What drives you round the bend when using the train?

[Prestige15]

What gets to your breaking point when using the train?

 

[Freightmaster]

Presumably this thread is specifically about sleeper services?!

 

[Russonomics]

Well I was gonna make a sleeper gag but I've been beaten to it.

On a serious note though, overcrowding takes the cake for me.

 

[anti-pacer]

People leaving litter behind on tables and the floor. That annoys me more than anything. I don't want to sit amongst other peoples cr*p.

 

[greaterwest]

Missing the connecting train doesn't annoy me unless there's a massive wait for the next one (over an hour) so I haven't voted it, as it's a subjective option.

 

[yorksrob]

Overcrowding and toilets not working are my on-train bugbears.

 

[Prestige15]

For me is noisy people, Especially in the quiet zone

 

[fishquinn]

The driver, surely ?

Seriously, I went for the last option

 

[Merseysider]

The driver, surely

Haha very good.

Ridiculously high fares for relatively short journeys are slightly annoying because it means I have to spend a while figuring out a loophole/split/alternative route. I mean, £73 for an Anytime Return from Crewe to Lancaster? Virgin are overvaluing their services there by a factor of at least five and there's no way I'm paying that.

For me, it's inconsiderate passengers that p--- me off the most though, especially groups that take up both sides of the bloody escalator/stairway when I've got a tight connection. Sadly, we can't just elbow them out of the way. :roll:

People with a shed load of luggage or prams blocking the gangway/doors when there's a perfectly good storage rack in the same carriage also have a lot to learn. If I have to step on your crap to get past, I will.

And of course, the untermensch fare dodgers who spend half an hour in a 1m x 2m cubicle with an overflown toilet and p--- on the floor, coming out smelling like an incontinent tramp instead of just paying a £3 fare. If your dignity is worth that little then who am I to argue?

 

[317666]

Overcrowding, loud people and missing my connection. Any one of them is annoying but it's not unknown for all three to happen at once!

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Price is my big concern.
I'd be happy to stand on an over crowded 153 to Newark with out of order toilet, annoying drunks, rubbish everywhere, and late running and rare frequencies etc... if it was as cheap as a bus like it should be.

 

[gazr]

Overcrowding for sure.... to the point it's becoming dangerous. Case in point today: trains around Stratford so crammed with West Ham supporters (and shoppers!!), they were full by Romford and then had to run fast to Stratford (missing booked stops), which is quite a distance to go with basically no fresh air on 315s- air from open windows does not circulate when crammed with people. Trust me, stay the heck away when West Ham are playing at home!

 

[yorksrob]

Overcrowding for sure.... to the point it's becoming dangerous. Case in point today: trains around Stratford so crammed with West Ham supporters (and shoppers!!), they were full by Romford and then had to run fast to Stratford (missing booked stops), which is quite a distance to go with basically no fresh air on 315s- air from open windows does not circulate when crammed with people. Trust me, stay the heck away when West Ham are playing at home!

Indeed. I've experienced a few trains that were so overcrowded the driver couldn't get on !

 

[MidnightFlyer]

When rare moves don't come off.

Seriously though, the only things that really annoy me are people boarding before you alight, and lack of communication: for example, when trains are in reverse formation and the first thing anyone knows about it is when the front coach draws past you. Cue five minute dwells at intermediate stops and a monumental but totally avoidable faff as everyone changes ends.

 

[SteveP29]

Price is my big concern.
I'd be happy to stand on an over crowded 153 to Newark with out of order toilet, annoying drunks, rubbish everywhere, and late running and rare frequencies etc... if it was as cheap as a bus like it should be.

Newcastle to Chester le Street by bus: £3.30, 35 minutes
Newcastle to Chester le Street by rail: £4.60, 8-10 minutes

Yes, I'd prefer the price to be cheaper but compared to the bus, I'd take the train every time

 

[amateur]

Loud (noisy) people, feets on seat. Drunk/smelly/dirty passengers.
People drinking alcohol on the train. Children being noisy. Babies crying.

 

[yorksrob]

Dry trains are an irritation to me.

 

[Antman]

Trains cancelled because a member of staff was unavailable, I can accept circumstances beyond any TOC's control!

 

[156443]

Someone sitting in my reserved seats, happened last year coming back from York after a visit to NRM for their Loco's In A Different Light' evening event. As booked seats sitting forward, they were sitting in it got on at York and to be even more annoying they had a load of cans of alcohol on the table. So had to sit backwards the entire way back but at least it was dark outside so don't notice that too much, their seat they booked had reserved until Darlington and they didn't get off till Newcastle.


Sent from my iPad Pro using Tapatalk

 

[greaterwest]

Dry trains are an irritation to me.

I don't think there are enough dry trains, personally.

 

[RyanB]

People being overly loud on any form of public transport is annoying, but on the occasions I do get the train, luggage blocking the gangway or doors annoys me, not to mention the safety aspect of it all. Big pet hate is pushing and shoving to get on or off, patience is a virtue and avoids potential safety problems.

 

[156443]

Football fans in large numbers are quite an annoyance. Got a train from Heworth to Prudhoe a few years ago and a load of Middlesbrough fans were taking up every single seat and drinking and singing very loudly so had to stand as well as a lot of other passengers to Newcastle so got a bit squashed. The train looked like a tip after they alighted at Newcastle for the Tyne-Tees Derby leaving cans and food covering the floor and tables (this was on a Super Sprinter), resulting in the train crew having to take it out of service and having to change onto a Pacer for the rest of the journey. Couldn't see the floor with the mess they left it in.


Sent from my iPad Pro using Tapatalk

 

[RichmondCommu]

Football fans in large numbers are quite an annoyance. Got a train from Heworth to Prudhoe a few years ago and a load of Middlesbrough fans were taking up every single seat and drinking and singing very loudly so had to stand as well as a lot of other passengers to Newcastle so got a bit squashed. The train looked like a tip after they alighted at Newcastle for the Tyne-Tees Derby leaving cans and food covering the floor and tables (this was on a Super Sprinter), resulting in the train crew having to take it out of service and having to change onto a Pacer for the rest of the journey. Couldn't see the floor with the mess they left it in.

I think you're getting confused, either that or you've been misinformed. It's been several years since Middlesbrough last played Newcastle United.

 

[Kristofferson]

Nothing. Seriously, nothing.

Having recently commuted by road for a short period (before hastily switching to rail), it really does give one a sense of perspective.

The minor irritations of rail travel (loud noises that can be easily blocked out, people standing on the left of the escalator...) are of no consequence compared to the mental demand and physical danger of rush hour road travel.

There are also regular delays far in excess of anything seen on the railway!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RichmondCommu]

The thing that annoy's me the most about train travel are complete strangers wanting to talk to me for no particular reason at all.

 

[507021]

The things on trains that annoy me the most are unnecessary noise (such as people broadcasting their telephone conversation to the rest of the train), people eating smelly food and people sitting deciding to next to me when there's a large amount of other seats available. I don't mind if people sit next to me when there's hardly any seats available though, as that's fair enough.

 

[90019]

People.

 

[TheEdge]

People.

Yet. An ECS train is much easier to work.

 

[Groningen]

I miss the option: Train not running

 

[DarloRich]

Some people on this thread must lack the ability to deal with minor irritations. Just relax. The vast majority of any irritations you encounter while travelling by train will be very minor indeed.

Yes: hearing someones tinny rap music leaking from their headphones is an irritant but if it gets annoying just ask them to turn it down. If some one is sat in your seat ask them to move etc. 9 out of 10 people will happily comply with your request.

Honestly they aren't serious problems

I think you're getting confused, either that or you've been misinformed. It's been several years since Middlesbrough last played Newcastle United.

it will be a few more years until they play each other again!