Avanti made me wait with my bike to make room for two other cyclists to board despite me having a bike reservation for the train

[hypercolius]

A few days ago, I was travelling from Euston. I showed my bike reservation to the people checking tickets, and proceeded to coach A.
When I was there, the staff member who opened the door ordered me to step aside and then made me wait for two other cyclists, walking far behind me, to get their bikes on first. Then, the staff member started inspecting everything to make sure everything fit, and finally let me board.
This is despite me having a bike reservation and getting there first.
I was incensed at being treated like this. Had the staff member refused to let me board at that point, I would have taken my bike on the train against his wishes and would have called the police at the same time if he said one word about it. Avanti really sets a new low when it comes to travelling with a bike, and I have made a strongly-worded complaint about this incident. The staff I spoke to later had no clue why this was done. The train was a Pendolino with abundant bike space.

 

[LowLevel]

Maybe you were getting off first and they wanted bikes travelling further to be stacked at the back so they're not blocking you from getting off at Coventry?

Seems a silly thing to be getting so worked up about, if your complaint reads like your post I'd be laughing as I sent the standard "very sorry you're not happy" template back.

 

[DarloRich]

This seems like a massive over reaction to a minor problem

 

[66701GBRF]

Not sure wasting police time is the way to go.

 

[dk1]

Let it go. This is rather an overreaction on your part and I think you’d be the one the police would be escorting away should you call them for something so trivial.

 

[43066]

A few days ago, I was travelling from Euston. I showed my bike reservation to the people checking tickets, and proceeded to coach A.
When I was there, the staff member who opened the door ordered me to step aside and then made me wait for two other cyclists, walking far behind me, to get their bikes on first. Then, the staff member started inspecting everything to make sure everything fit, and finally let me board.
This is despite me having a bike reservation and getting there first.

As above, likely to ensure bikes are stacked correctly and safely. It’s actually commendable that the staff members are proactively managing it, and it seems an odd thing to take umbrage at.

Had the staff member refused to let me board at that point, I would have taken my bike on the train against his wishes and would have called the police at the same time if he said one word about it.

If you’d done that you’d have been disobeying staff instructions and thereby likely committing one or more criminal offences yourself, so I’m not sure what you’d hope to achieve by calling the police, other than potentially getting yourself arrested? It’s also likely in that situation that the train wouldn’t continue and you’d be delaying everyone else on it.

 

[AirRail]

That is not a police matter. You can't just go around calling the police for every minor inconvenience in life.

Whilst the staff member should have explained the reasoning, perhaps you could have got into a polite conversation and asked why this process happened. It's most likely the staff member had seen the bike booking and due to the location they were going to be stored, yours would have been blocked by the others as you were getting off earlier in the journey.

Have people really lost the ability to communicate, other than ranting behind a screen?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Maybe you were getting off first and they wanted bikes travelling further to be stacked at the back so they're not blocking you from getting off at Coventry?

Indeed.

@hypercolius. You do realise that the 1340 Avanti train from Euston called at another 15 stations after Coventry (first stop)? Not sure why you've seemingly got so worked up about this. Did you expect the consensus of the forum to agree with your point of view?

 

[KNN]

Why didn't you ask the staff member themselves why they were holding you for the other two bikes?

As others have pointed out, it's likely to be so it was easier for you at Coventry and would have saved you several days of needless outrage.

 

[Andy Pacer]

Why didn't you ask the staff member themselves why they were holding you for the other two bikes?

Good point. It seems very easy to say nothing at the time but then complain and make a fuss later.

 

[azOOOOOma]

A few days ago, I was travelling from Euston. I showed my bike reservation to the people checking tickets, and proceeded to coach A.
When I was there, the staff member who opened the door ordered me to step aside and then made me wait for two other cyclists, walking far behind me, to get their bikes on first. Then, the staff member started inspecting everything to make sure everything fit, and finally let me board.
This is despite me having a bike reservation and getting there first.
I was incensed at being treated like this. Had the staff member refused to let me board at that point, I would have taken my bike on the train against his wishes and would have called the police at the same time if he said one word about it. Avanti really sets a new low when it comes to travelling with a bike, and I have made a strongly-worded complaint about this incident. The staff I spoke to later had no clue why this was done. The train was a Pendolino with abundant bike space.
View attachment 166412

Just out of interest, why do you think this was done? I’ve a feeling if your bike was loaded first and there had to be other bikes moved once at Coventry then you’d complain about that too. I do wonder why the staff didn’t inform you. One wonders as to whether your behaviour or demeanour scared staff off interacting with you to explain. We may never know but expect a stock reply from Avanti, with no further action.

 

[Buzby]

The impression I got was that you had a reservation, but the other 2 did not? Since you were asked to wait, it would appear you all had reservations and the staff member knew this, and wanted to load the bikes in en efficient order to ensure ease of disembarkation at the far end - so if you were getting off first, it makes sense to load your bike last. Wouldn’t you agree?

 

[py_megapixel]

What inconvenience did this even cause you? That you had to stand on the platform with a bicycle for a couple more minutes?

I really don't understand what the problem is here...

 

[Andy Pacer]

The impression I got was that you had a reservation, but the other 2 did not? Since you were asked to wait, it would appear you all had reservations and the staff member knew this, and wanted to load the bikes in en efficient order to ensure ease of disembarkation at the far end - so if you were getting off first, it makes sense to load your bike last. Wouldn’t you agree?

I wonder if the other two did have reservations, and that the staff member was waiting for them knowing their bikes needed loading first as they were travelling further?

 

[Darandio]

I wonder if the other two did have reservations, and that the staff member was waiting for them knowing their bikes needed loading first as they were travelling further?

That's the way it reads to me, a staff member doing an efficient job.

 

[KNN]

You can't get a bike on Avanti without a reservation

 

[Peter0124]

Considering it was a Scotland service with first-stop Coventry, its likely that those behind you were travelling further, so your bike would be at the top and easier to unload.

You also had a reservation so I don't see the issue of being held on the platform for 5 minutes. The train won't leave without you, nor will your seat. Unless you were worried someone would sit on your reserved seat and refuse to move (a seperate issue that should be enforced of course).

Maybe the staff should have told you why you needed to wait (to let people going further put their bikes first against the wall in order). But it's only right they make it easier for everyone to access their bike when they need to get off.

 

[43066]

You can't get a bike on Avanti without a reservation

That’s a sensible approach - I would expect it to spread.

 

[Efini92]

A few days ago, I was travelling from Euston. I showed my bike reservation to the people checking tickets, and proceeded to coach A.
When I was there, the staff member who opened the door ordered me to step aside and then made me wait for two other cyclists, walking far behind me, to get their bikes on first. Then, the staff member started inspecting everything to make sure everything fit, and finally let me board.
This is despite me having a bike reservation and getting there first.
I was incensed at being treated like this. Had the staff member refused to let me board at that point, I would have taken my bike on the train against his wishes and would have called the police at the same time if he said one word about it. Avanti really sets a new low when it comes to travelling with a bike, and I have made a strongly-worded complaint about this incident. The staff I spoke to later had no clue why this was done. The train was a Pendolino with abundant bike space.
View attachment 166412

Do you not see this is a massive overreaction? You were getting off at the first stop so logically yours should be the last bike to go in.
You weren’t denied boarding so I’m not entirely sure what you are expecting from your complaint, other than wasting someone’s time having to look into it.
Would you have preferred to load your bike first then spend 10 minutes trying to unload it at Coventry? It seems you’re not happy about having to wait but have no concerns about making everyone else wait for you.
In future, I suggest you ask why you’ve been told to wait, if it isn’t obvious.

 

[aaronspence]

Do you not see this is a massive overreaction? You were getting off at the first stop so logically yours should be the last bike to go in.
You weren’t denied boarding so I’m not entirely sure what you are expecting from your complaint, other than wasting someone’s time having to look into it.
Would you have preferred to load your bike first then spend 10 minutes trying to unload it at Coventry? It seems you’re not happy about having to wait but have no concerns about making everyone else wait for you.
In future, I suggest you ask why you’ve been told to wait, if it isn’t obvious.

They clearly would prefer to cause the train and everyone onboard to wait for them at Coventry as they try fish the bike out rather than themselves wait for what must have been mere minutes.

 

[Borkyyy]

This is normally how Avanti manages its bike reservations. They let other cyclists on first that are going longer distance so that it makes it easier to get your bike off the train. I do not understand why you are so fussed about not getting on the train first with a bike before two other cyclists.

 

[Cowley]

We feel that this thread has run its course now so we’re going to keep it locked.

Thanks everyone