Annoyances experienced when travelling by train

[bramling]

Makes you wonder how these people cope with day to day life.

I think that’s a little disingenuous. It’s always been a theme on here that some people seem to think it’s wise to go round acting as enforcers of on-train etiquette, and whilst on the one hand it’s in principle not a bad thing, on the other hand it’s rather irresponsible. Staff have access to things which passengers don’t, for example a potential secure place of safety, keeping foremost in mind there’s always the potential to encounter someone like Darren Pencille.

Just last night there was an unhinged individual which had to be dealt with in my neck of the woods, which in the event required multiple BTP to resolve. Had there not been the option to lock him in a carriage until sufficient resources were available then we’d have likely ended up with one or more assaults.

This keeps coming up on here, and the general theme is that it’s generally best for passengers not to start off conflicts. Even the most trivial things *do* kick off, and can quickly escalate into a nasty situation.

 

[Gloster]

Something that could have been an annoyance, but was rather more entertaining. Coming back from Brussels I was sitting in the jump seats by the doors, as I usually do. A woman who had got on at Lille sat down in one of the other jump seats and made a ‘phone call to a friend about her somewhat complicated sexual history. She presumably assumed that as I was reading an English paperback, my knowledge of French would be limited or non-existant. However, I have lived in France and have a good knowledge of French slang. The conversation was most interesting.

 

[py_megapixel]

I think that’s a little disingenuous. It’s always been a theme on here that some people seem to think it’s wise to go round acting as enforcers of on-train etiquette, and whilst on the one hand it’s in principle not a bad thing, on the other hand it’s rather irresponsible. Staff have access to things which passengers don’t, for example a potential secure place of safety, keeping foremost in mind there’s always the potential to encounter someone like Darren Pencille.

Just last night there was an unhinged individual which had to be dealt with in my neck of the woods, which in the event required multiple BTP to resolve. Had there not been the option to lock him in a carriage until sufficient resources were available then we’d have likely ended up with one or more assaults.

This keeps coming up on here, and the general theme is that it’s generally best for passengers not to start off conflicts. Even the most trivial things *do* kick off, and can quickly escalate into a nasty situation.

Very well put.

 

[yorksrob]

Things that annoy me with train travel:

• Getting on the train and all the seats are facing in the wrong direction (Northern 150's for example)
• Getting on the train and it's unexpectedly crowded (not so much of an issue nowadays)
• Tight connections (particularly connecting hourly services)
• Platform 17 at Leeds
• Hard seats

 

[Energy]

And, in a similar vein, station announcers who think they need to shout into the mic.

Microphones exist to amplify your voice so that you don't have to shout. If you shout, then you create a clipped, distorted sound at the other end.

Some microphones you need to speak loudly for it to activate but you definitely don't need to shout.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'd rather the officers and staff focused on deterring ticketless travel, violent crime and sexual offences than a bit of slightly annoying music, TBH.

They can of course do both. Stopping quickly to address a problem as they pass through doesn't take long, as the vast majority of people will just turn it down/off if asked, as it generally didn't occur to them that it would be a problem.

But in all seriousness, someone who I have no idea hasn't paid doesn't annoy me, whereas music etc played out loud does.

You always have the option of moving yourself.

I should not have to move away from someone who is breaching a Railway Byelaw to my disadvantage (and doing something that is just utterly inconsiderate and rude, and which no reasonable person would ever do because they know it will cause annoyance to someone). The railway's staff should deal with such matters, that or the Byelaw should be rescinded, but while it exists it should be enforced.

Or, shock horror, passengers could just quietly and politely ask directly themselves. It's amazing how reasonable the majority of people actually are if you talk to them nicely.

Someone who is playing a device out loud is automatically not reasonable, and thus is less likely than average to respond favourably to a random member of the public asking them to turn it down. It is obvious that it is not the right thing to do in any public place. Whereas they might respond better to a figure of authority instructing them to do so because it is against the law (which it is, provided it is annoying someone).

 

[DM352]

On way home: Noisy groups of people (often they have been to pub beforehand) who board the train using doors behind you, then walk past loudly, and just about all go through into the next carriage before one of them shouts lets go back there. They then all go into reverse and sit next to you while maintaining a high volume of conversation the headphones cannot block out.

 

[xotGD]

People who put items of luggage under the table in the space meant for my feet.

 

[Bletchleyite]

People who put items of luggage under the table in the space meant for my feet.

Or under their own seat rather than under the seat in front, having the same effect. Pendolinos and Voyagers are fitted with a bar under the seat, like planes are, to prevent people doing this, but I think they are the only trains to be so fitted (probably because it makes cleaning more of a hassle).

Actually, as a whole, people who are just too lazy to lift their bag into the overhead when it will fit and they are clearly capable of doing so.

 

[route101]

People who sit diagonally behind you, they have a good view of what your reading, eating and watching on your phone.
A train with all seats with reservation labels, with only priority seats without, TPE 185 once.
Seat reservation displays not working with Russian roulette where to sit.

 

[jfollows]

I dislike (intensely) the sound of the keys of a laptop which make a slight clicking when hit. It reminds me of Posy Simmonds description many years ago of the sound of someone else’s Walkman: like mice tap-dancing on the lid of a biscuit tin.

I had someone ask me to reduce the noise I was making with my laptop keyboard in 1995, it was something of an unusual thing to see (and hear) at the time, I remember we were stopped in Swindon on my journey Bath to Paddington that day. It was a perfectly reasonable request and one with which I was extremely happy to comply!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Seat reservation displays not working with Russian roulette where to sit.

This could be so easily solved, too, just by having small signs stating that if they are not displaying anything, reservations don't apply (or indeed that they still do). A lot of the stresses caused by shared space are solved by setting expectations like that, so you don't get conflict between people who have different ideas of reasonable. I liked the ones you get on French buses saying "if there is a dispute as to the state of the window, it should be closed", and I'd love to see something similar (ideally "up", but either way would remove stress) with regard to window blinds.

Generally in Germany you get things like "house rules" displayed in shared spaces. I seem to recall the Abellio TOCs already do this (it's also a Dutch thing), but perhaps the others should follow.

 

[43096]

Well done for having that level of self-control. For me, it's not about letting it or not letting it, it just does. I think it's connected with the brain having an issue with "unknown sounds" - similar to someone with "tss-tss-tss" coming out of headphones - you can't hear it properly so your brain tries to work out what it is, like it or not.

It wouldn't actually bother me if a film was being shown on screens in the train, and the volume was such that I could hear it properly, even if I didn't want to watch it!

TBH I think that Byelaw needs amending to remove the "annoyance" clause and simply make the playing of an audio device on a train or station other than via headphones an offence. It's just rude and there's absolutely no need for it. If you've got two kids, headphone splitters are available for a couple of quid (stack them up if you've got four kids), or with Bluetooth ones you can probably connect more than one pair at once.

I did once here a story of someone loudly on their phone in the quiet carriage, who gave their phone number during the call. Cue someone sat in the same carriage entering said number into their phone with a text message "Shut the ____ up! You're in the quiet carriage" and pressing send.

 

[AngusH]

"house rules" displayed in shared spaces.

Yes, 100% yes.

I (almost) don't care what the expectations are, as long as they are clear and I can read them and others can read them too.

 

[Butts]

Lack of free scotch in Avanti 1st Class (unless it has been restored)

Will find out next week as travelling Falkirk to Sandwell & Dudley.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

One thing I have always found quite annoying is having somebody sitting directly behind you and coughing constantly (and loudly!)

Although it's perhaps less acceptable to do such a thing now, given the current circumstances, I do understand how equally irritating having a cough is, and I don't wish for anybody to torture themselves holding a cough in, however solely from a personal point of view it can quickly become rather grating - particularly if you're trying to get work done.

Even more irritating, though - and a real reason to get angry - are people who think it's amusing to sit down on a train and immediately remove their face covering to intentionally cough everywhere, without any effort to cover their mouth, before exiting the train an hour or two later to reveal how coming into contact with the platform has caused their "cough" to mysteriously disappear...

 

[peteb]

Sitting in the quiet carriage and someone doing a Dom Jolley gets on bellowing "I'll have to keep this short I'm in the quiet carriage" and then shouting "sorry" as they wander down the carriage waking people up who are dozing.

Perhaps worst of all and which required intervention is the group of 3 teenage lads who think it's funny to surround a woman sitting on her own and then produce a steam of sexist, offensive abuse aimed at her, whilst fellow passengers stare at the floor.

 

[ScotTrains]

The flickering, migraine inducing, PIS display now installed in the centre of each ScotRail 156 car (and possibly others) is extremely annoying! I have to sit facing away from it and try to avoid using them where I can.

 

[prod_pep]

People who chew with their mouth open. The height of bad manners.
People who sniff over and over again.
People who insist on sitting next to you or in your eyeline when the carriage is virtually empty.
People who sit in your reserved seat when there are plenty of others available.
Rowdy and/or smelly passengers in general.

I don't mind talking to other passengers as long as it isn't one of those one-sided conversations where they spew their life story without stopping for breath. Invariably these people lead the most incredibly boring lives.

 

[peteb]

The flickering, migraine inducing, PIS display now installed in the centre of each ScotRail 156 car (and possibly others) is extremely annoying! I have to sit facing away from it and try to avoid using them where I can.

A similar issue now on Chiltern's otherwise excellent silver loco hauled Mk3 trains whereby low level tv screens introduced between some bays.

 

[peteb]

Rowdy and/or smelly passengers in general.

Thankfully the latter are a rarity nowadays although those in the Midlands will know of one or two particularly pungent passengers who may pop up in unexpected places, particularly in rush hour. I must say the sight of passengers pushing and shoving to get on at Snow Hill only to be pushing and shoving to get off at Jewellery Quarter is testament to the rank odour of one such regular traveller a few summers back!!

 

[ChrisC]

Passengers who think they need to shout into their mobile phones to be heard at the other end.

It’s even worse when it’s not just a short essential call. Some people sit on trains speaking loudly on their phones for their whole journey. It’s the hands free phones which I find most annoying where they just sit there having a loud conversation as if they are talking to the person opposite them. Some business people working at their laptops conduct very long, loud business conversations for whole journeys.

 

[xotGD]

It’s even worse when it’s not just a short essential call. Some people sit on trains speaking loudly on their phones for their whole journey. It’s the hands free phones which I find most annoying where they just sit there having a loud conversation as if they are talking to the person opposite them. Some business people working at their laptops conduct very long, loud business conversations for whole journeys.

For business travel, being able to do that is one of the selling points of rail travel. Many employers do not allow even hands free phone calls when driving.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It’s even worse when it’s not just a short essential call. Some people sit on trains speaking loudly on their phones for their whole journey. It’s the hands free phones which I find most annoying where they just sit there having a loud conversation as if they are talking to the person opposite them. Some business people working at their laptops conduct very long, loud business conversations for whole journeys.

If train design was thought about properly, things like soundproof booths for this sort of purpose could be provided.

 

[Whistler40145]

I find it irritating when for some reason the train has been held at a signal, 5-10 minutes go by, no announcement, then when they’re is an announcement, to be told we’re going to be here for a while.

 

[xotGD]

If train design was thought about properly, things like soundproof booths for this sort of purpose could be provided.

You mean something like compartments?

 

[yorksrob]

An irritation ?

Those toilets which flush themselves when you're sat on them !

Oh, and 158's with only one bog. Whoever thought that was a good idea!

 

[Kite159]

The taps on the GA Stadler units, the way the water cuts off pretty much straight away when you move your hand away from the sensor (whereas on other units the water remains running for a few seconds)

People who haven't heard about the concept known as head/earphones and play their noise/Music/TV show out loud

 

[Bletchleyite]

You mean something like compartments?

Not so much traditional compartments of 6/8, but single seat "pods" with noise deadening. It'd have to be a First Class thing, but might genuinely provide some business utility to First Class.

Edit: the irony of "door position prejudice" is that a train with doors at thirds has 3 separate saloons, so it affects the other parts of the coach less. The end bit of a 350 (8 seats) is probably the least disruptive place to do it!

 

[ChrisC]

For business travel, being able to do that is one of the selling points of rail travel. Many employers do not allow even hands free phone calls when driving.

Totally agree, and I have no problems with this when they talk quietly. It’s when they sit there loudly conducting their business for their whole journey without any consideration for those sitting close by.