Pandemic personal consequences

[Ms Ordinary]

All my train journeys have been fine so far, including a 3 hour Saturday train to Weymouth - it's been easy enough to scout a quiet-ish carriage, & I'm used to tubes & buses at varying levels of busy-ness so I'm fine with anyone who's not a shouty/ drunk wanker.

Prob not going to risk a 5 hour unventilated coach journey for fun though!

 

[Espresso]

i'm getting an Avanti West Coast train to London on sat. when i booked you couldn't get seats sitting next to each other, even though we're going together! hoping for a similar dull no panic experience. we're deliberately not getting the tube though as it will be a weekend so we're staying right next to where we're going and getting a taxi from the station (which is thankfully not the other side of the city!).

This might be of interest to you, then.
When I got on the train I found my reserved seat was marked on the overhead whatnot as being reserved. So far so good. It also said that the seat next to mine was unreserved. Also fine, because I I was travelling alone. When we left my station, the display changed for my seat to say it was "Unreserved if unoccupied". The status for the seat next to mine still showed that it was unreserved. This is different from in before times where the display for the seat reservation stayed reading the same for the duration of the journey. So if I got on in at Preston, without a reservation and I spied a seat marked as reserved from Lancaster to London and there was no one in that seat, I would sit in it, because I figured that whoever should have been in it from Lancaster had obviously not shown up. Or had met someone they knew and sat with them instead.

I would say the new thing of changing the status of the seat once the station has been passed is because they know that in cases where two people are traveling together, while the online system doesn't let you buy two seats together, you both have to reserve a seat. So in all such cases, the seat that you or your other half isn't sat in will get a change of status on the display. That's my take on it, anyway.

 

[Sapphireblue]

This might be of interest to you, then.
When I got on the train I found my reserved seat was marked on the overhead whatnot as being reserved. So far so good. It also said that the seat next to mine was unreserved. Also fine, because I I was travelling alone. When we left my station, the display changed for my seat to say it was "Unreserved if unoccupied". The status for the seat next to mine still showed that it was unreserved. This is different from in before times where the display for the seat reservation stayed reading the same for the duration of the journey. So if I got on in at Preston, without a reservation and I spied a seat marked as reserved from Lancaster to London and there was no one in that seat, I would sit in it, because I figured that whoever should have been in it from Lancaster had obviously not shown up. Or had met someone they knew and sat with them instead.

I would say the new thing of changing the status of the seat once the station has been passed is because they know that in cases where two people are traveling together, while the online system doesn't let you buy two seats together, you both have to reserve a seat. So in all such cases, the seat that you or your other half isn't sat in will get a change of status on the display. That's my take on it, anyway.

yeah, i got the impression from what it allowed me to book is that only 1 seat at a table can be reserved, so one booking is at a table and hopefully the other one of us can move to sit at the same table without violating the no aisle seats rule (which i didn't realise before they were doing but makes sense)

 

[Thora]

I've just really struggled trying to reserve seats for me and 3 children and couldn't work out why whatever options I chose, none of the seats seemed to be together! Hopefully we will be able to nab a table together once we're there
Was thinking some random was going to get the pleasure of sitting next to my 3 year old for 2 and a half hours

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

The penny has just dropped for me also as to why I couldn’t book seats together for me and the kids on a forthcoming summer trip to London

 

[Johnny Doe]

Conspiracy theorist relative is moaning that she has to do a test to go to Wimbledon tomorrow. Which she only has to do because she only has one dose of a vacinne when she could have both long ago by now if she hadn't held off because of idiocy.

 

[hash tag]

Does your relative know that the Delta variant appears to be quite strong down here Data points to new Delta variant outbreaks in south west London - News Nation USA

 

[Johnny Doe]

Does your relative know that the Delta variant appears to be quite strong down here Data points to new Delta variant outbreaks in south west London - News Nation USA

I wouldn't imagine that sort of detail interests her. Me looking up and explaining the testing required and physically dropping her the test kits was met with 'theyll still be making us do this in 5 years' and she can't believe I don't see though it all.

 

[souljacker]

I've been working in the city this week and it has been a joy getting on empty trains and tubes. It's definitely busier than last time I was up here but still, having my own seat on the Reading-Paddington train and not been pushed up against people on the circle line makes commuting so much more pleasurable.

 

[Artaxerxes]

Anyway, I've booked a dental appointment for mid July which is weird enough right now, need a good clean and haven't been since like 2019...

it's very odd, used to pop to London every few months. haven't been since this all started.

Most of my time at weekends and evenings was spent in London, aside from keeping up ceramics in Saturdays around Liverpool st, I've been into London maybe 3-4 times in the last 18 months.

Not much to do around here but go to the woods tbh, but it's been ok. Miss the variety of people though.

 

[May Kasahara]

Not personal consequences per se, but the number of kids at my youngest's school who are entitled to free school meals has gone up 10% during covid. And half of that total have identified additional needs. Fucking confluence of worsening disadvantage there, eh which the DfE has chosen to make worse by fucking about with the way pupil premium is paid, meaning lots of schools will miss out on some of the funding that is meant to support those kids. Tory cunts.

 

[scifisam]

This might be of interest to you, then.
When I got on the train I found my reserved seat was marked on the overhead whatnot as being reserved. So far so good. It also said that the seat next to mine was unreserved. Also fine, because I I was travelling alone. When we left my station, the display changed for my seat to say it was "Unreserved if unoccupied". The status for the seat next to mine still showed that it was unreserved. This is different from in before times where the display for the seat reservation stayed reading the same for the duration of the journey. So if I got on in at Preston, without a reservation and I spied a seat marked as reserved from Lancaster to London and there was no one in that seat, I would sit in it, because I figured that whoever should have been in it from Lancaster had obviously not shown up. Or had met someone they knew and sat with them instead.

I would say the new thing of changing the status of the seat once the station has been passed is because they know that in cases where two people are traveling together, while the online system doesn't let you buy two seats together, you both have to reserve a seat. So in all such cases, the seat that you or your other half isn't sat in will get a change of status on the display. That's my take on it, anyway.

That is interesting - we had the same problem, being seated in those single occupancy seats one in front of the other. Fortunately there was a table with a reserved seat that was unoccupied, so we sat there; I've done that loads of times pre-covid and train guards have always been fine with it.

It doesn't make sense to separate people booking together. It's not very likely they're going to be separated for their whole trip, is it? "Yeah, we're going to Swansea together but will be sitting at separate restaurant tables and only meeting outside?" It would just spread them out across the train. Bizarre.

We did take our masks off because it was simply too long a train journey to manage without - my GF might just have managed but I genuinely couldn't. Put them on when using the loo or talking to staff and in the station, obviously. Felt like we were far enough from other people, with partially open windows, to be safe.

 

[ash]

That is interesting - we had the same problem, being seated in those single occupancy seats one in front of the other. Fortunately there was a table with a reserved seat that was unoccupied, so we sat there; I've done that loads of times pre-covid and train guards have always been fine with it.

It doesn't make sense to separate people booking together. It's not very likely they're going to be separated for their whole trip, is it? "Yeah, we're going to Swansea together but will be sitting at separate restaurant tables and only meeting outside?" It would just spread them out across the train. Bizarre.

We did take our masks off because it was simply too long a train journey to manage without - my GF might just have managed but I genuinely couldn't. Put them on when using the loo or talking to staff and in the station, obviously. Felt like we were far enough from other people, with partially open windows, to be safe.

Strange - I’ve just checked our tickets on the train line and we are seated together. Well I’m assuming together 72,73,74

 

[scifisam]

Strange - I’ve just checked our tickets on the train line and we are seated together. Well I’m assuming together 72,73,74

Ours were consecutive but were in the single row, one behind the other. It really wouldn't have worked for us since I need help getting out of the seat, and booked with a disabled railcard, so it didn't occur to me that they'd book us in unsuitable seats. (I don't think we were allowed to select seats when I booked them).

 

[ash]

Ours were consecutive but were in the single row, one behind the other. It really wouldn't have worked for us since I need help getting out of the seat, and booked with a disabled railcard, so it didn't occur to me that they'd book us in unsuitable seats. (I don't think we were allowed to select seats when I booked them).

We also used a disabled railcard . Oh well let’s see ?!?!

 

[scifisam]

We also used a disabled railcard . Oh well let’s see ?!?!

You can look your seats up online - that's what I did on the way back, and in that direction we'd been given two seats together. Though those were from Scotland to England so possibly it's different?

 

[ash]

You can look your seats up online - that's what I did on the way back, and in that direction we'd been given two seats together. Though those were from Scotland to England so possibly it's different?

Oh that’s interesting what website do you use?

 

[scifisam]

Oh that’s interesting what website do you use?

Not sure - think it might have been Rome to Rio?

I've just remembered that you'll be doing the same trip as us!

A tip: the Scotsman steps are shut, so you have to go up really steep stairs to get to that part of the city, but if you go to a black door labelled the Scotsman and press the buzzer they'll let you in without asking anything and you can get a lift to floor 4, which is the top of the stairs.

I think that'll probably make more sense when you're there...

 

[ash]

Not sure - think it might have been Rome to Rio?

I've just remembered that you'll be doing the same trip as us!

A tip: the Scotsman steps are shut, so you have to go up really steep stairs to get to that part of the city, but if you go to a black door labelled the Scotsman and press the buzzer they'll let you in without asking anything and you can get a lift to floor 4, which is the top of the stairs.

I think that'll probably make more sense when you're there...

Thanks I’ve just looked it up so it makes some sense and useful to know.

 

[Artaxerxes]

Ding ding, we’re self isolating.

 

[Looby]

Not affecting me personally yet but the number of people I’m hearing about with Covid is increasing daily through work and friends/family. All at home etc but feeling really poorly.
Lots of people close contacts and isolating. The son of one friend went to the England match (he doesn’t live in London) and has now tested positive. However he got it, that’s potentially a lot of contacts. It all feels very close!

 

[rubbershoes]

It's ripping through the local secondary schools at the moment. Our youngest child has been off for a week but has had a negative PCR.

But while she's been off 10 other pupils have tested positive so sending her back on Monday is a bit of a worry.

 

[Badgers]

It is still going up sadly



Make sure you are ordering home test kits or picking them up from the chemist. Double vaccinated people are testing positive and more have symptoms than one would hope.

 

[klang]

was hoping to introduce my immuno-compromised son to a few inddors activities and soft play thingies. We are desperate to do some new stuff that's not just our local parks. Looking at the graphs this will have to wait....

 

[andysays]

was hoping to introduce my immuno-compromised son to a few inddors activities and soft play thingies. We are desperate to do some new stuff that's not just our local parks. Looking at the graphs this will have to wait....

Offer to meet you and your son in our mutually local park is still open

 

[klang]

Offer to meet you and your son in our mutually local park is still open

sure, we are there most days (but today). Usually either morning 10-12 or afternoon from 4.

 

[rubbershoes]

It is still going up sadly

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Make sure you are ordering home test kits or picking them up from the chemist. Double vaccinated people are testing positive and more have symptoms than one would hope.

Doubly vaccinated can still catch it as you say, but fortunately we're less likely to have serious consequences.

 

[Saul Goodman]

Doubly vaccinated can still catch it as you say, but fortunately we're less likely to have serious consequences.

I personally know three people who were double vaccinated and now have the virus. One had the AstraZeneca and two had the Pfizer shots. Another friend was due to get their second Pfizer shot when they discovered they had the virus. One of them had the AZ vaccine quite early, as he was doing virus testing. He's quite bad with it.

 

[Aladdin]

I personally know three people who were double vaccinated and now have the virus. One had the AstraZeneca and two had the Pfizer shots. Another friend was due to get their second Pfizer shot when they discovered they had the virus. One of them had the AZ vaccine quite early, as he was doing virus testing. He's quite bad with it.

Shit that's not good

 

[Badgers]

Doubly vaccinated can still catch it as you say, but fortunately we're less likely to have serious consequences.

Yup

But can spread it. It is amazing me how many people think the vaccine blocks the virus and they no longer need masks or tests.

We have had a huge spike in double vaccinated people testing positive and around 10-15% of them with noticeable symptoms.