Examples of crew “looking down” on other crew

[bramling]

How could I possibly know !? That's a bit condescending

I know after many years of taking notice of behaviours, demeanours and first-hand exchanges....

In case you didn't know, I have been travelling on and photographing the railway for over 40 years and interacted with most grades of staff, including drivers with, and without a camera on my person. Many drivers walk past me with an air of superiority and don't bat an eyelid whilst others are very engaging...

I am not a complete moron thank you very much ....

Why is someone walking past you and not batting an eyelid displaying an air of superiority? I would fit into that category, and it’s not a case of looking down (or indeed up), just that I genuinely don’t give a toss what someone else is doing if it doesn’t affect me.

As has already been stated, some grades of railway staff, driver being a prime example, simply don’t directly interact with passengers on a regular basis. I did experience a driver walking through his train very politely speaking to everyone personally a few weeks ago when there was an extended delay (it also seemed to be the case that the unit in question had been running round with no PA), however that was a 2-car 150/2 on a very lightly loaded Okehampton run - what happens in rural Devon isn’t going to be the case everywhere!

 

[43066]

Many drivers walk past me with an air of superiority and don't bat an eyelid whilst others are very engaging...

I suspect this just means: drivers walk past you. The “air of superiority” is likely down to your own interpretation.

What exactly do you expect them to do, and what kind of “interaction” are you expecting?

Why is someone walking past you and not batting an eyelid displaying an air of superiority? I would fit into that category, and it’s not a case of looking down (or indeed up), just that I genuinely don’t give a toss what someone else is doing if it doesn’t affect me.

Quite!

I did experience a driver walking through his train very politely speaking to everyone personally a few weeks ago when there was an extended delay (it also seemed to be the case that the unit in question had been running round with no PA), however that was a 2-car 150/2 on a very lightly loaded Okehampton run - what happens in rural Devon isn’t going to be the case everywhere!

Rather begs the question: what was the guard doing?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

I suspect this just means: drivers walk past you. The “air of superiority” is likely down to your own interpretation.

What exactly do you expect them to do, and what kind of “interaction” are you expecting?



Quite!



Rather begs the question: what was the guard doing?

Erm, like saying "Hello" as a driver walks towards me making eye contact and then blanking me

Asking a driver who isn't busy a pertinent question and he rudely retorts "ask the guard, or platform staff"

And please don't ask me how I know the driver is being rude

 

[bramling]

Rather begs the question: what was the guard doing?

He’d started doing same from the back of the train. The whole thing made an impression as it is quite an unusual thing to see happen. Then again, Exeter staff seem pretty friendly - as indeed is Exeter as a city.

The whole thing was a bit overkill, but to be fair it did leave a good impression. A new driver, possibly?

Erm, like saying "Hello" as a driver walks towards me making eye contact and then blanking me

Asking a driver who isn't busy a pertinent question and he rudely retorts "ask the guard, or platform staff"

Out of interest, what was the pertinent question? Do you know for sure the driver didn’t need to be somewhere?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Out of interest, what was the pertinent question? Do you know for sure the driver didn’t need to be somewhere?

Yes, the mess room... And before you ask another stupid question, he wasn't in a hurry

 

[43066]

Erm, like saying "Hello" as a driver walks towards me making eye contact and then blanking me

Hmm. Do you generally go around saying “hello” to complete strangers when you have no reason to interact with them? That sounds bizarre and potentially a little creepy, to be honest. Keep in mind they’re there to do a job, not to make small talk with you.

Asking a driver who isn't busy a pertinent question and he rudely retorts "ask the guard, or platform staff"

It’s highly likely they don’t know the answer. Hence they’re (helpfully) pointing you to someone who does. That’s exactly what I say in that situation.

He’d started doing same from the back of the train. The whole thing made an impression as it is quite an unusual thing to see happen. Then again, Exeter staff seem pretty friendly - as indeed is Exeter as a city.

Fair enough, good on them! It’s safe to say you wouldn’t get that anywhere in the southeast! A totally different culture in the Southeast, not necessarily a better one.

 

[Edsmith]

How could I possibly know !? That's a bit condescending

I know after many years of taking notice of behaviours, demeanours and first-hand exchanges....

In case you didn't know, I have been travelling on and photographing the railway for over 40 years and interacted with most grades of staff, including drivers with, and without a camera on my person. Many drivers walk past me with an air of superiority and don't bat an eyelid whilst others are very engaging...

I am not a complete moron thank you very much ....

To be quite honest I find this quite bizarre, I've been travelling on the railway for a similar length of time to yourself but very rarely do I see or have any interaction with train drivers, guards and platform staff perhaps but obviously the driver is in the cab. Can you elaborate on this "air of superiority" that you say some of them have?

 

[43066]

Yes, the mess room... And before you ask another stupid question, he wasn't in a hurry

How can you possibly know where he was going or whether he was in a hurry? Were you following him around the station?

 

[bramling]

Yes, the mess room... And before you ask another stupid question, he wasn't in a hurry

So quite possibly 30 mins to make and eat foot + go to the toilet + any other stuff needing to be done on a break. For many drivers the default response is going to be along the lines of what you got, simply because on many occasions there won’t be the time to get waylayed, especially as on many occasions a driver may well genuinely not know the answer to the problem or have the resources to solve it. This isn’t superiority, just simple reality.

And, of course, no one wants a train delayed because the driver is busy answering questions, especially when a good proportion of the population don’t have the self-awareness to be able to identify that someone is either busy or in a rush.

 

[Purple Train]

Hmm. Do you generally go around saying “hello” to complete strangers when you have no reason to interact with them? That sounds bizarre and potentially a little creepy, to be honest.

If the person in question is walking up to them and saying "hello", I can see your point, but if they're crossing paths, then it is customary and polite to make some slight acknowledgement in passing, such as "hello" - where I grew up, at least!

 

[the sniper]

Was there a Greggs involved? I've read that is problem with Train Drivers.

 

[bramling]

If the person in question is walking up to them and saying "hello", I can see your point, but if they're crossing paths, then it is customary and polite to make some slight acknowledgement in passing, such as "hello" - where I grew up, at least!

Might be some cross purposes due to regional variations here. In the south-east this *isn’t* really the done thing, and indeed in many cases would be viewed with some suspicion.

 

[43066]

If the person in question is walking up to them and saying "hello", I can see your point, but if they're crossing paths, then it is customary and polite to make some slight acknowledgement in passing, such as "hello" - where I grew up, at least!

If you’re out for a country walk somewhere and encounter people coming the other way, agreed. That isn’t generally what happens on station platforms, in my experience!

 

[Sheridan]

If the person in question is walking up to them and saying "hello", I can see your point, but if they're crossing paths, then it is customary and polite to make some slight acknowledgement in passing, such as "hello" - where I grew up, at least!

A driver might cross paths with anywhere between 5 and 500 people between leaving their train and reaching the mess room. Is it customary and polite to say hello to all of them?

 

[Purple Train]

A driver might cross paths with anywhere between 5 and 500 people between leaving their train and reaching the mess room. Is it customary and polite to say hello to all of them?

I was using a slightly different definition of "cross paths": my apologies for failing to clarify.

Might be some cross purposes due to regional variations here. In the south-east this *isn’t* really the done thing, and indeed in many cases would be viewed with some suspicion.

Oh. Maybe it wasn't the best idea for me to move down here then

 

[43066]

Oh. Maybe it wasn't the best idea for me to move down here then

Just remember, if someone speaks to you in London, they’re either about to ask you for money, or they’re mad.

 

[bramling]

Oh. Maybe it wasn't the best idea for me to move down here then

Not sure why anyone would want to move *to* the London / south-east area, to be honest. The only real benefit over anywhere else is it isn’t quite so rainy, though you’d be forgiven for wondering about even that at the moment.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

How can you possibly know where he was going or whether he was in a hurry? Were you following him around the station?

Another completely stupid question. Actually, I do know where many of the mess rooms are ....

I'm done with this as we're straying way off topic

 

[Purple Train]

Just remember, if someone speaks to you in London, they’re either about to ask you for money, or they’re mad.

(link to YouTube video entitled "Northerner terrifies Londoners by saying hello": do I have to include an extract from the description in quote tags?)

Not sure why anyone would want to move *to* the London / south-east area, to be honest. The only real benefit over anywhere else is it isn’t quite so rainy, though you’d be forgiven for wondering about even that at the moment.

My current view through the window makes me somewhat doubt your assertion

I'm done with this as we're straying way off topic

Good idea; apologies for straying from the topic, mods

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Just remember, if someone speaks to you in London, they’re either about to ask you for money, or they’re mad.

Oh dear, I must be mad...

 

[43066]

Another completely stupid question. Actually, I do know where many of the mess rooms are ....

Do you indeed?! You aren’t doing yourself any favours on the creepiness front…

ink to YouTube video entitled "Northerner terrifies Londoners by saying hello": do I have to include an extract from the description in quote tags?)

Very good.

Oh dear, I must be mad...

Well, you said it!

 

[Dieseldriver]

Another completely stupid question. Actually, I do know where many of the mess rooms are ....

I'm done with this as we're straying way off topic

Based on your behaviour here, if I ever encountered you, I’d be inclined to avoid any interaction with you too.

 

[Purple Train]

Very good.

I'm afraid you've now utterly confused me, as it was a genuine question (I'm not quite sure which, and I don't want to get it wrong because I've already been in hot water for not referring to external sources properly).

 

[43066]

I'm afraid you've now utterly confused me, as it was a genuine question (I'm not quite sure which, and I don't want to get it wrong because I've already been in hot water for not referring to external sources properly).

Sorry my reaction there was aimed at the video - yes, I believe forum policy is to include a text description of media sources for hard of hearing/visually impaired users

 

[Purple Train]

Sorry my reaction there was aimed at the video - yes, I believe forum policy is to include a text description of media sources for hard of hearing/visually impaired users

Thank you

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Based on your behaviour here, if I ever encountered you, I’d be inclined to avoid any interaction with you too.

You've proved my thoughts and assertions perfectly !

 

[Dieseldriver]

You've proved my thoughts and assertions perfectly !

Always happy to please

 

[Cowley]

OK I think it’s probably time to draw this slightly fractious thread to close.
Go and put the kettle on and relax.