passengers who stand when there are seats available

[1e10]

I once boarded an FGW HST at Bristol Parkway and on opening the door a lad who had been sittong in the vestibule propped up against the door fell out (none the worse for it though) There were plenty of seats available at the time. What is worse than standing is young people like the clown I have just referred to who sit on the floor in the vestibules even though seats available.

Voyagers have plugs just off the floor in the vestibule areas. I'm not sure if there is a reason for having these, did the manufacturers have these people in mind?

This a hundred times. I do it, I've seen others do it (men and women looking at the carriage, seeing one or two seats available but next to someone who looks comfy, look away again).

Standing when there's seats is not the greatest crime against nature, and in any case, if it's down to British character trait, I'd rather it kept than solved.

Some people genuinely don't like sitting next to other people regardless of whether that person is willing to move their bag or not. What irritates me most is people who put their bags on the seat when they can see the service is busy or sit on the isle seat blocking access to the window seat. I've even seen staff travelling like this, sitting on the isle seat at times of peak demand and overcrowding, staff who are most likely to be travelling free-of-cost.

On trains and busses I will put my bag on the seat but if the carriage is busy then I'll make sure it is out of the way so that others are more inclined to make use of the seat. Recently on a XC HST that was packed I was sitting next to a woman and her child she was holding whilst standing. I had a seat next to me but she didn't take it, so I offered her the seat and she was grateful and sat next to me with her child on her lap.

Sometimes I will stand even when seats are available. I'll do this if I am going to need to rush for a connection or if I'm only travelling 2 or 3 stops. I'm quite tall too so sometimes it's nice to get out of my seat and stand for a bit.

 

[455driver]

I've even seen staff travelling like this, sitting on the isle seat at times of peak demand and overcrowding, staff who are most likely to be travelling free-of-cost.

3 pages before the staff bashing started. :roll:

not bad for on here, normally its 3 posts.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Our 19 year old twins have in the past sat on their bags in the vestibule when travelling between home and Nottingham Uni because they were worried about having their stuff stolen.

 

[gnolife]

I'll choose to stand where possible on journeys in the Greater Manchester area, usually with my back to the non-platform side door. Also, if I'm travelling with EMT or XC on a HST, I'll stand near the non-platform side door, helping with the doors if someone doesn't figure out the door handle being on the outside.
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Our 19 year old twins have in the past sat on their bags in the vestibule when travelling between home and Nottingham Uni because they were worried about having their stuff stolen.

I've done that one myself, travelling from Southampton Parkway to Manchester. It was better than sharing a carriage with P155ed up United fans.

 

[sheff1]

sit on the isle seat

Which trains have these ? Sounds interesting. Or is it just a euphemism for sitting on the toilet ?

 

[1e10]

3 pages before the staff bashing started. :roll:

not bad for on here, normally its 3 posts.

I understand that not all staff are like these and have seen off-duty staff go to great lengths to help passengers.

Which trains have these ? Sounds interesting. Or is it just a euphemism for sitting on the toilet ?

Sorry, I am tapping fast on my iPad.

 

[gnolife]

I think some may do that as a means to avoid the dreaded paying-for-ticket scenario. If they see the a ticket-machine wielding eager person wandering up the carriage, they tend to sneak into the looe whilst they pass by.

I'm sorry, people go all the way to Cornwall to avoid paying a fare, even if they're only going from, say, Manchester to Stockport?

 

[tsr]

I'm sorry, people go all the way to Cornwall to avoid paying a fare, even if they're only going from, say, Manchester to Stockport?

Coombe Junction Halt is a frequent haunt of stranded Mancunian-region fare dodgers...

 

[TUC]

My main issue is when those wishing to stand do so in the doorway, giving the impression there are no seats available when there are. The lest they could do is move down the train.

 

[Chapeltom]

I'll automatically stand if going for just a few minutes or so. Sometimes I stand just to give myself a bit more room as well, rather than trying to read my paper whilst feeling as if its taking too much space sat down.

 

[DeeGee]

I travel to run races, and on the return home it's very helpful for me to get up and wander about every so often, and also to stretch my legs out. If I sit with them one position for too long they stiffen up and it's difficult to run the next day.

This is why I prefer travelling home from races by train instead of driving. If I wanted to sit in one place for the journey I'd drive.

 

[Timster83]

My main issue is when those wishing to stand do so in the doorway, giving the impression there are no seats available when there are. The lest they could do is move down the train.

I do this on my usual train to work as I prefer to stand than be crammed into a middle/window seat. I think it's a reasonable trade off: I get to stand at the doors and lean against a wall, and others get the comfort of a seat.

 

[Oswyntail]

To be really comfortable, I generally prefer to lie on the floor, but this tends to be frowned on on the railways :cry:

 

[Temple Meads]

If I'm on stock fitted with droplights then I'll more often than not stand, or alternate between standing and sitting if it's a quiet train - I just like to have a supply of fresh air, I'm also well over 6ft, so sitting for too long can get quite painful on certain stock.

I also usually choose to stand as opposed to sitting next to someone, I'm rather anti-social, and like my personal space :P

 

[Flamingo]

I don't mind passengers standing, so long as it's not in the First Class vestibules (if they are on STD tickets), and if the first thing they say when asked to move is "There are no seats".

The reply is usually "You don't want a seat, you are standing".

 

[ert47]

To add, I only really sit in vestibules if im on a 171... but then I feel I have to stand if it gets too crowded so more people can get on.

 

[Domh245]

In the mornings, I will always try to go for one of the single seats surrounding the 4 seat bay on the D stock. Coming home, if it is busy, I might sit on the floor with my back against one of the partition screens, but more often than not I end up leaning on the driver's door.

 

[Muzer]

I don't mind passengers standing, so long as it's not in the First Class vestibules (if they are on STD tickets), and if the first thing they say when asked to move is "There are no seats".

The reply is usually "You don't want a seat, you are standing".

On our commute to school, a small group of us (two or three) used to sit in the rear vestibule (class 159) on the fold-down seats for a number of years, which was quite frequently first class. We never once got told we shouldn't be there - I wasn't an enthusiast at the time so I had no idea, and neither did any of my friends. Evidently the guards either didn't know or (more likely) didn't care since we never caused any trouble. In those trains, at least, the intuitive thing is that first class starts at the door to the first class section and finishes at the door to the standard class section.

 

[1e10]

My main issue is when those wishing to stand do so in the doorway, giving the impression there are no seats available when there are. The lest they could do is move down the train.

Is it not possible to determine whether the train is full or not by taking a glance of the coaches as it pulls into the station?

 

[island]

Other times, it's on a 3+2 train where I wont even bother if either side of a bay of 6 is taken.

Yes, this one. Middle seats of 3 are tiresome.

 

[jon0844]

3 pages before the staff bashing started. :roll:

not bad for on here, normally its 3 posts.

Come on mate.. it was 'I've even seen' not 'It's always' and I've seen it too. Not often, sure, but it isn't staff bashing. I don't judge all staff because of the actions of a few idiots in uniform.

 

[WatcherZero]

I find standing more comfortable than sitting, If I sit down my legs go to sleep.

 

[Starmill]

I've done that one myself, travelling from Southampton Parkway to Manchester. It was better than sharing a carriage with P155ed up United fans.

On a voyager!? Hahah, that sounds like such a fun journey

 

[Comstock]

I've only had time to skim read this, but don't think anyone else has mentioned agrophobia (fear of crowds). In my case it's not so much fear as just finding them unpleasant.

I'm quite mild and I can sit on a crowded train if I have to, but if a carriage is more than 80% or so full and I've got the option of standing to avoid the crowds, I'll often do so. I'm always careful to move at stops and I'm far from convinced I'm hurting anyone at all.

When going from derby to London my favourite spot is the flop down seats in the vestibule. If one of those is free I'll almost always choose it, even if the train isn't crowded But again, I'll always move at stops (the train Derby to London only stops once in any case)

 

[rf_ioliver]

Been sitting down all day, makes a change to stand up and get some blood circulating in those legs

Ian

 

[glbotu]

I pretty much as a matter of course stand on the tube. It's often not much of a change in comfort if you've got leaning space and the journey's always pretty short. Plus a decent view out of the window of the doors. No hassle with having to then stand up and move if someone more deserving of the seat gets on.

On other services I usually sit. I don't really know, it just seems to make more sense, even on short journeys (say Vauxhall - Wimbledon), I think it just seems to take up less space. Probably to do with the difference between transverse seating and longitudinal seating.

 

[rogger13]

As an able-bodied adult male, I see myself as least deserving of a seat. If I think all seats will be later occupied, I'll stand to save myself from giving up my seat later.

6',fit,healthy male......this is the reason I do it too.

 

[island]

I've only had time to skim read this, but don't think anyone else has mentioned agrophobia (fear of crowds). In my case it's not so much fear as just finding them unpleasant.

Do you possibly mean agoraphobia (fear of open spaces)?

 

[Flamingo]

Or angoraphobia, fear of woolly jumpers

 

[stut]

"He's not agrophobic, he loves a good fight..."