In message .com, at
05:10:01 on Sun, 21 Jan 2007, Jonathan Morris
remarked:
At most other times, it's a case of people trying to keep empty seats
next to them - and people are too scared to ask them to move whatever
it is they've put there. Should this count as a full to capacity train?
It's certainly the majority. I have no hesitation to ask someone to
move something, but you will often get the look that says 'That's MY
seat - how dare you take it'. You just have to get on with it, or be
willing to stand.

I often seem to get a reservation in seat 1 of Meridians. This is the
corner seat at the end of the coach. It's also the seat that seems to be
a prime target for occasional travellers to slump into (first they see
when they get on board), complete with half a dozen assorted bags.

The problem when asking them to move is answering the inevitable
question "so where are my bags supposed to go"? There never seems to be
a Meridian Train Designer handy when you need to refer people to them!
--
Roland Perry