Seat Reservations

ceannair06

I get the 5.25 from Houston going towards Limerick each day - if you're not sat in a seat by about 5.10, you won't get one (it needs more than a five carriage train, but that's never going to happen!).

Anyway, Irish Rail have had a habit lately of not displaying the seat reservations over the seats until the last minute - or not at all.

There have been some arguments at the time, I'm afraid that if it is 5.24pm and we are about to go off, and it's standing room only - I am NOT giving up my seat to someone who paid a few quid extra.

I have an annual ticket that costs in excess of three thousand euro a year. I think it is wrong not to prioritise annual tickets and regular travellers - we contribute much more to IR than a casual visitor.

Incidentally, I complained and was told that for an additional 5 euro per journey, I could reserve a seat.

So another grand or so on top of the 3 grand I pay!!!!

Anyone have any thoughts ? Is there a legal imperative to move for a reservation ?

Vic_08

ceannair06 wrote: »

I get the 5.25 from Houston going towards Limerick each day - if you're not sat in a seat by about 5.10, you won't get one (it needs more than a five carriage train, but that's never going to happen!).

Anyway, Irish Rail have had a habit lately of not displaying the seat reservations over the seats until the last minute - or not at all.

There have been some arguments at the time, I'm afraid that if it is 5.24pm and we are about to go off, and it's standing room only - I am NOT giving up my seat to someone who paid a few quid extra.

I have an annual ticket that costs in excess of three thousand euro a year. I think it is wrong not to prioritise annual tickets and regular travellers - we contribute much more to IR than a casual visitor.

Incidentally, I complained and was told that for an additional 5 euro per journey, I could reserve a seat.

So another grand or so on top of the 3 grand I pay!!!!

Anyone have any thoughts ? Is there a legal imperative to move for a reservation ?

A number of threads on this topic already, have a read http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057463367
You are not going to find a consensus on who is in the right in that situation though.

The most likely reason for the reservations not displaying is that the train is not set up when it arrives on the previous journey and it is left for the driver to do when he logs on before departure.

Graham

There's another way to look at this.

As an annual ticket holder you're already travelling at one of the lowest rates available, usually further subsidised by tax incentives. You choose not to pay an additional fiver to reserve a seat but have no problem depriving someone else of their paid reservation for a journey they've paid substantially more for than you.

foggy_lad

A reservation does not guarantee a seat and even if you found some person in your reserved seat a staff member if you could find one would most likely say there was nothing they can do and that you can get a refund for any reservation fee paid.

ceannair06

Graham wrote: »

There's another way to look at this.

As an annual ticket holder you're already travelling at one of the lowest rates available, usually further subsidised by tax incentives. You choose not to pay an additional fiver to reserve a seat but have no problem depriving someone else of their paid reservation for a journey they've paid substantially more for than you.

You do realise I PAY for my ticket ?????

"Depriving" - what guff.

plodder

foggy_lad wrote: »

A reservation does not guarantee a seat and even if you found some person in your reserved seat a staff member if you could find one would most likely say there was nothing they can do and that you can get a refund for any reservation fee paid.

What does 'reservation' mean then, if someone can just take your seat and not have an obligation to move? The explanation quoted above for why it might happen sounds like it could be accurate, but it's hardly acceptable. They should do away with seat reservations altogether, if they can't find a way of implementing it properly.

The Moldy Gowl

Are you sitting in someone's seat with the name above or has someone come up to you with their ticket saying sorry but this seat 24c is actually mine, can you move?


I get that train every few Fridays and it's a pain in the hole when people are sitting in my seat, luckily I have always just sat somewhee else but I would be rightly pissed off if someone wouldn't move.

Captain Chaos

foggy_lad wrote: »

A reservation does not guarantee a seat and even if you found some person in your reserved seat a staff member if you could find one would most likely say there was nothing they can do and that you can get a refund for any reservation fee paid.

Ok then take a hotel for example, you walk into reception. "Hi I have a reservation for room whatever booked it was online." "Oh I'm sorry some else is already in there, they just walking in and went asleep so they can't be moved."

It's the same thing but Irish Rail don't give a **** to enforce it. It's like running a hotel with no one on the front desk.

Graham

ceannair06 wrote: »

You do realise I PAY for my ticket ?????

"Depriving" - what guff.

If you read my response again it would be quite obvious I understand that you pay for your ticket. In fact I even alluded to the fact you probably pay much less for your ticket than the vast majority of your fellow passengers who cannot benefit from the deeply discounted and additionally tax-subsided rates which you avail of.

AudreyHepburn

foggy_lad wrote: »

A reservation does not guarantee a seat and even if you found some person in your reserved seat a staff member if you could find one would most likely say there was nothing they can do and that you can get a refund for any reservation fee paid.

That's exactly what it does do and you'll find that if you do call on a member of staff and show them your ticket they will not hesitate to move the offender on.

I always reserve a seat when I use the train and would have no hesitation in asking ,and expecting, the person in my reserved to move. I have willingly paid extra to avoid being on my feet for ages, why on earth should I stand because some self righteous ignorant individual has decided they can just blonk themselves wherever they want and to hell with everyone else?

ceannair06

Graham wrote: »

If you read my response again it would be quite obvious I understand that you pay for your ticket. In fact I even alluded to the fact you probably pay much less for your ticket than the vast majority of your fellow passengers who cannot benefit from the deeply discounted and additionally tax-subsided rates which you avail of.

Careful, that chip on your shoulder is weighing you down.

Got something against taxpayers ?

Graham

ceannair06 wrote: »

Careful, that chip on your shoulder is weighing you down.

Got something against taxpayers ?

Did you mean tax paying annual ticket holders with an overwhelming sense of self-entitlement ? Otherwise, no. No problem.

The Moldy Gowl

ceannair06 wrote: »

Careful, that chip on your shoulder is weighing you down.

Got something against taxpayers ?

I have something against rude people on trains though, especially ones who wont move seats just becuase you pay 3 grand a year dosent mean you get to lord it over the likes of me.

Either pay the extra grand and reserve a seat or move to an unassigned seat when someone who bought that seat asks you to move.
Or drive to Dublin everyday, or move to Dublin. Why you would commute from limerick to Dublin everyday is beyond me but I'm not one to care enough.

The next time I'm on that exact train, which will be this month, I'll make a point of sitting in the seat that's on my ticket and hope it's you.


It's simple manners.

plodder

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

That's exactly what it does do and you'll find that if you do call on a member of staff and show them your ticket they will not hesitate to move the offender on.

I always reserve a seat when I use the train and would have no hesitation in asking ,and expecting, the person in my reserved to move. I have willingly paid extra to avoid being on my feet for ages, why on earth should I stand because some self righteous ignorant individual has decided they can just blonk themselves wherever they want and to hell with everyone else?

In fairness though, it's ridiculous that you can board a train and not know which seats are reserved and which aren't. You could find yourself getting there early, picking a seat at random, the carriage fills up, and then someone comes along to say you're sitting in a reserved seat.

The Moldy Gowl

plodder wrote: »

In fairness though, it's ridiculous that you can board a train and not know which seats are reserved and which aren't. You could find yourself getting there early, picking a seat at random, the carriage fills up, and then someone comes along to say you're sitting in a reserved seat.

It is ridiculous, which you can see in my thread which was linked earlier in the thread.
My ticket will have the seat number and carriage number on it even if the name thing dosent light up.

How is it my fault that just becuase he won't pay the few euro extra a trip to ensure he gets a seat?

He says it's an extra 1000 a year to ensure that. Grand, that looks sizeable like that.
If he was to make that trip every monday to Friday excluding bank holidays that's 398 trips.
That's 2.50 each way to ensure he gets to sit down for 2 hours. He wouldn't wen need to do it from limerick.

He is getting the busiest train from Dublin to limerick. He should cop on and be considerate to other people and to himself and pay the 2.50.

He is paying 7.5 for each single trip, so 20 euro a day limerck to Dublin and ensuring He has seat and not relying on the train being queit is the best course of action.

Jamie2k9

ceannair06

Can I ask which station you travel to?

foggy_lad

Captain Chaos wrote: »

Ok then take a hotel for example, you walk into reception. "Hi I have a reservation for room whatever booked it was online." "Oh I'm sorry some else is already in there, they just walking in and went asleep so they can't be moved."

It's the same thing but Irish Rail don't give a **** to enforce it. It's like running a hotel with no one on the front desk.

You can't compare it to a hotel as in a hotel there is usually someone that has to give youna room key so only the person with the reservation would be allowed into the room.

More like booking cinema seats and finding people in your seats and the cinema refused to move them but told you to sit somewhere else or leave with a refund.

plodder

Gowlasauras Rex wrote: »

It is ridiculous, which you can see in my thread which was linked earlier in the thread.
My ticket will have the seat number and carriage number on it even if the name thing dosent light up.

How is it my fault that just becuase he won't pay the few euro extra a trip to ensure he gets a seat?

He says it's an extra 1000 a year to ensure that. Grand, that looks sizeable like that.
If he was to make that trip every monday to Friday excluding bank holidays that's 398 trips.
That's 2.50 each way to ensure he gets to sit down for 2 hours. He wouldn't wen need to do it from limerick.

He is getting the busiest train from Dublin to limerick. He should cop on and be considerate to other people and to himself and pay the 2.50.

He is paying 7.5 for each single trip, so 20 euro a day limerck to Dublin and ensuring He has seat and not relying on the train being queit is the best course of action.

Sure. A reservation should mean you can breeze up quite close to departure and be sure of getting your seat. That's understood.

But, it should also be possible to make the effort to arrive early enough and if there are seats unreserved, and be able to get one, without worrying whether it might be reserved. I'm just saying it's Irish Rail's fault that this problem occurs.

AudreyHepburn

plodder wrote: »

In fairness though, it's ridiculous that you can board a train and not know which seats are reserved and which aren't. You could find yourself getting there early, picking a seat at random, the carriage fills up, and then someone comes along to say you're sitting in a reserved seat.

I agree with you, it's madness. But that doesn't mean you have the right to refuse to move when the person who has reserved the seat turns up.

The Moldy Gowl

plodder wrote: »

Sure. A reservation should mean you can breeze up quite close to departure and be sure of getting your seat. That's understood.

But, it should also be possible to make the effort to arrive early enough and if there are seats unreserved, and be able to get one, without worrying whether it might be reserved. I'm just saying it's Irish Rail's fault that this problem occurs.

Yes. I agree.

The names or reservation numbers should be there when the train starts boarding. It's mental it's not.

That shouldn't excuse other people's poor behaviour though and self entitlement due to lack of staff which is rampant on trains.
It dosent matter who gets there first when I have a ticket for a Particular seat.

It's the same people who queue for an hour at airport gates.

The Moldy Gowl

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

ceannair06

Can I ask which station you travel to?

Colbert which is limerick city or limerick junction.

MOH

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

That's exactly what it does do and you'll find that if you do call on a member of staff and show them your ticket they will not hesitate to move the offender on.

It actually doesn't, accoding to the Irish Rail T+Cs.

I always reserve a seat when I use the train and would have no hesitation in asking ,and expecting, the person in my reserved to move. I have willingly paid extra to avoid being on my feet for ages, why on earth should I stand because some self righteous ignorant individual has decided they can just blonk themselves wherever they want and to hell with everyone else?

You mean because someone has carefully checked if there's any sign the seat is reserved and sat there because there is none?
Because Irish Rail can't be bothered doing their job properly and actually doing something about your seat reservation?


This has been done to death on previous threads, everyone has differing points of view, nobody ever agrees, and it ends up getting nasty. At the end of the day the issue shouldn't even arise, if we had a competent rail operator who was accountable in any way.

end of the road

Gowlasauras Rex wrote: »

It is ridiculous, which you can see in my thread which was linked earlier in the thread.
My ticket will have the seat number and carriage number on it even if the name thing dosent light up.

How is it my fault that just becuase he won't pay the few euro extra a trip to ensure he gets a seat?

He says it's an extra 1000 a year to ensure that. Grand, that looks sizeable like that.
If he was to make that trip every monday to Friday excluding bank holidays that's 398 trips.
That's 2.50 each way to ensure he gets to sit down for 2 hours. He wouldn't wen need to do it from limerick.

He is getting the busiest train from Dublin to limerick. He should cop on and be considerate to other people and to himself and pay the 2.50.

He is paying 7.5 for each single trip, so 20 euro a day limerck to Dublin and ensuring He has seat and not relying on the train being queit is the best course of action.

why should he pay 2.50 or be "considerate" to others when irish rail cannot be bothered to ensure their systems work properly? this is all down to irish rail. either ensure the systems work or don't bother with seat reservation and first come first served.

The Moldy Gowl

end of the road wrote: »

why should he pay 2.50 or be "considerate" to others when irish rail cannot be bothered to ensure their systems work properly? this is all down to irish rail. either ensure the systems work or don't bother with seat reservation and first come first served.

What should I do, with my ticket saying seat 24b do when I find him sitting in 'my' seat.
My paper ticket, not the screen.

The screen is purely aesthetic anyway.

end of the road

Gowlasauras Rex wrote: »

What should I do, with my ticket saying seat 24b do when I find him sitting in 'my' seat.
My paper ticket, not the screen.

The screen is purely aesthetic anyway.

you show up to a seat with someone sitting in it. show them your ticket. no screen, no paper ticket stuck to the seat as proof. can you really be surprised that someone may not move? to them your ticket backs up nothing. thats the problem. almost everywhere else the operator would ensure proof of reservation. this is all down to irish rail and their failure to ensure their systems work properly. they are the only ones to blame here. if the systems were working properly and someone was in your seat then you could move them by force for all i care

Rakish Paddy

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

That's exactly what it does do and you'll find that if you do call on a member of staff and show them your ticket they will not hesitate to move the offender on.
?

Most trains I have been on in the past few years have been unstaffed.

end of the road

Rakish Paddy wrote: »

Most trains I have been on in the past few years have been unstaffed.

the vast majority of trains are unstaffed unfortunately. driver only is fine for dart and suburban but for long distance services has no place. is ireland the only one who operates a policy of driver only on long distance services?

The Moldy Gowl

end of the road wrote: »

you show up to a seat with someone sitting in it. show them your ticket. no screen, no paper ticket stuck to the seat as proof. can you really be surprised that someone may not move? to them your ticket backs up nothing. thats the problem. almost everywhere else the operator would ensure proof of reservation. this is all down to irish rail and their failure to ensure their systems work properly. they are the only ones to blame here. if the systems were working properly and someone was in your seat then you could move them by force for all i care

I don't think you understand.

My paper ticket will have my name, my destination, what train, the time of departure, and the seat number.
When I get to the train, even if the seating plan hasn't been updated, the seats will still be numbered so I can find my seat and sit down.

So what happens if there is some gowl in my seat? I can prove it's my assigned seat even if my name isn't above the seat.
Grand, he is inconvenienced for a minute or 2 while he moves. Or I just say grand, I'll sit here instead, as I have done in the past, the thread is linked above.

Just becuase there is no name above the seat dosent give someone the right to be all pissy and throw a tantrum, when I say this is my seat and prove it's mine.


Yeah the system is annoying. But having a printed piece of paper saying it's my seat is a grand remedy.

AudreyHepburn

MOH wrote: »

You mean because someone has carefully checked if there's any sign the seat is reserved and sat there because there is none?
Because Irish Rail can't be bothered doing their job properly and actually doing something about your seat reservation?

No I meant what I said, as I said it.

If I walk up to you on the train with a ticket showing my name, destination, train time and seat number, which should be proof enough for anyone, then I would fully expect you to move.

My name might not be above the seat in question but my ticket would clearly show that I reserved the seat.

Irish Rail's shoddy procedures are no excuse for being self entitled and ignorant.

MOH

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

No I meant what I said, as I said it.

If I walk up to you on the train with a ticket showing my name, destination, train time and seat number, which should be proof enough for anyone, then I would fully expect you to move.

My name might not be above the seat in question but my ticket would clearly show that I reserved the seat.

Irish Rail's shoddy procedures are no excuse for being self entitled and ignorant.

I don't disagree with most of that, particularly the last point. Your ticket shows that you reserved a seat, and that Irish Rail agreed to hold it for you.

Where my viewpoint differs is that if I reserve a particular seat, someone's sitting in it, and the train is full, I don't expect them to pay for Irish Rail's incompetence. I'd consider that to be self entitled and ignorant.
Why would I ask them to move when they clearly had no idea the seat was booked?

Besides, logically it makes sense.
One of us is going to have to stand: if I do insist they move, they have to stand so I've put them out, I feel bad about it, and Irish Rail get away scot free.

If I leave them in the seat and I stand, under their T+Cs Irish Rail have to refund my fare, so at least it costs them something.

The Moldy Gowl

Guess it depends on your mood then MOH. But there would probably be one seat free on the whole train then and it would be easier for me to just go there.

If someone gets aggressive about moving seat, it's not worth it being aggressive back.

end of the road

Gowlasauras Rex wrote: »

I don't think you understand.

My paper ticket will have my name, my destination, what train, the time of departure, and the seat number.
When I get to the train, even if the seating plan hasn't been updated, the seats will still be numbered so I can find my seat and sit down.

So what happens if there is some gowl in my seat? I can prove it's my assigned seat even if my name isn't above the seat.
Grand, he is inconvenienced for a minute or 2 while he moves. Or I just say grand, I'll sit here instead, as I have done in the past, the thread is linked above.

Just becuase there is no name above the seat dosent give someone the right to be all pissy and throw a tantrum, when I say this is my seat and prove it's mine.


Yeah the system is annoying. But having a printed piece of paper saying it's my seat is a grand remedy.

no it isn't. irish rail ensuring their systems are working at all times is however

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

No I meant what I said, as I said it.

If I walk up to you on the train with a ticket showing my name, destination, train time and seat number, which should be proof enough for anyone, then I would fully expect you to move.

My name might not be above the seat in question but my ticket would clearly show that I reserved the seat.

Irish Rail's shoddy procedures are no excuse for being self entitled and ignorant.

irish rail's failure is an excuse for someone not being sure that you are telling the truth and that you did reserve the seat.

Niemoj

The privilege in this thread is unreal.

The Moldy Gowl

end of the road wrote: »

no it isn't. irish rail ensuring their systems are working at all times is however


irish rail's failure is an excuse for someone not being sure that you are telling the truth and that you did reserve the seat.

The seat number you bought Is literally on the ticket.

Anyone who has a hard timedeciphering such a coded piece of paper is the type of person you just leave sitting down.

GM228

I can see why both the person who had a reservation and the person who unknowingly took the seat may be peed off by such a situation and why both could argue to keep/claim the seat, it's an awkward situation.

However it's interesting to note as per the Conditions of Carriage and CIE Bye Laws that:-

A person who has a reservation are supposed to be ready to board their train (at the origin station) at least 20 minutes before departure time, so if they are last minuters they may have no claim on the seat (does not apply to intermediate stops.)

43.5 Reserved seats must be claimed prior to the advertised departure time of the
train.

43.6 Passengers at terminal stations who wish to claim their reserved seats must
be available for boarding at least twenty minutes prior to the advertised
departure time of the train.

Despite having a reservation IE ARE NOT actually obliged to provide a seat!

43.3 Reserved seat tickets are issued subject to the conditions and regulations
applicable to the passenger ticket to which the reserved seat ticket relates
and to the special conditions, that Iarnród Éireann is not deemed to undertake
to provide particular seats in the appropriate class, or any seats, and failure to
do so will impose no liability upon Iarnród Éireann other than to refund the
reservation fee paid.

NOTE: I'm not saying I agree/disagree with the above, just pointing it out.

MadDog76

It's happened to me a few times on the Dublin-Galway train ......... I always ask the person who's sitting in my Reserved Seat to move and only once has anybody refused, in that case I got an Irish Rail employee to intervene which they did promptly and to my satisfaction.

GM228

MadDog76 wrote: »

It's happened to me a few times on the Dublin-Galway train ......... I always ask the person who's sitting in my Reserved Seat to move and only once has anybody refused, in that case I got an Irish Rail employee to intervene which they did promptly and to my satisfaction.

And the odd thing about it all is that an IE employee actually has no legal right to make the passenger move.

the_pen_turner

Niemoj wrote: »

The privilege in this thread is unreal.

who are you saying thinks they are privileged . is it the person who bought a ticket and reserved a ticket but isn't getting what they paid for
or is it the person who bought a ticket hoping for a seat but is sitting in a seat that someone else paid for

MadDog76

GM228 wrote: »

And the odd thing about it all is that an IE employee actually has no legal right to make the passenger move.

Legal or not, anybody sitting in a seat that I paid extra for to reserve is moving one way or another.

GM228

MadDog76 wrote: »

Legal or not, anybody sitting in a seat that I paid extra for to reserve is moving one way or another.

How do you make them move if they refuse?

MadDog76

GM228 wrote: »

How do you make them move if they refuse?

Aggression, taunting, intimidation, publicly embarrassing them, shouting, winding them up, making them uncomfortable ......... nobody can withstand that for 5 minutes never mind 3 hours and even if they did last the whole trip I'd follow them off the train continually taunting and shouting at them ........ and the next time they were asked to move out of somebody else's seat, they would!

GM228

MadDog76 wrote: »

Aggression, taunting, intimidation, publicly embarrassing them, shouting, winding them up, making them uncomfortable ......... nobody can withstand that for 5 minutes never mind 3 hours and even if they did last the whole trip I'd follow them off the train continually taunting and shouting at them ........ and the next time they were asked to move out of somebody else's seat, they would!

I actually saw something similar happen before, the person who was sitting in the seat closed their eyes, put on headphones and turned towards the window, it lasted about 15 minutes before the passenger who was standing gave up! Everyone else seemed to be getting annoyed with the passenger who was standing and shouting and told him (not too politely) to shut up several times!

MadDog76

GM228 wrote: »

I actually saw something similar happen before, the person who was sitting in the seat closed their eyes, put on headphones and turned towards the window, it lasted about 15 minutes before the passenger who was standing gave up! Everyone else seemed to be getting annoyed with the passenger who was standing and shouting and told him (not too politely) to shut up several times!

Wouldn't work on me, I'm stubborn as f*ck and quite aggressive by nature ........ I'd actually enjoy the look on the as5hole's face as we pulled into our destination train station and he realises that I'm going to follow him off the train to have a "chat".

questionmark?

GM228 wrote: »

I actually saw something similar happen before, the person who was sitting in the seat closed their eyes, put on headphones and turned towards the window, it lasted about 15 minutes before the passenger who was standing gave up! Everyone else seemed to be getting annoyed with the passenger who was standing and shouting and told him (not too politely) to shut up several times!

The guy who refused to move sounds like a self entitled asshole. Ah Irish rail travel the only country in the 1st world I've used trains in where people refuse to move out of a reserved seat cause ya know I sat here first ****e!

tabbey

I personally do not reserve seats on Irish Rail. However if I did, I would expect to get the seat. Anybody who pays extra for a reservation, has an absolute right to that seat, unless there is a breakdown, or substitution by a smaller train, or similar act of god.
Irish Rail have a moral obligation to facilitate enforcement of the reservation. If they are not able to do so, due to driver only trains, or any other reason, They should not issue reservations.
Taking an additional fee, without being in a position to enforce it, is dishonest, and brings IR into disrepute.

foggy_lad

Gowlasauras Rex wrote: »

I don't think you understand.

My paper ticket will have my name, my destination, what train, the time of departure, and the seat number.
When I get to the train, even if the seating plan hasn't been updated, the seats will still be numbered so I can find my seat and sit down.

So what happens if there is some gowl in my seat? I can prove it's my assigned seat even if my name isn't above the seat.
Grand, he is inconvenienced for a minute or 2 while he moves. Or I just say grand, I'll sit here instead, as I have done in the past, the thread is linked above.

Just becuase there is no name above the seat dosent give someone the right to be all pissy and throw a tantrum, when I say this is my seat and prove it's mine.


Yeah the system is annoying. But having a printed piece of paper saying it's my seat is a grand remedy.

When others who get to the train find seats which are not reserved(but you have a ticket for that seat) they will sit there as there is no name or paper reservation on the seats.

Your issue is then solely with Irish Rail for failing to honour your reservation.

MadDog76 wrote: »

Aggression, taunting, intimidation, publicly embarrassing them, shouting, winding them up, making them uncomfortable ......... nobody can withstand that for 5 minutes never mind 3 hours and even if they did last the whole trip I'd follow them off the train continually taunting and shouting at them ........ and the next time they were asked to move out of somebody else's seat, they would!

I would possibly be recording and uploading the footage to YouTube but definitely tweeting Irish Rail that there was an unstable & aggressive abusive and insulting passenger causing trouble and acting in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace on the train! The train would then be stopped while waiting for the Gardai to remove you because of your behaviour.

GM228

tabbey wrote: »

I personally do not reserve seats on Irish Rail. However if I did, I would expect to get the seat. Anybody who pays extra for a reservation, has an absolute right to that seat, unless there is a breakdown, or substitution by a smaller train, or similar act of god.
Irish Rail have a moral obligation to facilitate enforcement of the reservation. If they are not able to do so, due to driver only trains, or any other reason, They should not issue reservations.
Taking an additional fee, without being in a position to enforce it, is dishonest, and brings IR into disrepute.

I would agree with you, however IEs own T&Cs and Bye Laws don't - madness!

What makes the entire thing more crazy is that the person who sits in the seat (without a reservation shown) has a greater right to that seat than the person who shows up last minute with their reservation for that seat!

Spanish Eyes

When you book a train ticket online, there is the name of the manager quoted plus contact details on the confirmation email.

If anyone has a problem they should WRITE to this person snailmail and see what response they get.

I kept this guy's name for a trip to Galway recently with my sister, having read some of the horror stories here.

But all was well. On the outward the names were up, coming back NADA, but we were early on both occasions so there was no problem.

The thing is, if you bother to reserve your seat, you should not have to be there first!

Anyway.

Onwards and Upwards. But the lack of an IR person on the train is ridiculous. But then again this is Ireland.

I wonder what happens if there is a confrontation and fisticuffs happen? Pull the emergency cord I suppose, or if still at the station, call the Guards. Mad that it should have to come to that for the sake of a one person presence on the train to sort all this stuff out really. But there ya go.

Happy Christmas, and hope y'all get home safe.

foggy_lad

If there is any issue at all with the system for reservations then it should be turned off and there should be announcements at all stops that all reservations are void and seats are on first come basis.

MadDog76

foggy_lad wrote: »

I would possibly be recording and uploading the footage to YouTube but definitely tweeting Irish Rail that there was an unstable & aggressive abusive and insulting passenger causing trouble and acting in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace on the train! The train would then be stopped while waiting for the Gardai to remove you because of your behaviour.

You'd be wasting your time, I'm good at sticking to the letter of the law when necessary.

foggy_lad

MadDog76 wrote: »

Aggression, taunting, intimidation, publicly embarrassing them, shouting, winding them up, making them uncomfortable ......... nobody can withstand that for 5 minutes never mind 3 hours and even if they did last the whole trip I'd follow them off the train continually taunting and shouting at them ........ and the next time they were asked to move out of somebody else's seat, they would!

MadDog76 wrote: »

You'd be wasting your time, I'm good at sticking to the letter of the law when necessary.

What you describe above would be threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour covered by the Public Order Act and also behaviour likely to lead to a breach of the peace, also covered by the Public Order Act