Make trains dry?

[SirAlf]

I’d be interested in everyone’s opinion. I’m a regular leisure traveller, often (but not exclusively) at weekends and it occurs to me that just like TFL, our trains should be dry - that is, no drinking alcohol or carrying open containers of alcohol.

I should say that I absolutely enjoy a drink, often several, but never on the train. I think my journey would be much more pleasant if booze was banned. What does everyone else think?

Oh, and by the way, I have a small bet with a fellow traveller on how many posts it will take before a specific type of traveller (of which we both are) are subject to generalisation in a reply

 

[rmHawk765]

The problem is that this is very difficult to enforce, especially as we move towards more DOO (and this is a bigger issue on commuter trains if argue, where DOO is very prevalent now). Had we stuck with a driver and guard on all trains, it would've been possible for the guard to stop passengers from going overboard with their drinking.

 

[DH1Commuter]

As someone who frequently travels from NE England to London late, a couple of on-train beers are actually really nice.

 

[bramling]

In principle, yes. However in practice it’s difficult to enforce, and I’m not sure it’s nowadays the biggest problem that needs tackling, even if it is a nuisance.

 

[HighlandStorm]

No. We’ve only just managed to have this nonsense rolled back on ScotRail.

 

[ivorytoast28]

Well I'm very biased as someone who very much enjoys a beer while watching the world goes by on a train, but I would ask, why?

While there are a lot of problems with our attitude to alcohol in this country I don't think any of it comes from being able to drink on trains and those who don't care will just ignore it anyway so you're just stopping everyone else from a simple pleasure. Drinking in public is legal in the UK and as along as that is the case I don't see the difference between a train to anywhere else in society

 

[williamn]

Absolutely not. Most issues caused by drunk people on trains are because they were drunk when they got on, not because they got drunk while on the train. On a long leisure trip or after the end of a long day at work I and many other travellers enjoy a quiet drink. I’m very pleased this got rolled back on Scotrail and look forward to enjoying a single malt on the West Highland Line again sometime soon.

 

[Joe Paxton]

Also, thinking of psychoactive substances which can lead to excitable behaviour, high time to ban tea and coffee.

Plus any carbonated drinks so as to inhibit belching.

 

[Rab Smith]

No.

 

[MboroFC]

I’d be interested in everyone’s opinion. I’m a regular leisure traveller, often (but not exclusively) at weekends and it occurs to me that just like TFL, our trains should be dry - that is, no drinking alcohol or carrying open containers of alcohol.

I should say that I absolutely enjoy a drink, often several, but never on the train. I think my journey would be much more pleasant if booze was banned. What does everyone else think?

Oh, and by the way, I have a small bet with a fellow traveller on how many posts it will take before a specific type of traveller (of which we both are) are subject to generalisation in a reply

Why would your journey be more pleasant if it was banned? By the sounds of it, you don't drink on the train, so it would have 0 impact on you whether it was banned or not.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I almost never drink alcohol on trains but can see no need at all for a blanket ban.

 

[Acathater]

Sometimes alcohol is the only thing that makes a train journey tolerable.......imagine Manchester to Southampton on an overcrowded Voyager without something to help you relax

 

[Trackman]

Why should the 1% (if not less) spoil it for others?

 

[Retorus]

No.

 

[KNN]

I should say that I absolutely enjoy a drink, often several, but never on the train. I think my journey would be much more pleasant if booze was banned. What does everyone else think?

I think the bar is the same as for anything else, which is when it becomes anti social it should be stopped. Same with conversations, using your phone, bringing a dog etc.

I don't have a problem with someone quietly having a few cans before the match or, in the right way, making a few M&S mojitos on the train journey part of their night out with the girls.

 

[Dave W]

No thank you.

 

[yorksrob]

No thanks.

 

[William3000]

I’d be interested in everyone’s opinion. I’m a regular leisure traveller, often (but not exclusively) at weekends and it occurs to me that just like TFL, our trains should be dry - that is, no drinking alcohol or carrying open containers of alcohol.

I should say that I absolutely enjoy a drink, often several, but never on the train. I think my journey would be much more pleasant if booze was banned. What does everyone else think?

Oh, and by the way, I have a small bet with a fellow traveller on how many posts it will take before a specific type of traveller (of which we both are) are subject to generalisation in a reply

Absolutely not - most people who drink on trains do so responsibly.

 

[mmh]

I drink a lot, and use trains a lot. I don't drink on trains, but why shouldn't someone if they want to?

All smells a bit puritanical and authoritarian to me.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Sometimes alcohol is the only thing that makes a train journey tolerable.......imagine Manchester to Southampton on an overcrowded Voyager without something to help you relax

Until that alcohol means you need to squeeze past all those aisle-blockers to reach the toilet, only to find it locked out of use. It's what inspired my linked post.

Harry Potter TV series

Please move if in the wrong place, but there's some vintage-looking Tube stock and NSE signage in the teaser here, in keeping with the 1991-1992 setting of the first book.

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Tetchytyke]

I should say that I absolutely enjoy a drink, often several, but never on the train. I think my journey would be much more pleasant if booze was banned.

If I'm sitting with a glass of wine (or three), how is that affecting you in any way?

If your issue is anti-social behaviour (shouting, swearing, etc) then banning alcohol will make very little difference to that. As anyone who's taken a late night train out of London when Leeds United have been playing in London will tell you.

 

[duffield]

I'd bet that most of the worst alcohol related ASB comes from those who are already off their faces before getting on the train, and guards will not be in any position to stop them drinking further anyhow. I don't drink often but a few bottles of cider on a long train journey is one of my little pleasures. So you stop me drinking whilst not having any impact on ASB.

This smacks of "something must be done, and even though it will be totally ineffective (and spoil innocent people's pleasant time), this is 'something' so let's do it.

In other words, no.

 

[Bletchleyite]

This smacks of "something must be done, and even though it will be totally ineffective (and spoil innocent people's pleasant time), this is 'something' so let's do it.

Quite.

Most people who behave antisocially on trains due to being drunk were drunk when they boarded. A can or two extra really doesn't do much.

 

[JohnofWessex]

Again I suggest that there needs to be better controls in place to prevent the visibly intoxicated and/or disruptive getting onto stations let alone trains.

Some trains eg late Weymouth - Bristol's have (had) an alcohol ban

 

[aaronspence]

Nope.

Scotrail would only enforce it with the wrong people, Lone traveler enjoying a quiet beer - told to put it away. Loud mouth football hooligans, The ticket conductors quickly rush by and don't say anything.

 

[Narrowgauge725]

No, I enjoy my complimentary alcohol in LNER first class. However, there is the rowdy element on late trains that really should be dealt with

 

[duffield]

Nope.

Scotrail would only enforce it with the wrong people, Lone traveler enjoying a quiet beer - told to put it away. Loud mouth football hooligans, The ticket conductors quickly rush by and don't say anything.

Exactly. Unenforceable against the very people who it might need enforcing against.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

As a general rule I am not in favour of banning stuff like this. I do agree with the smoking/vaping ban though. Why should some drunken louts spoil it for the rest of us?

 

[Bevan Price]

No. Not normally, but I think there may be a case for limiting the amount of alcohol you can bring onto trains.

A drunken minority could make travel rather unpleasant for others towards the end of long railtours (when I used to travel on such tours).

 

[Russel]

I'd suggest banning alcohol at weekends, that seems to be when most issues arise from it.