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AIBU

Behaviour on trains

(124 Posts)
vickymeldrew Tue 12-Nov-19 23:00:22

I read online today of a court case where a commuter was reprimanded by a fellow passenger for eating smelly boiled eggs . This reminded me of the many times I have been sitting near to women applying full makeup during their train journey. On the most recent occasion, the person was sitting opposite me with the table between us laden with cosmetics. AIBU to think this sort of behaviour shows really bad manners and it actually makes me feel squeamish and slightly embarrassed.

Minerva Wed 13-Nov-19 09:59:57

So long as the cosmetics don’t smell of boiled eggs or tinned fish or fried food I couldn’t care. In the US, crawling along in one of five lanes we often used to see young ladies removing curlers and applying their makeup while inching their cars forward. I’ve seen eye make up applied in a London bus which is a feat I admire given how often we get thrown about by the bucking bronco generation of bus drivers.

Purplepoppies Wed 13-Nov-19 10:00:40

The apoplectic rage aimed at the woman eating the eggs was ridiculous!!
Of course we would all like everyone to fit in with OUR standards but life doesn't work like that.
I wouldn't object to makeup being applied. I would and have objected to perfume/hairspray being used on public transport because I'm asthmatic. Most people are understanding. The odd imbecile feels 'entitled ' to spray whatever in the enclosed space. I open as many windows as possible in that instance......

Jue1 Wed 13-Nov-19 10:03:58

Really?, if this is all you have to worry about ..
She may have children and rushed in the mornings to get them to school, she may just have been late. She may prefer to apply her make up once settle on the train because of the light. Who knows?
Live and let live.. ?

Jue1 Wed 13-Nov-19 10:05:53

Indeed x

Dee1012 Wed 13-Nov-19 10:06:34

I travel for work quite a lot and use the train. I can pretty much tolerate the eating and makeup but what does drive me insane is the 'take over' of the shared table!
Recently on one trip, Mr Big Bollocks got on, sat down and out came the large laptop which of course needed to be plugged in, then came 2 A4 folders, 2 mobile phones, assorted M&S goodies and a paper. Feet splayed out and the rest of us were huddled into our respective seats barely unable to move!

Ellianne Wed 13-Nov-19 10:11:03

It wouldn't bother me provided their stuff didn't spill onto my space. During my daily commute on the tube I witnessed it all and as others have said, journey time is valuable time to put on make up or grab a bite to eat.

Chardy Wed 13-Nov-19 10:11:42

On public transport including planes, it would be nice if people would think about how their actions affect other people. I hate travelling without headphones (even if they're not plugged into anything!).

Apricity Wed 13-Nov-19 10:14:41

Not so long ago I watched a young woman spend the entire hour of a train journey between cities applying her makeup. It wasn't objectionable (or smelly) but strangely interesting that someone could depend a whole hour just applying makeup in public. Brushing, contouring, shaping, reshaping, smearing on the spackle, reapplying........

sarahanew Wed 13-Nov-19 10:16:18

I think it's fine to apply make-up on the train. For someone with a busy life it shows good use of time. The thing that gets to me is when so many people either have headphones in or are talking loudly for ages on their phones. A quick conversation is fine, to let someone know you're running on time or something like that. I like to talk to people on the train when I'm traveling alone, it's very interesting the people you can meet sometimes. I guess you could strike up a conversation with a lady putting on make-up. I wonder where she was going, was she on her usual morning commute or visiting family or meeting up with a man she wanted to look her best for...

inishowen Wed 13-Nov-19 10:18:38

When my son was little I gave him an egg sandwich for school lunch. He was not happy because the teacher asked what the awful smell was! Lesson learned. Make up wouldn't bother me, but I did share a table with a business man who spread his papers over the entire table. The cheek of him.

ReadyMeals Wed 13-Nov-19 10:20:35

I think it's alright to do makeup on the train, but you should make sure no one else needs to put something on the table before taking it over, and preferably only use a fair share of it.

Babs758 Wed 13-Nov-19 10:25:48

I once sat next to a guy in Easy Jet who bought with him
And ate 2 boiled eggs. They did smell!

B9exchange Wed 13-Nov-19 10:26:15

I personally would feel uncomfortable applying make up in public, but then I find it really difficult eating on a train or in the street as I was taught this was extreme bad manners, and if caught as I child I would be reported to the headmistress and in for a major telling off. Don't really have a problem with others doing, it, though I draw the line at people applying make-up whilst driving!

But I have a real problem with the smell of garlic or curry. If someone who has been eating those sits down next to me the smell makes me heave, I end up trying to hold my breath and eventually having to move away.

icanhandthemback Wed 13-Nov-19 10:26:38

When I was working some of the only moments I got to eat in a fairly relaxed environment was when I was travelling. In this day and age when both parents are expected to juggle childcare, schooling and working, I think it is very unreasonable to complain when they use their 'spare' time eating or fixing their face!

jenpax Wed 13-Nov-19 10:29:54

I am fine with any food, smelly or noisy, don’t mind makeup being applied and have no problem with (quiet) phone calls. Pretty tolerant really as I operate a live and let live approach to life, however I DO hate manspreading, feet on seats and other people’s music being imposed on me!??‍♀️

Gingergirl Wed 13-Nov-19 10:30:34

I think it isn’t the best of manners....or eating food with a smell that lingers...or not wearing appropriate clothes..or taking up too much space...or talking loudly on the phone....So many people all crammed in, I think it’s nice to be considering others around us...but that’s just me..and I’m sure I’m in a minority.?

TerriBull Wed 13-Nov-19 10:34:11

The last time I was on Easy Jet the guy next to me ordered something that had a very overpowering and greasy smell, not a lot you can do though it was his prerogative to order in flight food. I do agree eggs can smell overpowering, I remember when I was at my catholic junior school on the occasions we had an early morning mass and therefore had to miss breakfast, we all brought a packed sandwich to eat out our desk afterwards, I think many of us had egg in our sandwiches from the collective aroma around the classroom.

I'm not overly fond of the smell of eggs these days they make me feel a bit sick, I wouldn't have said anything though if I'd have been that woman. I did get annoyed once or twice with those, who set up office on the train and then hurumphed if you had the temerity to ask to sit in the adjacent seat, spread with their belongings hmm

Jaxie Wed 13-Nov-19 10:43:00

Civilisation depends in part on people not behaving in a way that discommodes others. On train journeys I don't expect to be slobbered on by dogs, have to listen to music playing on someone else's headphones, be presented with the spectacle of someone painting their face, or have to listen to crude conversation or loud phone calls. I don't want to have to ask that a fellow passenger move his ( sorry but it's always been a man so far) belongings from the seat so I can sit down. I love talking to people on trains IF they want to; I am not antisocial but I like good manners and respect to others.

EllanVannin Wed 13-Nov-19 10:45:53

I'd rather be on a train than 30,000 feet in the air with any obnoxious smell. At least you can get off at the next stop to draw breath and risk being late.

Jillybird Wed 13-Nov-19 10:48:33

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GoldenAge Wed 13-Nov-19 10:49:10

Applying make up is fine as long as the cosmetics aren't strewn across the table and into another passenger's space. Applying perfume isn't fine and if someone were to do that in my carriage I would make a fuss - there are so many people with allergies and asthma these days that perfume can be dangerous. Eating food is a difficult one because the service on many trains is specifically directed towards the provision of food, but what I hate is very smelly hot food being brought on the train - the ubiquitous MacDonalds - and what I can't get my head around is why on aircraft, when there's a passenger on board with a nut allergy, an announcement is made informing passengers that all products containing nuts have been withdrawn from sale, and that is accompanied with a request that if anyone has brought any food with nuts in, then they don't eat it - yet there's no such approach in a train carriage.

tiredoldwoman Wed 13-Nov-19 10:51:08

I love watching people so would be delighted to watch a make up session happening !
I fall asleep and slobber - is that allowed ?

EllieB52 Wed 13-Nov-19 10:51:12

My main objections are unruly children and people who take up more than their allotted space (usually people working whilst commuting). There was one time though when I was travelling from Milton Keynes to Edinburgh when two young women got on and sat opposite me then proceeded to get the manicure stuff out and paint their nails, giggle, giggle. The fumes were unpleasant but I spend the time until they got off staring at the varnish bottles willing them not to spill! I have no compunction turfing out someone who has taken residence in my booked seat. I guess we have to accept that we can’t always control our environment.

Chaitriona Wed 13-Nov-19 10:55:34

As a young woman and a student I travelled by train regularly between London and Edinburgh. Being chatted up was a burden. Particularly by men travelling south from Aberdeen off the oil rigs and starved of female company. It was no good being hoity toity but if you started asking them about their wives and children, they would give up and become more respectful. One told me that there were women on these trains that were there deliberately to roll them for their money. Goodness knows if that was true. An old grandad once bored on for hours and then turned the conversation to doubtful films set in women’s prisons. So it was all ages really. One young man who was my own age and seemed nice told me he had been in London for a medical appointment and was terminally ill and would I have sex with him because he would like to experience it before he died. It seems unlikely now but I am still not sure if he was lying. But I declined of course. There is something about trains. A very respectable looking middle aged man once offered to carry my case at King’s Cross. I said, “No thank you”. He then asked me if my boyfriend ever spanked me before hurrying off. I suppose this was in what is now referred to as “other times”. An end to all this has been one of the good things of becoming old.

Guineagirl Wed 13-Nov-19 10:56:37

I’m just glad I didn’t spend the day with her, mmm wonder why everyone in the office has disappeared and I have wind x