MONEY MORAL DILEMMA: Should Rhydian and Beverley ride together?

golddustmedia

They've paid for a seat and there are seats available in 2nd class. Granted they're not together but none the less there are seats matching their tickets available!

Perhaps find 2 seats in the same carriage and ask another passenger if they are willing to move?

No harm in actually talking to someone on public transport you know!

luxor4t

Hate to sound mean, but I don't move my seat to suit other people - as I have restricted mobility I have to get to the train early and choose my seat carefully. Nobody has ever been offended, but TBH few have ever asked.

I try to book if at all possible, but there is a quota system and am often refused the chance to book.

steam_dan

Of course they should not sit in first class. They have paid to travel standard class so they should travel standard class. Seats are available and as they did not have the foresight to book in advance they should accept the situation.
As someone who has previously worked in the buffet and restaurant cars of InterCity (prior to privatisation) I can tell you many stories of unrealistic expectations from customers. People bringing their own beer on the train and then demanding a free plastic glass from the buffet bar, often screaming about the price of their ticket when they are refused.
I insisted on one bottled or canned drink purchase for each glass requested. Storage space was at a premium, and in my mind it was only right that plastic glasses should only be given to paying customers.

JayD

Well if they had booked their tickets in advance they could have reserved seats (for a small fee). But, under these circumstances, if sitting together is so desperately important to them both, I would suggest that they sit in the First Class carriage and be prepared to either move, or pay the upgrade, should the ticket inspector come round.
Personally I think it is an appalling indictment of our train service that there are frequently insufficient seats for second class passengers on busy routes - and even worse that there are invariably large numbers of empty first class seats along the same train. For 'second class carriage' it is often wiser to read 'cattle truck'.
So, I say sit together in First Class but be prepared to pay the price or move.

jenando999

When I was coming back from holiday in the summer with my daughter we had 2nd class train tickets booked from Edinburgh to Dundee. As the train was packed and we stood with our luggage, a very nice ticket inspector told us we could sit in first class as it was empty. It soon filled up with people following our lead. :rotfl: I think we were just lucky to find a really nice inspector working that night.

Labdogslover

Ask for an upgrade.

joannelovesbooks

If there were no seats at all in second class I would say they should sit in first class, because I do think buying a ticket should entitle you to a seat if there is one, but since there are seats in second class they should sit there - I don't think buying a tickets entitles you to sit with your friend. But they should ask someone else to move seats so they can sit together.

mrbilbs

...or they could have a meal in the first class dining car...and make it last. In some cases (on certain days) this might be cheaper than an upgrade.

harryhound

ajbaker wrote: »

Alternatively for a comfortable and relaxing journey, drive.

When did you last drive into London Theatre land ?

Admittedly, they can probably leave it until after the 8GBP zone charge BUT after a stop go journey; avoiding all the automatic fine cameras for speeding, driving one wheel into a bus lane and getting trapped on yellow hatchings (by the cab driver in front deciding to pick up a fare), they still have to find a meter that will rip them off and probably run out before the evening shift of wardens go home. Then they can watch the show wondering if some slime ball has broken in a nicked the Tom Tom (or a scumbag has run a coin down the side of the car because they ignored the "Watch your car mister" protection racket.)

Harry.

One of the highlights of the 1000's of pounds I have spent with the rail companies as a London commuter, was a train arriving that was so full that for every 24 people squatting there were 12 standing on top of their feet. It was physically impossible to get in through the doors. Part of the trouble was that 2 of the 8 cars had been locked off. Then a mate and I noticed a window had not been shut completely, so we dragged it down and bunked in through the window, turning round to help drag in any fellow sufferers with the nerve to give it a try. Fortunately, after a tense stand off the outnumbered staff realised that the situation could get really ugly, if they compounded the fiasco any further by delaying the train, so they climbed down, unlocked the doors before sweeping the train out on its way.
Great fun being threatened with Hell fire and brimstone over the Tannoy.

That said not being able to sit next to your boy friend does not qualify for an outbreak of civil disobedience. On our line, in the run up to Christmas, you could probably crack open the carry out and offer it round the carriage.

misscomickat

I sometimes sit in first when there is no seats in second. That is only for a 15 minute train journey, I wouldn't do it for a long one. But it can be very annoying when you see carriage after carriage of empty first class seats, and then hundreds of people all squashed into second class. It's terrible! If they don't sell enough first class tickets, change some of them into second class carriages!