Rail staff... do passengers expect you to automatically know the area?

[Teflon Lettuce]

Reading through the myths thread a thought struck me... as a coach driver parked up in a strange city I am constantly asked "how do I get to...?" and I was wondering if rail staff, esp mobile staff like drivers/ guards suffer from this same problem on their breaks?

 

[Llanigraham]

Reading through the myths thread a thought struck me... as a coach driver parked up in a strange city I am constantly asked "how do I get to...?" and I was wondering if rail staff, esp mobile staff like drivers/ guards suffer from this same problem on their breaks?

Yes, even when you obviously work for Network Rail! (Works fleece)

 

[scotraildriver]

Lol. I thought it was just me. When I go to Oban or the highlands I have to take an "incognito" jacket with me, just so I can get round Tesco for a sandwich without a thousand questions. Things like "which hotel/restaurant/pub etc do you recommend? I've never been to any! Which bus to here/there? And they get mighty offended when I politely say I don't know!

 

[theironroad]

Yes, people will ask about local things/shops which I sometimes know but not always and I just tell them I'm passing through too.

Also, at some busy stations I might be there for 5 mins in a day and people expect you to know the stations complete timetable and which platform including companies I don't work for. I'll try to help and can usually make a decent guess which is helped these days be NAT rail app and even rtt and ott.

 

[185143]

Yes.

I work at a city centre station around 15 miles from home-which is in a different county. Yet passengers still seem surprised when I apologise for not knowing where X Street/hotel/pub is for that exact reason!

 

[700007]

On the odd occasion I do front line duties or public engagements, people expect me to know the name of each individual hotel, road and supermarket off by heart in a 5 mile radius!

 

[sd0733]

Yes you're certainly supposed to be a full on guide...which bus to such and such, directions to a hotel or restaurant, places to eat out, best taxi to call etc. Google usually helps if they are pleasant though to be fair and can find out most things...

 

[whhistle]

It's strange that people generalyl work quite a way from their home, but when it comes to railway, local knowledge is almost somewhat assumed.

 

[pitdiver]

When I worked for London Underground it was exactly the same. We were expected, by the passengers , to know everything about everywhere within the London.

 

[Arrpi87]

I am a uniformed member of hospital staff. If I popped to Asda on the way home in uniform (very obviously a medical uniform, NHS badges, the lot), guaranteed I'll be asked where certain items can be found in store.

I'm then met with an incredulous look (and verbal abuse once) when I don't know and say I dont work there.

 

[Mag_seven]

I am a uniformed member of hospital staff. If I popped to Asda on the way home in uniform (very obviously a medical uniform, NHS badges, the lot), guaranteed I'll be asked where certain items can be found in store.

I'm then met with an incredulous look (and verbal abuse once) when I don't know and say I dont work there.

I remember an incident at Reading station a few years ago. An old lady stopped a man in a high visibility jacket to ask him train times. This was greeted with a shrug of his shoulders while pointing to the words "POST OFFICE" on the back of his jacket!

 

[1e10]

Is there really an expectation from the public. Or are grumpy rail staff interpreting questions from the public as expectations?

 

[Gareth Marston]

Ive posted this view before- but I suspect a lot of "man on the platform said" reasons/excuses given for ticketing irregularity /lost in wrong direction passengers are because people have asked a member of the public whom they think are rail staff.

 

[Gems]

Some passengers expect you to know the area. Never encountered any hostility if I have had to point out I don't. I have been able to help more often than not also.

 

[DarloRich]

i am sick of passengers on the Southern (and it only happens on the southern train!) train from MKC asking me if this train goes to Clapham. I now say no it goes to Edinburgh. That confuses them.

( i wouldn't mind but they have passed at least 3 sources of infomation to get onto the train!)

 

[Gems]

i am sick of passengers on the Southern (and it only happens on the southern train!) train from MKC asking me if this train goes to Clapham. I now say no it goes to Edinburgh. That confuses them.

( i wouldn't mind but they have passed at least 3 sources of infomation to get onto the train!)

I don't think people realise that train crew find the train in exactly the same way as passengers do, by the information screens. I think some believe we have a crystal ball or some other means of finding out.

But the funniest for me is when you are heading for the train, tell them "Yes it is going to Hull because I am the guard for it" and then they set off at a gallop in case they miss it. Endless source of amusement to me is that.

 

[Mintona]

I do get asked questions I don’t know the answer to fairly regularly. Often I will terminate at a station and step off the train, and immediately be asked train times to another station. I will always endeavour to find out but I am sometimes met by an incredulous look when I say ‘I don’t know, I just got here’. It would be nice to know the times of all the trains from all the stations but it’s not really possible.

For queries outside of the railway I usually have no idea and try to direct people to other members of staff who may know or who can find out more easily (customer ambassadors for example).

 

[Llanigraham]

Is there really an expectation from the public. Or are grumpy rail staff interpreting questions from the public as expectations?

I would say there was an expectation. As said, I've been on my way to a training briefing in obviously Network Rail uniform and have been asked the times of trains, the platforms and other odd questions that I would have no knowledge of, but because I was in "railway" uniform I was expected to know the answer. And like others I've had stroppy responses when I've apologised and suggested they ask the (at that time) obvious ATW platform staff for the answer.
It isn't being "grumpy" it's quite simply NOT KNOWING because it isn't our sphere.

 

[Tio Terry]

If you work for Network Rail and wear neck to ankle hi-vi orange with Network Rail on the back along with protective boots, hard hat, eye and hand protection on or about a station area you are an automatic magnet for members of the public wanting to know the time of the next train to just about anywhere and the cost of a ticket. They sometimes get rather annoyed when you tell them you have no idea and that NR don't run any passenger trains.

But sometimes it can be funny.

I had walked to the end of platform 1/2 at Waterloo to take some pictures when the platform lengthening works were being planned in full line side kit, nearing the platform barriers on my way back two young ladies pointed to the train in platform two and said to me "Hampton Court?" I replied "No, I always walk like this", a quizzical look followed by laughter ensued!

 

[Gems]

You have to be careful what you say. Not everyone has a sense of humour and will complain.

I once did the safety announcement and pointed out the location of the safety notices on the train, invited people to read them, then said, "And if you are from Hull you can always look at the pictures"
Although the CTM's were in stitches. I did get asked not to say it.

 

[DanDaDriver]

Passengers have always been understanding when I haven’t known something, although I usually point them to a member of platform staff or a departures board if I don’t know, which is usually enough for them.

The worst is whenever I go to a supermarket after work as you get people who are utterly convinced you work in said supermarket. I’ve had a woman grab my jacket to inspect the logo before. It doesn’t bother me normally, but it’s irritating when you tell them you don’t work there and they don’t even say “ok” or “sorry,” and just about face with a sour look

 

[Mojo]

The worst is whenever I go to a supermarket after work as you get people who are utterly convinced you work in said supermarket. I’ve had a woman grab my jacket to inspect the logo before. It doesn’t bother me normally, but it’s irritating when you tell them you don’t work there and they don’t even say “ok” or “sorry,” and just about face with a sour look

This is the most annoying thing; I had this in Aldi's the other week for just wearing a plain (unbranded) white shirt and tie! I've just taken to ignoring people now, because if they can't use their intelligence to work something out they probably aren't going to even apologise for disturbing you.

 

[FGW_DID]

I was in civvies and bimbling through Reading Stn one day, a lady stopped me and asked about train times to somewhere on the North Downs. I politely pointed her towards the Stn Staff nearby for her answer.

The reason she stopped me and thought I was Stn Staff? The badge on my fleece, the Great Western Society Didcot badge

 

[LowLevel]

One that has struck me of late is the amount of people asking me for obscure locations like random hotels while clutching a smartphone. That's what it's there for - Maps is a very useful app!

 

[DarloRich]

I don't think people realise that train crew find the train in exactly the same way as passengers do, by the information screens. I think some believe we have a crystal ball or some other means of finding out.

But the funniest for me is when you are heading for the train, tell them "Yes it is going to Hull because I am the guard for it" and then they set off at a gallop in case they miss it. Endless source of amusement to me is that.

on the train home no one would know where I work. I must have a kindly face!

 

[Waldgrun]

At one time South West Trains staff, where issued with the standard Stagecoach uniform, this lead to some members of the public expecting staff to know the local bus times!

 

[alxndr]

I was stopped for directions in a station by a member of the public the other day as I was wearing full orange. Had to admit I couldn't help—I'd lost my way back to my own van!

Even my ex, who knew my job has absolutely nothing to do with running trains, would frequently call up from way off my patch to ask what platform her train would be leaving on or why it was delayed. Usually I could make a reasonably educated guess via OTT/RTT, but she'd be annoyed if I couldn't give an immediate answer, especially if I pointed out I'd need to look it up on the phone she was calling me on... Once or twice she even rang to see if I'd advise random old ladies!

 

[2392]

Looking at this "problem" from another angle. The L.N.E.R. Coach Association are to a minor degree so far, getting queries/complaints etc from the public, with the East Coast Mainline now being marketed as the L.N.E.R.. On the bases of folk googling LNER and going for the first one that comes up.........

 

[700007]

One that has struck me of late is the amount of people asking me for obscure locations like random hotels while clutching a smartphone. That's what it's there for - Maps is a very useful app!

Exactly this!!!!!!!!