I made someone move out of their seat - I feel no shame

It may seem obvious that as a ticket payer, you should always have a claim to a seat (especially if the seat is spare). The times this is absolutely the case are:

• When someone decides that their bag is more worthy of a seat than you
• When a male (although occasionally a female) spread their body out over a seat and a half in a hope it will put you off sitting next to them
• When it is super busy and the available seat is in the middle of two people, squeezed in or requires people to move 

However, you cannot claim a seat if there aren't any available. Not even if you have a gold ticket (make sure you read next week's blog to read about this badge of honour). Having said you cannot claim taken seats, there are times when you can take a seat even if someone else is already occupying it. This is the case if pregnant, disabled, elderly, injured or feeling ill. Only the latter reason have I made a claim to (and only once). Let me tell you about it. I was recently travelling home on the train, you know, what I do every day! It was a freezing December evening. I had stayed late which meant I missed the only train that apparently runs smoothly, leaving me with evening delays and an additional change to try to contend with. I managed to take the first train without an issue, but it meant I had two minutes between my train arriving at the station and the best connection leaving on an adjacent platform. Without a backward glance, I set off running for the train - it would provide me with an extra 20 minutes at home which was preferential. Having made the connection, I was first struck by the lack of applause from fellow commuters - the train dash after all is the ultimate agility challenge which normally receives a side-ways glance of appreciation. The second point that struck me was the busyness of the train which had created an inferno and no available seats. I had no claim to them (refer to earlier list of options).

Given that it was winter, I was layered up to the max. After 10 minutes of standing, my core temperature spiked and travel sickness kicked in. What are my options? Fight a crowd to get to the toilet to be sick... I might not make it. Pass out... not ideal and would lose reputation for life, but it would avoid talking and inconveniencing other commuters. Get off the train? Considering the next stop was the stop I was getting, I didn't fancy my chances of a) prising open the door or b) surviving the leap from a moving train. I therefore broke every commuter rule going and in desperation, I asked an unsuspecting woman if I could have her seat as I was feeling very unwell. Thankfully, she must have been a commuting rookie as she got up very quickly and I was able to sit down, take layers off and control my breathing. That was a good choice for her, as by that point, I would have sat on her if she refused. All in all, my hero will never know how close I was from dying (a.k.a at least passing out) in the middle of the carriage.

I made my stop and sat in the waiting area until the nausea subsided. This put time on my journey and taught me that running for a train will raise my temperature and might not give me a chance to survey the busyness of the train before boarding. In case you are wondering, I have ran for other trains since, no one should underestimate the satisfaction of making a train when the odds seemed stacked against you. Plus, missing the train usually means standing in the cold and that leads to grumpiness.

Do I feel bad for making the woman move, no. But, I will try to pass on the thanks one day. After all, having a seat is the dream, but there are times of need on the train that cannot be ignored.