NorthTraveller
Member
- Joined
- 10 Feb 2016
- Messages
- 22
I travel by train to work most days, I posted on here with an issue previously and was given very solid and practical advice. I dont really want to ask for advice this time, more see if anyone else has had a similar experience and if anyone reacted in a different manner. Im not sure if this is the best place to post it but here goes.
I recently moved a little further away from my destination, and my new station has no ticket machine but as it is less frequently stopped at I get an earlier train which ALWAYS has a ticket conductor/guard on board which is brilliant. Very good service. This is not about the train but it is about a fellow passenger.
This morning I boarded my usual train and sat down. The carriage has rows of three seats on one side and rows of two on the other. I chose an empty three seat row and sat in the window seat with my bags on my lap to allow space next to me if the train gets busy at the next stop this is unlikely as this is the stopper. There are plenty more empty seats in front and behind and to the side of me.
The ticket inspector approached me, whilst he was taking my card the train came to the next stop and he left me to go to the door. The doors open and a man walks in and comes and sits in the middle of the 3 seater, right next to me and puts his legs right up against mine and squashes his arms against mine as well.
The ticket inspector comes back to me and I hand him my card again and we complete the transaction, this was very awkward and concealing my PIN was difficult as the man next to me had moved even closer to me. Even though more people had moved onto the train and into the carriage the third space at the end of the row was still empty and there were several empty rows.
I get my tickets and with some difficulty I put them away in my bag. I said excuse me to the man several times as every time I moved, no matter how small I made my movements he was going to be jostled by my actions. I took my phone out to catch up on some social media, and the whole time Im doing this he is staring at my phone screen. I turned it away and he made a disparaging noise.
I was very uncomfortable for the whole journey, Im not a big fan of confrontation so I didnt say anything, I think the situation threw me a little and I couldnt think of saying anything. I considered moving to another row, but even though Im not very confrontational - Im also quite stubborn.
When it came to my stop I said Excuse me again, I thought he would be difficult but he got up out of the way and let me pass, but when I got to the end he sort of pushed me out of the way to quickly get back in to the window seat.
Im wondering if anyone has had a similar experience, what did you do in that situation? I know he was well within his rights to sit next to me as it was a free space and I always have my bag on my knee. Is there any train etiquette I could call upon? Am I breaking any etiquette rules and should I have chosen a different seat?
Im worried that he may get on the train again either tomorrow or another day in the future and I want to be able to avoid this situation again.
I recently moved a little further away from my destination, and my new station has no ticket machine but as it is less frequently stopped at I get an earlier train which ALWAYS has a ticket conductor/guard on board which is brilliant. Very good service. This is not about the train but it is about a fellow passenger.
This morning I boarded my usual train and sat down. The carriage has rows of three seats on one side and rows of two on the other. I chose an empty three seat row and sat in the window seat with my bags on my lap to allow space next to me if the train gets busy at the next stop this is unlikely as this is the stopper. There are plenty more empty seats in front and behind and to the side of me.
The ticket inspector approached me, whilst he was taking my card the train came to the next stop and he left me to go to the door. The doors open and a man walks in and comes and sits in the middle of the 3 seater, right next to me and puts his legs right up against mine and squashes his arms against mine as well.
The ticket inspector comes back to me and I hand him my card again and we complete the transaction, this was very awkward and concealing my PIN was difficult as the man next to me had moved even closer to me. Even though more people had moved onto the train and into the carriage the third space at the end of the row was still empty and there were several empty rows.
I get my tickets and with some difficulty I put them away in my bag. I said excuse me to the man several times as every time I moved, no matter how small I made my movements he was going to be jostled by my actions. I took my phone out to catch up on some social media, and the whole time Im doing this he is staring at my phone screen. I turned it away and he made a disparaging noise.
I was very uncomfortable for the whole journey, Im not a big fan of confrontation so I didnt say anything, I think the situation threw me a little and I couldnt think of saying anything. I considered moving to another row, but even though Im not very confrontational - Im also quite stubborn.
When it came to my stop I said Excuse me again, I thought he would be difficult but he got up out of the way and let me pass, but when I got to the end he sort of pushed me out of the way to quickly get back in to the window seat.
Im wondering if anyone has had a similar experience, what did you do in that situation? I know he was well within his rights to sit next to me as it was a free space and I always have my bag on my knee. Is there any train etiquette I could call upon? Am I breaking any etiquette rules and should I have chosen a different seat?
Im worried that he may get on the train again either tomorrow or another day in the future and I want to be able to avoid this situation again.