Women-only train carriages

I might sit in the women only if he was getting on my nerves.
I think women need spaces to themselves when they are vulnerable eg prisons refuges. I dont think that applies to trains. And I would have concern that if an assault happened in a mixed carriage the first cry would be but why wasnt she in the womans carriage.

About 15 years ago I was on a packed commuter train between Bristol and Bath. The train was full to standing with men and women. A drunk got on the train at Bath and started bothering me, waving a bottle in my face, shouting sexual suggestions, insults and innuendo.

By the time we arrived at Bristol I was a a terrified, humiliated wreck (I don't scare easily), I burst from the train in tears and then, and only then did anyone come to my aid.

Several men said they didn't want to exacerbate the situation by speaking up and that they would have stepped in if the man had touched me. But whilst it was going on for the whole journey not one person stood up or said a word. That was harder to get over than the actual drunk idiot.

The Bristol station traffic police were not interested and said that has he'd not touched me there was nothing they could do.

If you are not safe in a packed mixed sex commuter carriage then you will not be safe anywhere on a train. An all woman carriage provides the opportunity for a man to behave as he will unchallenged by the decent men who have stuck by the 'women only' carriage rule.

I still travel by train now, but am always wary. If someone I don't like the look of gets on, or if I am alone in a carriage with a man I move immediately.

So sorry that happened to you coast path

Thank you Galaxy. You're very kind.

I use the trains to travel now and I would feel more not less
vulnerable in a women's only carriage. Bad idea.

You’re not trapped in a carriage any more, though, at least not in any trains around here. If I’d wanted to, I could have walked through all 8 coaches of the train we took earlier from central London to our outer bit.

It was different years ago, at least on the non long distance trains I used to take - once in an old fashioned compartment you were stuck there, so if any dodgy bloke got on….
Hence the old ladies-only sections.
IIRC they used to have ladies-only waiting rooms, too. With a fire in winter!

I frequently travel by train and wouldn’t use a ‘woman only’ carriage for the reasons already mentioned. Definitely prefer more guards and maybe the option of a ‘child free’ carriage.

I think it would be better to have more security and perhaps said security being overseen my a real person in a carriage where anyone (and I mean anyone) who feels vulnerable or needs support could sit

More security would be a bonus for everyone, I think. Train journeys can be a long time to feel threatened, or even generally inconvenienced by loud or otherwise obnoxious people.

It would be good if there were guards or other security people patrolling them.

About 5 years ago myself and my husband went on holiday to Dubai 1 particular day, we took a train ride ( for the sole purpose of experiencing a train journey in Dubai ) Anyway this particular train had mixed, mens and womens carriages, basically it was 1 long train with a line on the floor indicating which side the passenger must stand on.

I found it strange and i didnt feel totally comfortable, the mens carriage ( side of the line ) was rather full and 1 male passenger has part of his foot over the line, a guard came through and told the man to get his foot out of the womens carriage !!! ( well, I presume thats what the guard said )

But, that was in Dubai, my 1 and only experience, can't say it left a sweet taste in my mouth.

I often used to use the Ladies Only compartment when I was going to school but I think in those days men were more likely to take notice of the signs.

Personally, I don't feel the need. And as I met my tall dark handsome man in the train ... feel it would be a pity.

Not at all.
Make them only men carriages

We have to stop women from paying the price and being restricted based on men's actions

Hithere I had to laugh because I had a mental image of men only being allowed in mixed spaces if they were accompanied by a woman

Awesome mental image, VS

When I used to commute into London when I was about 16 (some 56 years ago!) I can remember we did have women only carriages on the train. Late at night they were very scary as you could sometimes be the only person in there and it did feel like you were a target. I rarely used them and see no point of them now. Surely it is safer to be in a carriage with a number of people.

Riverwalk

The newer London Underground trains are great and feel much safer - no chance of finding yourself alone in a carriage.

They're the usual 7 or 8 carriages in length but open-plan so basically one long carriage.

The only problem with those long trains is that you can't easily get away from someone who is being a pain. At least on the old Piccadilly line ones you can nip into the next carriage at the next stop if there's someone you want to get away from!

I don't think it is the way to go ( or go back to).
Would there always be sufficient carriages to make it possible? What if there were a much larger number of men on a particular train for some reason and they were overcrowded but there was a nearly empty women-only carriage. Would it always be in a fixed position so people with mobility problems ( of either gender), could get to the right part of the platform in time?
Is it teaching children that most men are dangerous and women need to stay away from them?
very disappointing that no-one intervened for the poster who was verbally abused on her journey.
In most trains, I think you can walk between carriages and get away from someone who is annoying or threatening.
It is possible to text the transport police discreetly on 61016 if you see anti-social or threatening behaviour or feel threatened at a station or on a train. They can send officers if needed. If it's an emergency, it's still 999.

Hithere

Not at all.
Make them only men carriages

We have to stop women from paying the price and being restricted based on men's actions

Completely agree with this. Also, if you choose not to use a Women Only carriage and something bad happens, it lays the way open for being told, 'Oh well you should have got in the women's carriage'. Our fault all over again, along with short skirts and being a bit pissed.

I remember when I was about 16 I was on a late train with a friend (long story) and two men came and sat opposite us, almost knee to knee. We were scared but clueless, and a woman got in and sized up the situation straight away. She whispered to us to follow her and got off the train at the next station, then told us to run up the platform to another carriage before the men noticed. We would never have thought of doing that, and I am sure she saved us from what could have been a really nasty situation.

I'm not sure women-only anything is a good idea unless there is a real and substantial threat. It's far too easy to go from providing a place for women to making sure women stay in that space.
I do think guards should be kept on trains.
I did when I was younger strike up quite a few acquaintances on trains. It was fun.
Now I prefer peace and quiet, proper Quiet Coaches would be good but quite how you enforce that without a guard i don't know.

I have been in several really nasty situations in the days when I was using trains every day. I have been groped when the lights went off while going through a tunnel.

I have got into a full carriage in order to be safe, but then everyone gradually got off and I was left alone with a guy who then began masturbating while staring at me. He had his legs stretched out and I would have had to climb over them to pull the emergency cord so I stayed put.

And this is just 2 of the incidents ....

Last time I texted the BTP I got a reply 30 mins later. The original text had provided every detail they needed, they asked for all the info again and by then I was no longer on the train. On the underground there is CCTV in the carriages (district line) and the drivers has screens so they often know what's going on but they don't bother informing anyone.

I think I would prefer keeping them mixed and with guards. Sometimes groups of young women can intimidate you as well as men nowadays. I hear more and more now of some poor girl on her own being set on by a group of other girls, it was on our local news the other day, the child was 12 and they gave her a terrible beating for no reason.

I would use this carriage.

youtu.be/xctzp0dp9uc