Should lone passengers leave empty seat pairs free for groups?

[nanstallon]

I take the best seat available. In Britain, showing consideration to others is seen as subservience and doesn't get any thanks. The only exceptions, of course, are for someone who is disabled and would have problems getting into a single airline type seat, or a woman with a child who would otherwise be separated. Otherwise, I don't owe any favours to The Great British Public.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

You’re a lone passenger who gets onto a fairly busy service. The only other passengers who get on are a couple behind you. Upon entering the seating area, you see that there’s only one “free double”, and the other free seats are all next to someone else.

Do you:

1. Take the free double for yourself, thus more-or-less guaranteeing two seats to yourself until the next stop, but risking scorching resentment from the couple behind you for your “selfishness”, or…
2. …leave the free double for the couple and sit next to someone else, graciously accepting the thanks from the couple (if it comes, which it probably won’t)?

Option 1 - first come, first served. Simple.

And if said couple cannot deal with having to sit a few metres apart from one another, thus resulting in "scorching resentment", then maybe they should question whether using public transport is right for them.

Perhaps a taxi would be more appropriate?

As others have stated, however, I would happily leave the double seat free for a mother and child, or an elderly or disabled passenger (particularly if said "free double" was a priority seat).

 

[al78]

It isn't unreasonable for hotels to charge per room (to capacity) rather than per person, because most of the costs that are incurred to them are incurred per room, e.g. cleaning, maintenance etc. Single rooms are often charged a bit lower on the basis that they're smaller and it's only one person, but there's no particular reason they should be charged as half a double room. If you do want to pay per bed, there's the YHA and similar, though that does mean sharing. The only thing that's per person is breakfast, and these days most hotels charge it separately.

I can see that but it is not a case of thinking I should be charged half, it is more when there is a single supplement that mildly annoys me. Thankfully I haven't had to pay that on most of my holidays.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Jan 2023 ==

Had the woman paid for the extra seat for her handbag?

Given that a rail ticket does not pay for a seat that is irrelevant. If a seat was factored into the cost of a rail ticket, anyone who had to stand for their whole journey should get a partial refund.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Jan 2023 ==

Option 1 - first come, first served. Simple.

And if said couple cannot deal with having to sit a few metres apart from one another, thus resulting in "scorching resentment", then maybe they should question whether using public transport is right for them.

I wonder in some of these cases if the sitting apart is not really the issue, rather they have had an unusually large amount of stress/upset very recently and the inability to sit together is kind of the straw that breaks the camel's back, and the built up and festering emotions of frustration/anger/whatever erupt. Maybe it is not as simple as them being a bad person or entitled. Almost anyone can lash out if sufficiently provoked (and later regret it).

 

[kristiang85]

Option 1 - first come, first served. Simple.

And if said couple cannot deal with having to sit a few metres apart from one another, thus resulting in "scorching resentment", then maybe they should question whether using public transport is right for them.

Perhaps a taxi would be more appropriate?

As others have stated, however, I would happily leave the double seat free for a mother and child, or an elderly or disabled passenger (particularly if said "free double" was a priority seat).

If I see a couple behind me in that situation, I will always offer them the double seat. And I very much appreciate it when it happens to me.

When you're sitting next to your significant other (or a friend) you can enjoy more space, as keeping a barrier with a stranger isn't an issue, and if you are sharing food etc then you don't have to annoy others. It's just politeness really. If there are single seats it does seem a bit ridiculous to take the double yourself.

However, if it was just a double free seat and no other options, then yes first come first served. I wouldn't make myself stand in that situation!