle. During the journey she made a comment to me that it must be nice for the lower class to travel first. Now I don't like to play on my job and what I earn as I find it abhorent. However she'd really rattled me so I did have fun explaining to her what I do for a living. She did go rather quiet then and proceeded to have a rather loud conversation on her mobile phone in the quiet coach. Maybe it'd been a long day and I was grumpy or tired but I went for the jugular and had her told to turn the phone off
Another instance though that I had fun with was travelling from Newcastle to London a few weeks back. I wasn't in my usual work attire as I'd been doing "mucky" works. I boarded and went in search of my first class seat
Why do people seem to think getting in a First Class coach wearing 'mucky' clothing is some sort of badge of honour? Not quite as 'extreme' as the guy a few months ago proudly explaining how he'd been to a festival and 'stank' but its the same sort of thing
Was 'mucky' works clothing really the best thing you could think of to wear on a long journey?! I never dress up for First Class - I'll be travelling First this weekend wearing jeans and probably a hoody - but at least it'll be clean.
First class is not exclusive. It's public transport, and often cheaper than standard.
I'd have gone for a different coach!I made a swift judgment on how much fun the next two hours would be next to a active toddler sat on a parent's lap, and headed for the nearest free airline seat!
First class is not exclusive. It's public transport, and often cheaper than standard.
You miss my point, it applies equally to standard yet tellingly nobody on here ever seems to take pride in telling everyone how scruffily they dressed before travelling standard. You don't need to dress up to travel but dirty work attire, seriously?
I don't travel long distance by train that much, I'm more of a local service type user and at weekend for that matter, but I would never sit on a seat that is reserved, unless the train is near empty and I'm only on there for one stop.
It's disrespectful to the people who have taken their time to reserve seats.
Even if the reservation is for a station already passed and that person evidently hasn't turned up for the service?
I don't travel long distance by train that much, I'm more of a local service type user and at weekend for that matter, but I would never sit on a seat that is reserved, unless the train is near empty and I'm only on there for one stop.
It's disrespectful to the people who have taken their time to reserve seats.
Unless you wait alongside a seat for 10 minutes or so, you can't tell if it's a no-show or if the passenger has just gone walkabout to the toilet or shop or something. I've had it happen to me more than once that my reserved seat has been occupied in my brief absence (which happened to coincide with a station call) with the explanation 'I assumed you hadn't turned up'.
As long as the person is prepared to move, then it isn't a great problem.
I usually try and leave something like a magazine or newspaper on the seat (if I am travelling solo) and mention to someone sitting next to me or opposite that I'll be back soon!
Tibbs:1437023 said:As long as the person is prepared to move, then it isn't a great problem.
I usually try and leave something like a magazine or newspaper on the seat (if I am travelling solo) and mention to someone sitting next to me or opposite that I'll be back soon!
It's the curse of our modern, technological world that my reading materials are now on a device I wouldn't want to leave on my seat!
It's such a pain packing everything up when I want to go to the loo. Maybe I need to pick up a Metro or an Evening Standard to pop on my seat next time...
I've come up with an innovative solution: put a copy of a rail enthusiasts' magazine on your seat. That way you are unlikely to find your seat occupied on your return, but if by any rare chance a fellow, over-zealous enthusiast happens to want your seat, simply suggest they "catch the Parly which is literally only 5 minutes behind us".
Wouldn't said enthusiast know there is no such thing behind?
tsr:1437036 said:I've come up with an innovative solution: put a copy of a rail enthusiasts' magazine on your seat. That way you are unlikely to find your seat occupied on your return, but if by any rare chance a fellow, over-zealous enthusiast happens to want your seat, simply suggest they "catch the Parly which is literally only 5 minutes behind us".