Trains

[Ruby1]

Anyone else have a phobia of trains? For ten years i couldn't get on a bus but now i can (i started off having panic attacks on them but now am much better)....but trains seems so alien to me, i'm so nervous about the prospect and i have to travel on some tomorrow and the following two days .....has anyone tackled fear of trains and are okay with them now?

[Idon'tknow]

I used to be a little yeah, but mainly cos my dad used to always walk far down the platform and i was scared the doors would close before i got on!
Maybe if you think of it as being a bus, or something even better than a bus, i dunno. But i suppose really it depends why your scared of trains, if its the claustrophobia thing then maybe just stay close to the doors or where it isnt very crowded.

[iTz0kt0Bu]

Originally Posted by Ruby1

Anyone else have a phobia of trains? For ten years i couldn't get on a bus but now i can (i started off having panic attacks on them but now am much better)....but trains seems so alien to me, i'm so nervous about the prospect and i have to travel on some tomorrow and the following two days .....has anyone tackled fear of trains and are okay with them now?

Nope, but i use to have a phobia of sitting on the top deck of a bus, when alone. I think it was because of how some adults made the top deck of a bus seem dangerous cause of teens, i was about 11 years old then. Now i realise it's not bad, infact it's better than sitting downstairs. The first time i attempted it i was so shy going up and down the stairs, i used to stand on the steps till the bus stopped.
Trains are way faster than buses so think about how much less time you have to spend sitting on a train. This isn't good advice but then i'm not sure why you have a phobia of trains. Look outside the window while on the train so you don't get into a stare with somebody else.

[TommyGun]

I actually dislike buses more than trains,but not a fan of either.

[Ruby1]

Nice one retepe that's great the bus thing is getting better for you

I guess my fear of trains is mainly about - not being able to find the right platform, lots of different platforms to get mixed up with, getting on the wrong train, getting lost on a train would be on a much bigger scale than getting lost on a local bus. I worry i'll end up in Scotland instead of Derby.

Thanks for your advise guys

[GoldFish]

my main problem with trains is when you have to get up and walk once you arrive at the station, the train starts wobble around like a theme park ride and its as if the driver is trying to trip up as many people as possible for a laugh. then you have to weave through alot of people just to make it off. that's the worst part. i also don't like it when you arrive on a train in peak hour and it is so full that you can only stand with nothing to hang onto, i constantly fall over when the train breaks and kicks at high speeds. i got tired of it and now i just drive instead. unless i'm seated or can stand against a side rail a train + me standing up + no support = embarrasment x 1000

its no so much fear of the train or anything like that, and i've been lost a few times and it always ends up ok.

[iTz0kt0Bu]

Originally Posted by Ruby1

Nice one retepe that's great the bus thing is getting better for you

I guess my fear of trains is mainly about - not being able to find the right platform, lots of different platforms to get mixed up with, getting on the wrong train, getting lost on a train would be on a much bigger scale than getting lost on a local bus. I worry i'll end up in Scotland instead of Derby.

Thanks for your advise guys

Try and make sure you're extra sure where you're going. Carry a map with you and look at all the train station signs for help.Btw, trains i use are usually London Transport so getting lost isn't a big issue for me.

[Ashtray88]

Originally Posted by Ruby1

Nice one retepe that's great the bus thing is getting better for you

I guess my fear of trains is mainly about - not being able to find the right platform, lots of different platforms to get mixed up with, getting on the wrong train, getting lost on a train would be on a much bigger scale than getting lost on a local bus. I worry i'll end up in Scotland instead of Derby.

Thanks for your advise guys

If you type your route in to nationalrail.co.uk and click on info then you can see the platforms numbers you need to get for all the stations. I actually prefer trains much more than buses. They are more reliable, you don't have to speak with a rude driver and you're more likely to be able to sit on your own. Travelling on a train during rush hour is hell though.

[Alex652]

Originally Posted by Ashtray88

If you type your route in to nationalrail.co.uk and click on info then you can see the platforms numbers you need to get for all the stations. I actually prefer trains much more than buses. They are more reliable, you don't have to speak with a rude driver and you're more likely to be able to sit on your own. Travelling on a train during rush hour is hell though.

Yeah, I prefer trains too. Much less hassle, and no talking to bus drivers (most bus drivers are friendly though IMO, but I worry that the driver will be rude which some certainly are). No passengers getting annoyed that you're holding up the train while buying a ticket either. Although trains in the rush hour are just hell.
I agree they are also more reliable, as they are less likely to get stuck in traffic!

Personally I'd prefer a bus over a London Underground train though, as they are much smaller and you usually have to sit opposite people rather than being able to look out the window.

[Mr Ploppy]

I feel slightly more anxious on a train than a bus. I think it's because you can get off quicker.
The exhilaration of entering a big station like Glasgow Central or Queen St is still nice though. Pity I don't actually go anywhere.

[Colin80]

Originally Posted by Ruby1

Anyone else have a phobia of trains?

I guess you could say I have a phobia of all public transport, although it has got a lot better recently. I also panic about getting on the wrong train or making a mistake and unfortunately I feel like I can't ask for help because that would make me look foolish.

I've avoided public transport my whole life and the fear has just built up over time. I have made some progress though and have been using buses, trains, taxis and even the tube recently. In fact I would say I am more comfortable using trains and the tube at the moment because its a bit more structured.

Its knowing what type of ticket to ask the bus driver for, what taxi etiquette is, how to make sense of train time tables etc and I obsess about all the little details.

[Medea]

Originally Posted by Ruby1

Anyone else have a phobia of trains? For ten years i couldn't get on a bus but now i can (i started off having panic attacks on them but now am much better)....but trains seems so alien to me, i'm so nervous about the prospect and i have to travel on some tomorrow and the following two days .....has anyone tackled fear of trains and are okay with them now?

I did, long ago when I was a teenager. I overcame it for the simple reason that going to uni for the 2nd time meant I had no choice but to use the train. The first uni I went to I'd get the national express bus home, which would take twice as long as the train, but felt so much easier (going into the victoria depot, no tubes involved) but when I went to uni the 2nd time that was not an option and I had to use the train. I still don't really like trains or buses and especially dislike taxis, but I have to use them or I'd never go out (can't drive, which is the bain of my life). I'm pretty sure if I could drive I'd never use a bus or train again, but it's not an option so I take a deep breathe and focus on looking out the window if I'm on a bus/train/in a taxi.

Taxis I find the absolute worst, but I find if I have a newspaper that I pretend to read then it's not so bad.

Oh and the one good thing about most trains these days is that they have wifi, so I can surf the net on my phone while on my way to somewhere.

[Memory]

I'm usually not too bad with trains. I much prefer trains to buses. The problem I usually have is when I'm on a train that doesn't have automatic doors (regular for me when I'm going to and from home and my uni house) because I think I won't be able to open the door properly since you have to push the window down to open it from the outside. I always end up going to a door where I know other people are, even if it means walking down a couple of carriages. Another problem is I don't like people sitting next to me, but that's the case with anything public like in cafes and such, not just public transport.

[Geoff]

I like trains as long as they aren't busy. My nearest station is a terminus so there are never going to be any crowds on the outward journey at least, so I can always turn up, pick any seat I like and keep myself to myself. Coming home again can be rough though if I pick a bad time and get the crowds, although if I plan it well and get the right train, it'll be ok. I actually want more excuse to take the train places and more money so I can afford it!

I hate taxis though and avoid them if I possibly can. It's being forced to talk to someone you don't want to talk to that I hate, and then not knowing how much of a tip to give, if any. Buses are ok sometimes, but like with trains and most other things they're fine if it's not crowded.

[wlien]

I prefer trains to buses and I don't remember the last time I took a taxi, with trains you can get a ticket from the machine, use the automated barriers and get on the train without needing to interact with anyone.

[FluxCapacitor]

I've been using trains for years so I'm not really anxious, don't understand the anxiety of getting on the wrong train etc as everything is clearly signposted nowadays, well when I go on a train anyway. My only problem is when the trains are packed full, too many times you can end up getting squashed in an overcrowded carriage

On the other hand I can't stand buses, mainly due to the people buses can attract (chavs, drunks etc..) and as mentioned the drivers are usually extremely rude.

[ghost.of.an.englishman]

^yeah, London tube trains still make me squirmy for that reason. I suppose I once had a borderline phobia of underground trains. The first time I went on an underground train, at about 17, I couldn't stop thinking about being so far under the earth and feeling buried, and I had that vertigo feeling I get with a panic attack. But after a few journeys I saw it wasn't so bad, and the phobic thoughts faded.

[FluxCapacitor]

Now this I can agree with, nothing more awkward! I refuse to sit in those seats, I'd rather just stand up the whole journey.

[Ashtray88]

Originally Posted by CallMeMorbid

Yeah, I prefer trains too. Much less hassle, and no talking to bus drivers (most bus drivers are friendly though IMO, but I worry that the driver will be rude which some certainly are).

It was maybe a bit harsh to say all bus drivers are rude. I've just had some really bad experiences with bus drivers... But some can be friendly. I'm not sure if it depends where you live either.

[waine]

yes i fear trains getting on the wrong one at a majorly big city station and even just smaller stations i think its ending up in the wrong place and not feeling as though i would have the confidence to sort out the problem if that did happen. and just hate crowded places.