Train Etiquette

Being a frequent user of trains to assist with my commute to and from uni I have undergone some testing and trivial times whilst on board, all of which will contribute to this post...

Why do some people find it so difficult to think about how their actions will impact others? Especially when in a close environment and said actions can not go unnoticed. Public transport is one of these environments and it is here that people seem to forget that they are being watched by bored commuters studying their fellow unknown companions.

This got me thinking about the simple rules of train etiquette...

KIDS

If you are travelling with children, control them. Don't let them run riot around the carriage screaming their heads off and bashing the arm rests up and down. Keep them occupied, preferably in a seat next to you. Perhaps introduce some games such as 'eye spy' and 'snap'...

QUIET ZONES

The 'quiet zones' are called quiet zones for a reason. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out what is expected of travellers who are seated in this area. So if you are prone to loud conversation or are travelling with children that are unable to adhere to rules, keep out of these areas.

CONVERSATIONS

Bare in mind that when you are on a train, or any mode of public transport for that matter, that over hearing a conversation is fairly easy. This means there is no need to shout about what happened last night or how good the weekend was. Keep your conversation to a tone that is acceptable. (Unless it is massively exciting, in which case, speak up.)

HYGIENE

General rules of hygiene are: don't do anything considered unhygienic in public. This includes: squeezing spots, clipping nails, picking noses, burping, farting etc...

Just keep it to yourself and wait to you get home. I don't want to see/hear/smell any of the above.

EATING

If you are going to partake in food consumption whilst onboard then I have no issue, I too am particular to a bit of travel food now and then as well but if it smells hideous, for example, egg and cress sandwiches, keep it locked up til lunch. (Or at least until your stop.)

SWEARING

Now, I'm certainly not saying I'm an angel when it comes to potty mouths, but there is no need to swear in every fucking sentence. Old people and parents are just a few who get easily offended when being in the presence of language louts. If you need to swear then keep it to yourself rather than announcing that Tony is a complete twat in front of the whole carriage.

CHAVS

Well, what can I say. Clearly there is no avoiding these creatures. Especially on any form of public transport, but even they should know that they are instantly judged by their appearance as soon as they set foot on board. They then have the choice to conform to that judgement made by other commuters or prove them wrong. Of course most go for the first option and live up to their name... If you are a chav and you take the train, try to create a better image of yourself...

SLEEPING

I personally have no problems with snoozing en route to your chosen destination. What I do have a problem with however, is choosing to do so whilst seated next to a stranger. This can potentially create a variety of problems, such as; dribbling, blocking the exit route, excessive snoring and leaning.

If you are going to snooze, please do so with a vacant seat next to you... as we well know, no one wakes up a sleeper!

So... There we have it. Some very simple rules for train etiquette. Next time you are travelling on the rail make sure you bare these in mind, after all we're all in the same boat/train/plane/bus.....

(This is not the first time i've blogged about my hatred for trains! To see more click here)

Train Etiquette

Being a frequent user of trains to assist with my commute to and from uni I have undergone some testing and trivial times whilst on board, all of which will contribute to this post...

Why do some people find it so difficult to think about how their actions will impact others? Especially when in a close environment and said actions can not go unnoticed. Public transport is one of these environments and it is here that people seem to forget that they are being watched by bored commuters studying their fellow unknown companions.

This got me thinking about the simple rules of train etiquette...

KIDS

If you are travelling with children, control them. Don't let them run riot around the carriage screaming their heads off and bashing the arm rests up and down. Keep them occupied, preferably in a seat next to you. Perhaps introduce some games such as 'eye spy' and 'snap'...

QUIET ZONES

The 'quiet zones' are called quiet zones for a reason. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out what is expected of travellers who are seated in this area. So if you are prone to loud conversation or are travelling with children that are unable to adhere to rules, keep out of these areas.

CONVERSATIONS

Bare in mind that when you are on a train, or any mode of public transport for that matter, that over hearing a conversation is fairly easy. This means there is no need to shout about what happened last night or how good the weekend was. Keep your conversation to a tone that is acceptable. (Unless it is massively exciting, in which case, speak up.)

HYGIENE

General rules of hygiene are: don't do anything considered unhygienic in public. This includes: squeezing spots, clipping nails, picking noses, burping, farting etc...

Just keep it to yourself and wait to you get home. I don't want to see/hear/smell any of the above.

EATING

If you are going to partake in food consumption whilst onboard then I have no issue, I too am particular to a bit of travel food now and then as well but if it smells hideous, for example, egg and cress sandwiches, keep it locked up til lunch. (Or at least until your stop.)

SWEARING

Now, I'm certainly not saying I'm an angel when it comes to potty mouths, but there is no need to swear in every fucking sentence. Old people and parents are just a few who get easily offended when being in the presence of language louts. If you need to swear then keep it to yourself rather than announcing that Tony is a complete twat in front of the whole carriage.

CHAVS

Well, what can I say. Clearly there is no avoiding these creatures. Especially on any form of public transport, but even they should know that they are instantly judged by their appearance as soon as they set foot on board. They then have the choice to conform to that judgement made by other commuters or prove them wrong. Of course most go for the first option and live up to their name... If you are a chav and you take the train, try to create a better image of yourself...

SLEEPING

I personally have no problems with snoozing en route to your chosen destination. What I do have a problem with however, is choosing to do so whilst seated next to a stranger. This can potentially create a variety of problems, such as; dribbling, blocking the exit route, excessive snoring and leaning.

If you are going to snooze, please do so with a vacant seat next to you... as we well know, no one wakes up a sleeper!

So... There we have it. Some very simple rules for train etiquette. Next time you are travelling on the rail make sure you bare these in mind, after all we're all in the same boat/train/plane/bus.....

(This is not the first time i've blogged about my hatred for trains! To see more click here)

Riding the Rail - Tips for the everyday commuter.

Every Tuesday and Thursday I undergo the tedious task of boarding my local South West train service in order to get to University. Unfortunately for me, I leave at rush-hour and return at rush-hour.

This can present some problems...

Seating:
There is nothing worse than stepping on a train and being faced with the choice of selecting your seat neighbour. I usually find myself being overly picky at this point, students and young men are usually a no go. As are those who are overweight, coughing or appear of a nervous disposition.

A good tip here is to either:
1. Hover. - Stand around in the doorway area. Wait til someone leaves at the next stop, you will have priority over the boarding passengers as you are already on the train.
2. Be Selective. -Select someone who looks 'un-business-like'. The business-man is usually the person commuting the furthest, (in this case, London Waterloo.) The 'un-business-like' person is usually not a commuter but a local person making the most of public transport. Unlikely to be on-board for long.

Avoiding the Stranger:
Of course, there is also the flip side to this issue during these busy times, and this is having two seats to yourself.
Usually during my journeys, I like to sit with an extra seat to myself, greedy I know, but who doesn't? The only problem with this is that you often are faced with an influx of people boarding the train and scouring the carriage for seats.

This is when the following methods come into play:

1. Avoid Eye Contact. - This is a must when avoiding the stranger, the moment you make eye contact with a fellow commuter, is the moment you unknowingly give them the 'come and take a seat here' sign.
2. Occupy - Use the seat next to you for such things as bags and coats. This does deter most passengers, yet some take no notice of said objects and instead prolong their lowering pose until items have been removed.
3. Play Dead. - Pretend to be asleep. Perhaps add dibble for effect and lean yourself over onto the spare seat. This method is highly effective; no one wants to wake a stranger.
4. Strategic Seating. - Seat yourself in the chair closest to the walkway. This puts many a seat-searcher off, as not only must they ask to sit down, but they also cause you to move, disrupting your journey.

Finally, another tip is choose to sit in the 'Quiet Zone' This minimises the chances of screaming children or noisy chavs.

A good selection of passenger-avoiding advice if I may say so myself... who said I wasn't a people person?!

Riding the Rail - Tips for the everyday commuter.

Every Tuesday and Thursday I undergo the tedious task of boarding my local South West train service in order to get to University. Unfortunately for me, I leave at rush-hour and return at rush-hour.

This can present some problems...

Seating:
There is nothing worse than stepping on a train and being faced with the choice of selecting your seat neighbour. I usually find myself being overly picky at this point, students and young men are usually a no go. As are those who are overweight, coughing or appear of a nervous disposition.

A good tip here is to either:
1. Hover. - Stand around in the doorway area. Wait til someone leaves at the next stop, you will have priority over the boarding passengers as you are already on the train.
2. Be Selective. -Select someone who looks 'un-business-like'. The business-man is usually the person commuting the furthest, (in this case, London Waterloo.) The 'un-business-like' person is usually not a commuter but a local person making the most of public transport. Unlikely to be on-board for long.

Avoiding the Stranger:
Of course, there is also the flip side to this issue during these busy times, and this is having two seats to yourself.
Usually during my journeys, I like to sit with an extra seat to myself, greedy I know, but who doesn't? The only problem with this is that you often are faced with an influx of people boarding the train and scouring the carriage for seats.

This is when the following methods come into play:

1. Avoid Eye Contact. - This is a must when avoiding the stranger, the moment you make eye contact with a fellow commuter, is the moment you unknowingly give them the 'come and take a seat here' sign.
2. Occupy - Use the seat next to you for such things as bags and coats. This does deter most passengers, yet some take no notice of said objects and instead prolong their lowering pose until items have been removed.
3. Play Dead. - Pretend to be asleep. Perhaps add dibble for effect and lean yourself over onto the spare seat. This method is highly effective; no one wants to wake a stranger.
4. Strategic Seating. - Seat yourself in the chair closest to the walkway. This puts many a seat-searcher off, as not only must they ask to sit down, but they also cause you to move, disrupting your journey.

Finally, another tip is choose to sit in the 'Quiet Zone' This minimises the chances of screaming children or noisy chavs.

A good selection of passenger-avoiding advice if I may say so myself... who said I wasn't a people person?!