Why are people so defensive when asked to sit in the window seat?

[trainophile]

A couple of times I have had someone take the aisle seat across from where I am in the aligned window seat, which I think we can agree is far less than two metres, possibly just about one.

When I politely ask if they would mind moving to the window seat as per the current general advice, I am met with a snappy reply and a grudging move, sometimes to a seat elsewhere in the coach.

Is this indicative of the general level of annoyance with all the rules and regulations now? Or is it my paranoia?

 

[bramling]

A couple of times I have had someone take the aisle seat across from where I am in the aligned window seat, which I think we can agree is far less than two metres, possibly just about one.

When I politely ask if they would mind moving to the window seat as per the current general advice, I am met with a snappy reply and a grudging move, sometimes to a seat elsewhere in the coach.

Is this indicative of the general level of annoyance with all the rules and regulations now? Or is it my paranoia?

People are funny about where they sit full stop. It seems many would rather sit in “their” seat even if it means being close to someone else on an otherwise empty train.

Just human nature.

 

[py_megapixel]

What type of rolling stock?

On some trains - such as Voyagers - the layout is such that the window seat feels considerably more claustrophobic than the aisle seat, even if the aisle seat is vacant.

 

[kristiang85]

I was on an empty carraige the other day and some woman got on at a stop and sat directly behind me. If anything that's worse than sitting across from me as I was now in the potential path of her breath. It annoyed me no end. I didn't really want to move as I sat in the only two seats with legroom at the front, but I moved in the end once she started talking on her phone (another annoyance).

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Do you mean across the aisle from you, or across the table from you?

If it's the former, I can understand you being annoyed by it but I'm sure someone will come along shortly and tell you that you're risking life and limb by calling someone out for it (and even suggest that if someone whacks you for it it'll be your own fault!). If it's the latter, sitting diagonally across is probably the best option even if it contradicts the "use window seats only" advice.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

On some stock (Pendolinos?), the window seat is next to the heating vents, and you end up "over toasty".

 

[pdeaves]

Perhaps a perception that leaving the aisle seat empty may mean someone else might sit in it?

 

[trainophile]

I have had it happen on Pendolinos and just now on whatever WMR are using these days (sorry not good with Class numbers unless I make a point of checking). I do mean across the aisle - have only had someone sit diagonally across a table from me when the carriage was pretty packed.

Conversely a youngish chap just did exactly the same thing, and when I asked him he immediately apologised and swapped over to the window seat. The earlier confrontation was with a woman who must have been in her 30s, so you can’t always tell!

 

[Gloster]

I haven’t been on a train for a couple of years, but always used to prefer the window seat for the the view; visits to the toilet would either be early on the Up journey or late on the Down. On the local buses l always sit by the gangway as a) due to leg problems moving across is an awkward shuffle, and b) on several occasions the person sitting in the gangway seat when I am by the window has been incapable of understanding that I want to get off at this stop. I have been reduced to physically moving the person or their shopping myself, or missing my stop, which has happened.

(Five or more years ago I got on at Portsmouth Harbour and sat in my favourite seat (the rearmost off-side window seat on the train) on a Waterloo fast. At Fratton a woman with a child got on the train, which was still fairly empty, walked up to me and said, “That’s my seat.” I checked and replied that it didn’t appear to be reserved: I don’t think those seats can be reserved. She just said that was where she normally liked to sit and stood there, apparently waiting for me to move. I just stayed where I was and this Pompey stand-off lasted for several minutes until she finally left with a few muttered words of abuse about selfish b...s.)

 

[PaulC1309]

It's the sheep mentality, someone will inevitably sit close to you in an empty carraige, same thing happens in a practically empty car park where guaranteed someone will decide to park right next to you despite there being loads of empty spaces to choose from.

 

[py_megapixel]

It's the sheep mentality, someone will inevitably sit close to you in an empty carraige, same thing happens in a practically empty car park where guaranteed someone will decide to park right next to you despite there being loads of empty spaces to choose from.

Certainly not everybody does this though. For example, I always prefer to have as much of a carriage to myself as possible!

 

[bramling]

Certainly not everybody does this though. For example, I always prefer to have as much of a carriage to myself as possible!

Not everyone by any means, but certainly many do it.

I think it’s a combination of some who just can’t think for themselves, and others who are fixated on wanting to sit in a specific seat - which evidently in some cases seems to override Covid considerations.

I’m very much in the wanting to be as far away from people as possible camp, which in some ways has made Covid quite easy to deal with in that respect. I will always go for the most remote corner of a car park or whatever!

 

[RailExplorer]

You are lucky to get a seat on some rail / underground routes in London. A few days ago I was on the overground train to Stratford and the driver made an announcement at each station (For the last 15 minutes of the journey anyway) that “please use all available doors, move down the aisles and if you can’t board, please walk to back of the train as I can see on the CCTV that there’s More space available at the back”.

I was in the last carriage and it was almost like sardines in there, so what coaches 1-3 were like I will never know. Like the good old days really. At Stratford everyone got off and we were all trying to squeeze down the one set of steps.

 

[trainophile]

You are lucky to get a seat on some rail / underground routes in London. A few days ago I was on the overground train to Stratford and the driver made an announcement at each station (For the last 15 minutes of the journey anyway) that “please use all available doors, move down the aisles and if you can’t board, please walk to back of the train as I can see on the CCTV that there’s More space available at the back”.

I was in the last carriage and it was almost like sardines in there, so what coaches 1-3 were like I will never know. Like the good old days really. At Stratford everyone got off and we were all trying to squeeze down the one set of steps.

Is that actually allowed under the present climate?

 

[cactustwirly]

Is this indicative of the general level of annoyance with all the rules and regulations now? Or is it my paranoia?

There's no rule or regulation about sitting in aisle seats..

 

[Mojo]

It does seem a bit over the top and unnecessary to ask someone to move seats.

 

[big_rig]

Is that actually allowed under the present climate?

Of course it is - nobody could ever get around otherwise! I can't say I'd suggest a visit to London if you want people the next aisle over from you to be jammed up against the window. We have places to go and god forbid even sit next to each other on the train too Except for some strange folk who prefer to jam into a crowded vestibule (often clutching their masks tight for extra protection) than sit next to another human.

 

[baz962]

Is that actually allowed under the present climate?

Didn't they originally mandate masks because it's hard to social distance sometimes. Apart from that , how would you stop it. As an aside I have mentioned on the thread titled how busy have your train's been about Overground train's. I'm an overground driver and I have been driving some very busy train's.

 

[RailExplorer]

There’s no regulation on tube / train travel in London, and never has been in terms of capacity / seating arrangements. Otherwise it would just lead to very annoyed people who just want to get home (or to work). Not sure any rail staff would want to deal with the arguments that would arise from that either. London buses have max capacities, but you should see the arms being thrown up into the air when the bus doesn’t stop and they get left behind in the rain (no regulations about where to sit on buses though and social distancing just isn’t possible anyway).

Tubes / trains that are solely for London commuters have never had any seats marked off for social distancing purposes (that I’m aware of) and you will only see signage to say “please keep 2 meter distancing where possible”. If you tried asking someone to move seats in London because they aren’t in a window seat, well, it could end badly and I personally wouldn’t recommend it.

 

[trainophile]

Well I couldn't get on my bus today because it was apparently "full", being a small bus at the best of times and an hourly service. It only takes ten people now to be full as per social distancing requirements.

Some operators, Avanti for one, ask people to sit in window seats and leave the aisle seats free to allow distancing for people passing through the train.

 

[Calthrop]

(Five or more years ago I got on at Portsmouth Harbour and sat in my favourite seat (the rearmost off-side window seat on the train) on a Waterloo fast. At Fratton a woman with a child got on the train, which was still fairly empty, walked up to me and said, “That’s my seat.” I checked and replied that it didn’t appear to be reserved: I don’t think those seats can be reserved. She just said that was where she normally liked to sit and stood there, apparently waiting for me to move. I just stayed where I was and this Pompey stand-off lasted for several minutes until she finally left with a few muttered words of abuse about selfish b...s.)

I'd have wanted to say to her, "You are really Sheldon Cooper in disguise, and I claim the $100 prize".

 

[yorkie]

A couple of times I have had someone take the aisle seat across from where I am in the aligned window seat, which I think we can agree is far less than two metres, possibly just about one.

When I politely ask if they would mind moving to the window seat as per the current general advice, I am met with a snappy reply and a grudging move, sometimes to a seat elsewhere in the coach.

Is this indicative of the general level of annoyance with all the rules and regulations now? Or is it my paranoia?

You do risk asking someone to move from their booked seat, for example if you are on LNER some of the allocations are on aisle seats.

I don't think it's fair to ask people to move seats in the circumstances required, and I can understand why some people will be defensive. I certainly would not be asking people to move seats.

I would say it is paranoia to be honest.

 

[43066]

A couple of times I have had someone take the aisle seat across from where I am in the aligned window seat, which I think we can agree is far less than two metres, possibly just about one.

When I politely ask if they would mind moving to the window seat as per the current general advice, I am met with a snappy reply and a grudging move, sometimes to a seat elsewhere in the coach.

Is this indicative of the general level of annoyance with all the rules and regulations now? Or is it my paranoia?

I suggest you stop ordering complete strangers around before you do it to the wrong person. If you feel uncomfortable, you should be the one who moves. I cannot believe that needs to be pointed out.

 

[route101]

It's the sheep mentality, someone will inevitably sit close to you in an empty carraige, same thing happens in a practically empty car park where guaranteed someone will decide to park right next to you despite there being loads of empty spaces to choose from.

Ive had it a couple of times, I think sometimes people feel safer when nearer someone.

Some of my pet hates are someone sitting diagonally behind me, its like someone peering over me. I almost always sit at the window, don't like being right next to aisle with people bumping into you or constantly walking past. Possibly only little pet hate of a single first class seat.

 

[duncanp]

Some people who have limited mobility may prefer sitting in an aisle seat, because they find it difficult to move over to the window seat.

There may be others who are only going for a short distance, or perhaps they may need to get to the toilet in a hurry.

These are all legitimate reasons for preferring an aisle seat, and it is no business of anyone else to ask them to move elsewhere.

If you don't like someone sitting in an aisle seat near you, then you move.

 

[py_megapixel]

If you don't like someone sitting in an aisle seat near you, then you move.

I agree entirely.

 

[trainophile]

Let's tell Avanti not to ask people to only use the window seats then. Obviously there's a reason, given the current climate.

Don't see why I should move when I'm the one following the rules. FWIW I always used to prefer an aisle seat for various reasons, but given the new normal I now automatically sit in a window seat.

 

[yorkie]

Let's tell Avanti not to ask people to only use the window seats then. Obviously there's a reason, given the current climate.

They shouldn't be saying that. LNER aren't.

However every company wants to do something different.

Having recently been in Switzerland and Sweden, the UK approach is absolutely infuriating.

 

[py_megapixel]

Let's tell Avanti not to ask people to only use the window seats then. Obviously there's a reason, given the current climate.

That is neither here nor there.

It is not anybody else's responsibility to change where they sit, to accommodate your requests and yours only, on public transport. If you care about it that much then take a taxi next time.

 

[trainophile]

That is neither here nor there.

It is not anybody else's responsibility to change where they sit, to accommodate your requests and yours only, on public transport. If you care about it that much then take a taxi next time.

Oh yeah, 130 miles.

I thought we were all trying to do what we can to prevent this thing spreading. Including keeping a good distance between ourselves and others.

Funny how people will step into the road to pass someone on a pavement, yet are happy to spend an hour about three feet from someone who is probably wearing their mask under their chin and talking extensively into their phone.