Don Coffey cab ride video discussion

[Serathor]

Just to add to this, incase anyone has not seen it. This is the statement from Don's Facebook Group.
I would like to add, I for one am absolutly gutted that these informative and entertaining videos are no longer. But I do understand why and sypathise with Don. As I am not in the industry but an enthusiast of the Railway I have learned so much from these videos My heart felt thanks to to Don

I read somewhere that the Youtube comments where to much and some of them where rude (which is very saddening) I dispair for society, I really do.

You may have noticed that some videos have gone missing from the channel. They reasons for this are complicated but in a nutshell, it turns out that some rail staff use my videos for route learning which sounds fine but many rail companies have a company that produces their own videos and updates them when any changes are made to the infrastructure or line speeds etc. Mine do not so especially where some videos cannot be controlled, there are implications about who might be responsible if somebody makes an error. I don't sign a lot of these routes and wouldn't know anyway, nor am I prepared to keep revising older videos with updates - in many cases I no longer have the footage. Its too complicated for me so it will probably will result in me not doing any more videos. The monetisation has been removed sot hat removes a big headache in terms of keeping a balance sheet for tax purposes. This won't suite a lot of you but I've been spending too much time sat editing until the early hours and this makes it easy. For the videos that still remian on the site, THESE SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON FOR ROUTE LEARNING AND ARE UNCONTROLLED.

 

[Swanny200]

because they have paid a considerable sum for their exclusive rights to broadcast a race. it is not being arsey. It about protecting your commercial investment. What they do "get arsey about" about is people ripping off their pictures and rebroadcasting thus depriving them of revenue. Surely that is obvious.

No one is going to complain about you standing next to the track ( as i have done many times in various motor sports) and taking pictures or videos.

lets turn it on its head: You take pictures of, I don't know, cats, with the hope of selling them. You post them on line and someone steals a picture of yours and sells it or simply just claims it as theirs. Is that ok?

This issue is and I have been on both sides of this the prices that some of these people charge, take my post a few posts back about the World Transplant games, when I used to do photoshoots, I used to charge for the shoot, anything after that was free, all prints put onto disc for you to print at your hearts content but then the customer would take it to Asda or Tesco to print and even though they would have a letter from me with my VAT number on, my contact details saying that they had my authority to print them, some still walked away empty handed, I even went to a place once with my own stuff to print out and got refused.

You have these events, where you have a professional photographer take pictures, they get cash from the event and then they charge ridiculous prices for one picture, now say that you are a 70+ year old who wants a picture of yourself riding your bike and winning a bronze medal in the World Transplant Games, £25 for an A4 size picture is ridiculous, you want 6 of them... Well you can have a discount, but it will still be nearly £100, say you have had to travel from abroad, you are partly sponsored, but you have spent thousands in getting your equipment and yourself across, but the photographer still wants an expensive cut although he has been paid to take the pictures.

I get protecting commercial investment, but lets face it, some of it is just pure greed!

 

[Serathor]

Sorry to add to my preivous post.

I would like to re-itarate that I am very sorry and saddened that these videos are no longer to be. However I thank Don from the bottom of my heart for producing these wonderfull, informative and well produced videos. and I fully support his reasons for doing so.

Something must have happened, because I thought Don enjoyed doing these videos, and the feedback that from the viewers.

However reading through the comments on the Facebook thread it appears that something has changed all of a sudden for reasons I have picked up on below.

Mainly the fact they are being used as route learning ...
But also
Money issues / politics
Other politics from another source
Time taken to produce
To many comments that now have to be approved on YT due to rude/abusive ones
The nature of the nasty comments in general.



All of which is very sad. However from Doms point of view is understandable
I was going to finish watching the latest one this evening.

 

[tetudo boy]

No doubt be in the Daily Mail or the Sun and be classed as learning tools for terrorists wanting to attack our railways

I swear if it's the sun I'm out.

I feel sorry about what happened to him.

 

[Swanny200]

I swear if it's the sun I'm out.

I feel sorry about what happened to him.

Both the Mail and the Scum seem to be the go-to's for scandalous stories with no background done and a wheel of misfortune with categories such as Remainers, Asylum Seekers, Terrorists, Benefit Scroungers etc... that they spin to get who to blame for said story

 

[Randomer]

One rather large point that is being missed is Youtube monetisation. You don't remove it yourself and it doesn't just disappear without reason, someone has reported these videos giving multiple strikes and Youtube have taken action against him to remove his revenue.

Sorry but that is not correct you absolutely can proactively remove monetisation as the owner of a channel in the creators studio section. Pretty much all public bodies do so for example so potentially inappropriate adverts aren't served on videos.

You can also delete your adsense account so you have no way of receiving any funds from adverts that are served as the other method.

For an example of how it is done see this video:

 

[the sniper]

I swear if it's the sun I'm out.

I wouldn't give this too much thought.

It'll be internal industry politics, at one level or another.

 

[Tom Quinne]

I’m a big fan of this videos (not a driver, signaller), it’s a real shame he’s been pressured into removing them.

Im sure 99.9% of professional drivers, won’t even dare watch them for any reason other than entertainment.

But, let’s not kid ourselves there are “drivers” out there who “sign” the world in terms of routes, their companies give them very poor route learning tools so they have to literally rely on these types of free fo view videos to learn as best you can routes.

Ive heard tales of Jane drawn plans given to drivers from their company to learn routes before.

You’ll unfortunately always have drivers who will sign a route on the head of a pin so they can grab RDW, drive a Deltic to Wick and gain some kind of glory in the spotting world.

I know GWR at Bristol have one of the most extensive route learning libraries in the country, often having request from other TOCS to supply official and very well produced learning tools.

I can totally understand why he’s withdrawn from the production of his videos, if only takes one idiot to mess up and sight his videos as a factor (total rubbish I know, but they are chancers), or a junior manager with a brown nose to make a fuss and its goodbye.

It’s really sad this is another case of a railwaymans enjoyment and pride in his job being knocked out of him, we see it right across the industry if you enjoy your job or have a pride in your work you must have corrective surgery to remove it.

Knowledge is a dirty word these days, especially as you’ll probably know more than your 5 minute manager.

 

[Swanny200]

I agree Knowledge is a very dirty word and when you use that knowledge to try and help or educate, then you end up in more trouble than if you had shut your mouth and an incident happened.

The Railways are safety critical and at times can be mundane or boring, people like Don and the singing guard or the ticket inspector who is jolly are lambasted and treated like c**p, it is getting like this in most industries, the characters are disappearing and if you show any enthusiasm then there must be something wrong with you, a job is a job in management's eyes, gone are the times of long service awards and carriage clocks and talks of how good the company has been to you for x amount of years.

It really is a sad state of affairs, especially if Don's enjoyment has been taken away from him, he seems like one of the good (and rare) ones!

 

[berwicksfinest]

I am really surprised no one has mentioned this, the policy at our FOC is NO electronics in the cab that are switched on whether it be a Camera, phone, tablet etc

 

[Serathor]

I am really surprised no one has mentioned this, the policy at our FOC is NO electronics in the cab that are switched on whether it be a Camera, phone, tablet etc

It was well known that Don got approval from Managers 1st

 

[peteb]

I wonder if adding a "watermark" to future drivers eye videos is possible? Like old VCR recordings? Merely the date filmed would then make the video a historic record of how things were at that date, rather than risk someone relying on it believing it was completely up to date? Love the info such as speed limits on these videos.

 

[Serathor]

I wonder if adding a "watermark" to future drivers eye videos is possible? Like old VCR recordings? Merely the date filmed would then make the video a historic record of how things were at that date, rather than risk someone relying on it believing it was completely up to date? Love the info such as speed limits on these videos.

On Don's facebook group page, a disclaimer was suggested but he has ruled it out. And categorically ruled out further videos.

I also loved the way these where produced.

 

[Newshound Mutt]

What a complete and utter farce this is. Nothing wrong whatsoever for video's like Don's to be published on the web for enthusiasts. If drivers need to route learn via video and/or practical instruction, they should go through their company procedures / policy. Those policies / procedures should be, at the minimum, supervised classroom training using official materials and qualified trainers. What Don's videos has got to do with it, I haven't the foggiest. If drivers have been route learning through Don's videos alone, then something is badly wrong.

 

[mark-h]

On Don's facebook group page, a disclaimer was suggested but he has ruled it out.

I don't see why a disclaimer, stating that the videos are for entertainment purposes only and may not be up to date or accurate, would not be a solution. This could be combined with the TOCs with routes covered in the videos reminding their staff that route knowledge should only be obtained/retained using official means.

 

[peteb]

The French dont seem at all bothered by drivers eye videos, I've been watching at least one a day during the covid crisis, and have covered most mainline routes and a good many branch lines too. Some have gps locational data, speed limits etc and a few even have a commentary, explaining what the various signals, signs are, or features of interest.

 

[Skie]

The French dont seem at all bothered by drivers eye videos, I've been watching at least one a day during the covid crisis, and have covered most mainline routes and a good many branch lines too. Some have gps locational data, speed limits etc and a few even have a commentary, explaining what the various signals, signs are, or features of interest.

I think some European operators allow route learners to take their own cameras along so that they can cement their knowledge between sessions. Its a way of improving route knowledge without needing quite so many sessions up front.

 

[martin2345uk]

I'm jealous of those of you who get videos off your TOC/FOC for route learning..! My FOC uses maps off other companies, in some cases very out of date ones...!!

 

[Ianno87]

The French dont seem at all bothered by drivers eye videos, I've been watching at least one a day during the covid crisis, and have covered most mainline routes and a good many branch lines too. Some have gps locational data, speed limits etc and a few even have a commentary, explaining what the various signals, signs are, or features of interest.

The "Cabview Holland" channel also has an extensive Dutch collection.

 

[ExRes]

I'm jealous of those of you who get videos off your TOC/FOC for route learning..! My FOC uses maps off other companies, in some cases very out of date ones...!!

Can I ask what view ASLEF take of that situation, surely drivers should be refusing to sign the routes unless the maps are just a supplement to a sufficient amount of actual route learning

 

[O L Leigh]

It was well known that Don got approval from Managers 1st

Be that as it may, these are not TOC rules and therefore not the sort of thing that a local manager can authorise.

 

[Tim_UK]

Really? In his explanation he is talking balance sheets for tax purposes due to the loss of monetisation. Would he need to do this if it was going to charity? Genuine question

(Fab videos)

It is still income and you need records in case HMRC knock. And I guess receipts for the handover to charity.

Should be really simple. Few minutes a month But who knows what Don actually had to do. Or what else goes on his tax life. Or how much money involved.


I mentor small businesses and many find it really complicated. Or have been given poor advice. Micro on the side businesses with less than £1000 a year income pay no tax but you still need records.

 

[satisnek]

During these last five antisocial and travel-restricted months I've been spending weekend evenings watching YouTube cab rides with a couple of beers, and Don's channel was one of the first I came across. His 60fps material is absolutely stunning and goes to show how YouTube has advanced over the years. (As an aside, I remember a technology expert on a local radio phone-in some 15 years ago saying that eventually YouTube will be HD and Freeview will look like YouTube! From what I've seen of broadcast TV lately, it's still stuck in the 1990s with that silly 'film look' and 'trendy' handheld camerawork, so this guy was bang on target!)

It's a shame that some videos have had to be removed but otherwise I can appreciate that nothing can go on forever, so I would like to wish Don all the best for the future.

 

[BrianW]

Feeling sad for all those who have enjoyed the product of Don's work and his enthusiasm. Feeling more still for Don, so joining satisnk in wishing Don all the best for the future and now in what sounds like a time of some anxiety and possibly anguish too. Thank you Don for sharing all you have.

I was asked to photograph a friend who was cycling in the World Transplant Games last year, it was in my backyard, I had not seen my friend in person in over 20 years, and he had been through a lot health wise since. I took pictures of him and a few other cyclists that I had met that day and duly asked if they were in shot, was I allowed to share them and if they were on social media credit or tag them and they could freely use them on their own profiles, I found out later on that the games own photographers were upset that a "Professional Photographer" from another company was on site, I am an ex professional photographer who still has his equipment for hobby stuff. I was duly approached by one of their PR team and asked about my presence, I informed them that I was not being paid and was doing it off my own back, I was also supporting a friend of 25+ years who was taking part in what was his only shot at a World Transplant Games title, they left some of the amateurs alone, but anyone with a DSLR camera was approached.

Some of you may have seen this re 'monterising':
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/...n-the-sistine-chapel?utm_source=pocket-newtab

In return for funding the renovation, Nippon TV received the exclusive rights to photography and video of the restored art, as well as photos and recordings of the restoration process by photographer Takashi Okamura, who was commissioned by Nippon TV. While many initially scoffed at the deal, the high-resolution photos provided by Nippon offered a hyper-detailed peek behind all of the scaffolding that hid each stage of restoration, and eventually won over some critics of the arrangement.

As a result of the deal, Nippon produced multiple documentaries, art books, and other projects featuring their exclusive photos and footage of the Sistine Chapel restoration, including several celebrated collections of the photographic surveys that informed the project.

 

[martin2345uk]

Can I ask what view ASLEF take of that situation, surely drivers should be refusing to sign the routes unless the maps are just a supplement to a sufficient amount of actual route learning

Oh they are just supplements, they still give us x number of weeks to learn a route, I would just like some nice videos to supplement it too

 

[ExRes]

Oh they are just supplements, they still give us x number of weeks to learn a route, I would just like some nice videos to supplement it too

I thought that would be the case, thanks for the confirmation

 

[Tom Quinne]

I am really surprised no one has mentioned this, the policy at our FOC is NO electronics in the cab that are switched on whether it be a Camera, phone, tablet etc

There’s a DB driver on YouTube who has strapped a GoPro to this chest to film.
Very dodgy ground, a nice cop for a keen manager

I'm jealous of those of you who get videos off your TOC/FOC for route learning..! My FOC uses maps off other companies, in some cases very out of date ones...!!

My point entirely, it’s wrong but drivers will still sign the route! Do they not realise they’ll be dropped like hot rocks when it goes pear shaped?

 

[43066]

Oh they are just supplements, they still give us x number of weeks to learn a route, I would just like some nice videos to supplement it too

You freight boys drive around so slowly, I assumed you didn’t learn routes, and proceeded everywhere at caution.

 

[martin2345uk]

You freight boys drive around so slowly, I assumed you didn’t learn routes, and proceeded everywhere at caution.

Feels like that sometimes!

 

[trainmania100]

Another cab ride channel I enjoy Is freight rambler