Seat hogs

[BCL]

I'm on Capitol Corridor 523 this morning and it's the most crowded I've ever seen it. At Richmond it's typically about 3-4 people boarding and today it was about 8.

Even so, about 75% of the passengers are blocking off seats with bags and/or using two trays. I'm wondering if its going to get to the point where the conductors start laying down the law. It's pretty obvious why people are doing this.

 

[TimePeace]

I often spread out but if someone asks to sit there I don't object. I often will ask if they want the window seat because I get up and move around often, and don't want to keep making someone else get up every time.

 

[ScottC4746]

I'm on Capitol Corridor 523 this morning and it's the most crowded I've ever seen it. At Richmond it's typically about 3-4 people boarding and today it was about 8.
Even so, about 75% of the passengers are blocking off seats with bags and/or using two trays. I'm wondering if its going to get to the point where the conductors start laying down the law. It's pretty obvious why people are doing this.

I've been on a particularly busy Pacific Surfline from LAX-SAN and the conductor announced over the PA system how crowded the train is and "don't be sitting there trying to look asleep because we will wake you." That was no idle threat...they did. By the time we pulled into SAN every business seat was occupied by a person's backside :giggle: and not their belongings and coach was standing room only. Not sure what was going on in SAN that weekend. I just wanted a train trip.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

I often spread out but if someone asks to sit there I don't object.

When you see people boarding, and its so obvious the train is crowded, why don't you simply remove your stuff without someone needing to ask first? Do you really need for someone to have to beg you first?

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Even so, about 75% of the passengers are blocking off seats with bags and/or using two trays. I'm wondering if its going to get to the point where the conductors start laying down the law. It's pretty obvious why people are doing this.

I was on a NE regional this past summer that was sold out. Yet there were people who were hogging multiple seats. I asked a couple of them if they could please move their stuff, but the typical response was that the seat was occupy by someone "in the bathroom". That's funny because there isn't even a seat check for this invisible person.

Yea, I was pretty PO'ed, but mostly at the Amtrak conductor for allowing such inconsiderate behavior.

 

[guest in the west]

I often spread out but if someone asks to sit there I don't object.

When you see people boarding, and its so obvious the train is crowded, why don't you simply remove your stuff without someone needing to ask first? Do you really need for someone to have to beg you first?

Of course the answer is no, but courtesy in the US continues to fall to new lows with regularity, and many people are simply selfish pigs. I used to ask as if I were begging, but then realized, what the heck? I am entitled to the seat unless the person with their life's belongings sprawled all over the place could show me two tickets for both seats. Now I simply say, please move your whatever. I get glares at times, but that pales to the pleasure of having a nice cushion to sit on in the seat area where I wish to be, instead of standing to a swaying Surfliner or Cap Corridor.

It's not only airlines. You should see people take up two seats on the San Francisco BART (not Muni as it's almost always standing-room only on buses and trams). And I am sure you have noticed airplane passengers on Southwest putting their arms and legs and detritus in the middle seat when they board to try and discourage you from claiming the middle seat until and unless it is the last seat left on a full plane.

Ah, people!

 

[TimePeace]

I often spread out but if someone asks to sit there I don't object.

When you see people boarding, and its so obvious the train is crowded, why don't you simply remove your stuff without someone needing to ask first? Do you really need for someone to have to beg you first?

Sir:

I often have done exactly as you so wisely recommend, but apparently it bothers you that I did not add that.

In addition, I have never had anyone beg me for anything on the train but it sounds likeyou are begging me now to be someone you can put down. Give it up, dude.

 

[rusty spike]

I often spread out but if someone asks to sit there I don't object.

When you see people boarding, and its so obvious the train is crowded, why don't you simply remove your stuff without someone needing to ask first? Do you really need for someone to have to beg you first?

Sir:

I often have done exactly as you so wisely recommend, but apparently it bothers you that I did not add that.

In addition, I have never had anyone beg me for anything on the train but it sounds likeyou are begging me now to be someone you can put down. Give it up, dude.

The passengers should not have to altercate amongst themselves. The car attendant/Conductor via the PA system should remind the folks that the train is crowded, please confine yourself and belongings to the seat you have paid for. Many folks are dozing, engaged in a book or magazine, texting, or whatever, and are totally oblivious to what's going on around them. In the case of middle-of-the-night boardings, without a PA system, the attendent should be alert enough to awaken those "spread out sleeping" that the extra seat will be needed.

 

[crescent2]

rusty: +1

Why don't the car attendants or conductors take care of this?

 

[City of Miami]

Ha! And I thought the OP was referring to people of generous proportion who occupy more than half the available space even though they occupy only 1 seat thereby impinging on the comfort and dignity of their seatmate.

 

[zepherdude]

I suspect people put their personal items next to them is to avoid having others sit next to them. Never look a boarding passenger in the eye and they won't notice you. Put stuff in the seat and they wont bother you. It happens on commuter buses as well. It does not happen on airplanes. It has to do with seat assignments I think. Like it or not, one sits next to someone on an airplane.

There is the story of a woman that did not care for a gentleman of color sitting next to her on a flight. The flight attendant agreed she should not have to sit with someone she did not approve of. The female passenger started to pack up her belongings to move and the flight attendant took the gentleman by the hand up to First Class saying he should not have to sit next to this woman.

 

[rusty spike]

rusty: +1Why don't the car attendants or conductors take care of this?

I don't know. Job performance and attention to details varies from individual to individual. Some conductors recognize the fact that an upcoming station stop is a busy one and take care of announcing the potentially crowded train in advaince. I've witnessed on board SWC#3 heading into ABQ when the conductor said basically to confine yourself to your own seat that we will need all the available seats from ABQ to LAX.

 

[rusty spike]

I was on a NE regional this past summer that was sold out. Yet there were people who were hogging multiple seats. I asked a couple of them if they could please move their stuff, but the typical response was that the seat was occupy by someone "in the bathroom". That's funny because there isn't even a seat check for this invisible person.

This is where assigned seating would eliminate that "bathroom" person. If I had a ticket with that seat number identifed, then I guess that passenger in the bathroom better stay there on that seat, cause he ain't gettin' mine. :giggle:

 

[user 1215]

This has been a problem on the Pacific Surfliners for some time. When I last rode, the conductors refused to ask any of the passengers to give up the seat next to them. Put a really bad taste in my mouth...

 

[fillyjonk]

Every time I've been on the TE lately, it seems they make repeated announcements about "This is a full train. You WILL have someone sitting next to you in coach." No idea if the conductors/attendants come through and MAKE people move their stuff.

I remember at times being moved from an open pair of seats to sharing with someone else, so that pair could be used for two people traveling together. I kind of hate having to do that but I get that that's how it needs to be - if I were traveling with someone I'd want to be able to sit with them.

I think it's human nature to want to have a pair of seats to yourself. But that's not possible on a full train. I remember once when there was a problem in the sleeper and we all got displaced to coach (in the middle of the night, no less) how hard it was to find a seat, because people were occupying all the "open" ones. If a young woman hadn't moved her child out of the empty seat she was in, I probably wouldn't have found a seat. (Bless that woman - she did it without my having to ask. I'm a very shy person and I don't like putting people out; I was really close to walking back to the lounge car and asking the attendant if I could stay there overnight)

 

[JoeBas]

It does not happen on airplanes.

Someone's never flown Southwest... :huh:

 

[BCL]

It does not happen on airplanes.

Someone's never flown Southwest... :huh:

I've been specifically told to remove a bag from an empty seat while flying Southwest.

OTOH - I've flown on an airline with assigned seating, and the flight attendants didn't have any problem when one passenger took the window, I took the aisle (I was actually assigned window but I digress) and we both had jackets in the empty seat between us.

 

[SP&S]

It's an old joke that first class on Southwest is when the middle seat is open.

When the wife and I have to fly them, she gets the window and I'll take the aisle, if somebody wants the middle seat, I'll slide over to it and sit next to the wife, giving them the aisle.

 

[BCL]

Every time I've been on the TE lately, it seems they make repeated announcements about "This is a full train. You WILL have someone sitting next to you in coach." No idea if the conductors/attendants come through and MAKE people move their stuff.
I remember at times being moved from an open pair of seats to sharing with someone else, so that pair could be used for two people traveling together. I kind of hate having to do that but I get that that's how it needs to be - if I were traveling with someone I'd want to be able to sit with them.

I think it's human nature to want to have a pair of seats to yourself. But that's not possible on a full train. I remember once when there was a problem in the sleeper and we all got displaced to coach (in the middle of the night, no less) how hard it was to find a seat, because people were occupying all the "open" ones. If a young woman hadn't moved her child out of the empty seat she was in, I probably wouldn't have found a seat. (Bless that woman - she did it without my having to ask. I'm a very shy person and I don't like putting people out; I was really close to walking back to the lounge car and asking the attendant if I could stay there overnight)

I understand the nature to do that. However, I'll never place my bag or jacket in an empty seat to "mark my territory". I might take an aisle seat with an empty window seat, but if anyone wants the seat next to me it's theirs. This morning I saw people who deliberately used two trays. Some were sitting at window seats and only placed their stuff on the tray in front of the aisle seat.

The Capitol Corridor director has even made pleas:

http://www.capitolcorridor.org/news/whats-new/cc-rail-mail-feb-19-2010/

**********************************************************************Don't be a Seat Hog

**********************************************************************

Please be courteous to your fellow passengers and keep bags and

belongings off of the seats next to you. This helps us accommodate

all passengers comfortably and reduce possibility of standees. Use

the overhead bins above the seats or the luggage areas, which are

located at the ends of each car. Conductors will be making

announcements to remind passengers to keep seats clear for others to

use. Thanks for your cooperation!

The thing about CC is that it was deliberately designed as a route where social interaction is encouraged. They've got tables, and someone literally taking up 4 seats (it does happen) defeats the purpose of why they ever set up tables to begin with. I've sat across from strangers (although rarely next to one because it generally doesn't get to that point) and it's a chance to meet people.

 

[BCL]

It's an old joke that first class on Southwest is when the middle seat is open.
When the wife and I have to fly them, she gets the window and I'll take the aisle, if somebody wants the middle seat, I'll slide over to it and sit next to the wife, giving them the aisle.

I haven't sat near the front recently, but I remember there used to be seats that faced each other. It sort of gave extra legroom, but there wasn't a space in front of the seat to stow a bag.

There is exit row one seat on every Southwest 737 where there's one seat without a seat directly in front. I sat there once, and when I needed a place to stow a small bag, I was told to go all the way and place it under the next seat in front.

 

[AlanB]

This has been a problem on the Pacific Surfliners for some time. When I last rode, the conductors refused to ask any of the passengers to give up the seat next to them. Put a really bad taste in my mouth...

You should have taken his name and reported him!

That is his job and he failed to do it.

 

[Ispolkom]

Hogging seats like this really steams me. When I'm on public transportation and there isn't room for everyone to have two seats, I make a point of always taking a seat where someone has put their bag. When I'm not with Mrs. Ispolkom I apparently always have an evil scowl on my face. It comes in handy in this situation. I imagine that someday I'll get shivved for this on a city bus, but until then...

Of course on Southwest, the reverse is true. If we can't get the LUV seat, we use SP&S's strategy. Mrs. Ispolkom takes the window, and I take the aisle. I then sit and glare at the seat back in front of me, thinking about TSA security theater. It takes a very crowded plane before someone ventures to take the seat between us, at which point I quickly ask if he or she would prefer window or aisle. This always works best on the right side of the plane, at least two rows behind the exit rows.

 

[TimePeace]

I hope there is happy medium somewhere here. I mean, I am not going to have any guilt about having my bag or a book or my jacket on the empty seat next to me on a train. I just am not. Like I am supposed to make sure nothing at all of myself is on that seat for an hour or two between station stops? Give me a break. People here who have posted saying they NEVER have anything whatever on the seat next to them and despise those "seat hogs" who do are simply not teling the literal truth.

And if it is a crowded train, and we pull into a station with people boarding, should I make sure every single item is gone, and every single boarding passenger passing me will be met with a happy welcoming smile and "oh, won't you please sit here next to me?!" even if they weigh 300 pounds and have lots of tatoos and piercings. No, I don't think that's what I'll do.

So. I am going to leave things on an empty seat all I want, and I am going to be conscious of people boarding a crowded train, and pay attention to what is going on, and move my stuff if i see a need for it, whether the conductor makes the "sold out" train announcement or not. In short, rather than some stupifying rule someone here thinks I should follow, I will instead use good common sense and courtesy. I respectfully suggest you all do the same.

 

[the Other Mike]

Is this about Amtrak or Southwest Airlines ?

As a large person, on Amtrak I try to travel sleeper when possible, but even in coach the seats are huge compared to an airplane. On SWA I board early and go all the way to the last row and sit on the aisle. It gives oncoming passengers a chance to grab another seat. I have had people larger than me sit in the window seat as a gamble on the plane not being full. Nothing is worse then the family getting on with several HUGE suitcases, carseats and strollers.

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

There are two places on Amtrak trains where luggage can go *in coach*, in the lower racks, and in the upper luggage racks above your heads. USE THEM. I refuse to beg for a seat, nor should I have to. I ask nicely, if they refuse, I try to find another seat, unless that is my assigned seat from the car attendant or whatever, but normally, I havent had that problem.

As far as for someone on the board not believing that other people can actually be considerate, and that they must be lying if they say they dont block seats, you know, some people were actually raised with..umm what are the words I am looking for? oh yeah..RESPECT, and COURTESY. Maybe some people here should learn those values and use them. Maybe thats just the southerner in me though.

My 10 cents...man, opinions are getting expensive now.