A mum has claimed she got into an argument with a ‘rude’ train passenger who tried to sit in a seat that belonged to her daughter – even though she had paid to reserve it
Trying to navigate travelling with a young child can be stressful enough for parents without the interference of strangers. If you’ve ever travelled long distances on public transport with a child, you’ll know that they can quickly get restless or tired, and this can pose problems for parents who just want to complete the journey without any tantrums.
External factors can also make things worse, especially if strangers demand that you make accommodations for them because they either don’t want to sit next to your child, or believe they deserve a seat more than your little one.
One mum claimed to have found herself in this situation while travelling by train recently. In a video on TikTok, the mum said she had booked two seats for herself and her daughter, but when her daughter got tired, she picked her up and held her in her lap so that she could sleep comfortably.
While her daughter was sleeping, however, another passenger approached and tried to sit in the seat the mum had reserved for her child. When the mum explained that the “empty” seat was actually taken, the other passenger became irate, claiming her child wasn’t currently using it, so it should be up for grabs.
In her video, the mum put up text explaining what she said to the other passenger and what the passenger replied, as the clip itself had music playing over the top and no audio could be heard.
She said the passenger first approached her and told her she wanted to sit in the seat beside her, and she responded: “Sorry, you can’t sit there. This seat is already taken.”
The woman said the seat was “clearly empty”, prompting the mum to explain that it was reserved for her child, who was sleeping on her lap. She said that when her daughter wakes up, she would need the seat, as the mum cannot be expected to hold her for their entire journey.
However, the passenger argued that her seat was “right next to the toilet” and she couldn’t handle the smell. She also told the mum that she would only sit in the seat “for a couple of hours” until her daughter woke up, at which point she would return to her own seat.
But the mum stood firm and told her: “You should’ve picked and paid for a better seat ahead of time, like I did.”
The passenger said she was “asking nicely” and couldn’t understand why the mum was being “selfish” and should be “ashamed” that she’s not willing to help out her “community” by giving up her daughter’s seat.
The clip then ended with the mum stating she would be “calling the conductor” to have words with the passenger, and she then added in the caption: “Why should I respect my elders when they show no respect for me?”
Commenters on the video were quick to share their own experiences with entitled people.
One shared: “I was having dinner out the other day and an old man came and asked if he could take the third chair. I said yes. He sat down with us and stayed there.”
Another added: “This happens to me EVERY time I pay for an extra seat for my daughter. They don’t see children as actual, real people. It’s ridiculous.”
However, a third sided with the passenger, writing: “If she was willing to move back when the baby woke up, I don’t see the problem myself. It costs nothing to be kind.”
