Should obese people be charged for two seats?

[whole diary]

[Brucey]

After travelling on a full and standing 150/2 yesterday, I was dismayed to see two "larger" people taking up four seats between them (i.e. two each).  Two passengers were ultimately having to stand to cater for these people's size.  I was wondering what other people's opinions are on this subject: should they be charged two fares for occupying two seats?

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

not wishing to offend anyone here, but if they were that big would they not be technically disabled?

[Mookiemoo]

I would say yes and I speak as a short fat person

[Ollie]

If you were charged for 2 seats on a plane would you get 2 meals?

[LiskeardRich]

if someones that size because of their fault through poor dieting exercise then yes perhaps charge them, however how do you know they dont have a medical condition making them so big?
try charging a person with a medical problem you will have big repercussions,

[broadgage]

I can see both sides of that argument.
I have gotten too stout to readily fit into some newer standard class seats.
I normally go first class though, especialy on new trains, first class on new trains seems about the same as second class on old ones.

Second class on long distance used to be 2+2 seating, but I noticed that 2+3 had crept in on to Waterloo to Portsmouth, progress I suppose.

First class used to be 2+1, on all but local services, but the new trains from Reading to Waterloo are 2+2 in first.

If fat persons are to be charged for 2 seats, then what about others who have 1 ticket but occupy more than 1 space ?
Babies and young children travell free, but invariably take up at least one seat, perhaps they should pay?

Older children travel at heavily discounted fares, but still expect a seat, perhaps they should pay full fare.


Wheel chairs and baby carriages are conveyed free, but occupy considerable space.
One some trains, including class 319s, tip up seats are provided to facilitate the carrying of wheelchairs and baby carriages, this means that 3 more have to stand. Should 4 tickets therefore be held ?

With people getting larger, and train seats getting smaller and with less legroom, this will be a growing problem.
I could diet to reduce my girth, but I cant do anything about my height, which is only slightly greater than average. Steerage class on a voyager is almost unusable by anyone over 6 foot tall.

In a railway magazine article recently, it was pointed out that a THIRD CLASS coach of 1900 had more legroom than a modern DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit). How is that for 100 years of progress, especialy as people are now taller on average than 100 years ago.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

also what if the trains so packed that you have to stand? are you paying for a seat or for travel ?

[old original]

you pay to travel, getting a seat is a bonus!!

[johoare]

you pay to travel, getting a seat is a bonus!!

..or just a distant dream 

[inspector_blakey]

It's an interesting question...I can see both sides of the argument but I tend to come down on the side of charging someone who occupies two seats for those two seats. At least one major US airline has a "Customers of Size" policy (named with exquisite delicacy I'm sure you'll agree).

Essentially the deal is that if you're too fat to put the armrests down either side of you, you should book an extra seat. If the flight isn't full and the seat isn't required for a paying passenger then you'll be reimbursed the additional fee, but if the flight is full then you do have to pay that fare for the additional seat you need. This is probably more of an issue in the confines of an aircraft where there is much less scope for moving seats.

In a railway magazine article recently, it was pointed out that a THIRD CLASS coach of 1900 had more legroom than a modern DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit). How is that for 100 years of progress, especialy as people are now taller on average than 100 years ago.

I find that rather hard to believe, having seen some of the third-class horrors that passengers used to be conveyed in around 1900 - wooden bench seats, no padding, no toliets, no gangways, no heating etc etc! It may be possible to "cherry pick" and identify one particularly generous third-class vehicle from the turn of the century with one particularly cramped modern DMU, but I don't believe for one moment that this is a general, representative trend. I'd bet good money that your typical third-class traveller from 1900 would find riding in a refurbished HST^▸ (High Speed Train) an infinitely preferable experience!

[LiskeardRich]

I find that rather hard to believe, having seen some of the third-class horrors that passengers used to be conveyed in around 1900 - wooden bench seats, no padding, no toliets, no gangways, no heating etc etc! It may be possible to "cherry pick" and identify one particularly generous third-class vehicle from the turn of the century with one particularly cramped modern DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit), but I don't believe for one moment that this is a general, representative trend. I'd bet good money that your typical third-class traveller from 1900 would find riding in a refurbished HST^▸ (High Speed Train) an infinitely preferable experience!

he didnt say about the seats being more comfortable, having toilets etc, just remarked that the 1900 had more legroom, you could be sat on rocks and be mega uncomfortable but have more legroom than a modern dmu

[Phil]

I've said it before but it bears repeating - quite frankly speaking as a Melksham resident I'd be perfectly happy to travel up to Swindon or down to Salisbury standing up in an open topped 3rd Class 1880s cattle truck. All I want is to get a b***** train service back of any description. Comfort quite frankly comes WAY down the list.

[Chris from Nailsea]

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What he said. 

[Mookiemoo]

I've said it before but it bears repeating - quite frankly speaking as a Melksham resident I'd be perfectly happy to travel up to Swindon or down to Salisbury standing up in an open topped 3rd Class 1880s cattle truck. All I want is to get a b***** train service back of any description. Comfort quite frankly comes WAY down the list.

See then I'd drive!  As I am in ireland!

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

i would happily use pacers for the next 50 years if it ment a rail service for sidmouth