Stupid things

[Clip]

Annoying as passengers can be, I do think that for the most part you need to just answer the dumb questions. There are people who may be hard of hearing, visually impaired, mentally disabled in some way and so on.

It might seem funny, but winding up members of the public probably isn't a good idea. Now, having a friendly joke is another matter. No harm in a little humour, but not deliberately trying to mislead or confuse people.

I don't think I need to give examples as I think it's pretty much common sense.

Even someone asking if train X stops at Y, despite it being shown all over the place, is a fair question for someone who might be nervous or panicking over something. Perhaps their mind is elsewhere because of circumstances we don't know about - and they can't afford to make a mistake and end up on the wrong train. On some services, getting the wrong train could be disastrous!

Your right they may well be.. Have we to lose our sense of humour when dealing with the public nowadays?

everyone i have said something joking to they have laughed along when I have let them know i was joking and ive never had a complaint in over 10 years.

I guess if your a dour old ****er then maybe you should try smiling when joking with passengers.

 

[jon0844]

As I said, we don't need to give examples. It's pretty obvious that telling someone the wrong destination for a laugh is not the same as joking, perhaps giving a silly answer, but then clarifying after that you were joking - or seeing the reaction from the person and knowing they didn't take it the wrong way.

As I said common sense. Nobody on here can comment on any individual story posted as we weren't there, so we can't get the context or see how it was said/done.

Where I think the line should be drawn is if a member of staff (whether the railway, or someone working in a shop) just gets frustrated at being asked the same questions over and over and eventually starts to give sarcastic answers, incorrect answers or is simply rude. Of course, these stories can sound funny after - but it probably wasn't for the victim.

Of course I know that some members of the public are just idiots, but we have to tolerate them. At least until it becomes legal to kill them.

 

[Clip]

Of course I know that some members of the public are just idiots, but we have to tolerate them. At least until it becomes legal to kill them.

bugger i thought it was...

 

[jon0844]

bugger i thought it was...

OMG - if it was then I can't believe nobody told me. The number of people who lived for no good reason...

 

[Mystic Force]

Have you tried turning off and on again?

 

[duffman82]

Have you tried turning off and on again?

Lol at IT Crowd reference

 

[Statto]

Heh I love it...


Some from the buses.

"Driver how long will the next bus be?"

"30 foot, same as this one."
..........................................................
At the stop before the shopping centre:

"Driver, does this bus go to Churchill Square?"

*Looks up the road where the bus is pointing, into Churchill Square*

"Yes, Madam, every bus from here goes to Churchill Square."

"So it definitely goes there, yes?"

FACEPALM

........................................................................

"Excuse me, Driver, when do we get to ASDA?"

"You see that big white building 10 feet away with the ASDA sign? That's ASDA"

.........................................................................

On arrival at Brighton station bus stand with a 6:

"Driver, do you go any further into the station?"

i'm reminded of a passenger gettting on the bus going to a Liverpool suburb of Speke, asking the driver"is this bus going to Speke?" the drivers reply was"I've driven this bus all day & it hasn't once said a word"

I was on a Merseyrail electrics train stopped at Birkenhead Park a few years ago & was asked"Is this an Merseyrail Electrics train?".

 

[EM2]

Where I think the line should be drawn is if a member of staff (whether the railway, or someone working in a shop) just gets frustrated at being asked the same questions over and over...

That's why I'm no longer customer-facing. It was getting to the point that I was half-expecting to turn into Michael Douglas in 'Falling Down'...

 

[Leslie Fletcher]

For me, the puzzle raised in my earlier post is that I am an ordinary* member of the travelling public having no connection with any part of the railway industry. Nevertheless I am regularly asked, by strangers on station platforms, about destinations, calling points, length of journey, ... .

* though observant and well informed, I like to think!

 

[jon0844]

I always get asked for help, on train platforms, on trains or in some shops. Often when I'm not dressed in ANY way like the way you'd expect from a member of staff.

I don't think I've ever not attempted to help though, and I think I've probably helped more than the real staff in some cases just like you!

 

[bb21]

On the departure board at King's Cross St Pancras SSL today:

"1 Baker Street 2min
2 Baker Street 11min
Passengers for Notting Hill Gate, ..., should change at Edgware Road."
(or words to that effect.)

Only trouble is the Circle was closed completely, the Met only ran outside central London, and H&C terminated at Baker Street. You can't get to Edgware Road direct.

 

[Oliver]

Have we had this one yet?

"Guard, does this train stop at Portsmouth Harbour?"

"Well missus, there'll be a hell of a splash if it doesn't!"

 

[red circle]

Probably railway myth but Clacton train at Liverpool st,early 70's.
Passenger 'does this train split in half on the way'.
Driver 'I ****ing hope not'.

 

[185]

A. "Do you work here."

B. *Puts ticket machine and green flag down*
"No."

 

[networkrail1]

A. "Do you work here."

B. *Puts ticket machine and green flag down*
"No."

I can sort of understand a pax asking that question as I work for network rail and I am oftern on platforms sometime with a lookout kit and green flag and I've had people ask me do you work here I say no I am a track worker I don't work at the station then they ask me to point them in the direction of a member of platform staff at the end of the day a pax wouldn't know the difference between a network rail coss nd a member of platform staff all the best simon

ps sorry about the lack of punctuation but I'm sending this from my blackberry at work

 

[Hydro]

I can sort of understand a pax asking that question as I work for network rail and I am oftern on platforms sometime with a lookout kit and green flag

Why would a lookout have a green flag? A lookout only carries red and blue/white.

 

[Deerfold]

Have we had this one yet?

"Guard, does this train stop at Portsmouth Harbour?"

"Well missus, there'll be a hell of a splash if it doesn't!"

Yes, several times

 

[tinselworm]

I asked a ticket collector on worle station once, "Is this the train to Bristol Temple Meads?" he replied "No, Cardiff" so I said "Oh... Ok" then turned around and took about 2 paces away and then turned back towards him and asked "So it doesn't stop at Temple Meads?" To which he replied, "Yes, it will stop at temple meads."

I had a sort of 'what the hell' moment... Why couldn't he had just said yes in the first place!

 

[networkrail1]

Why would a lookout have a green flag? A lookout only carries red and blue/white.

I've allways had a green flag in my kit we have red yellow green and the blue and white checkerd flag all the best simon

 

[Hydro]

I just can't understand why. A lookout has no need for green or yellow flags.

 

[networkrail1]

If I remember correctly we need a yellow for cautioning trains from a standing start and we need green for showing proceed if we are in control of a level crossing hope that helps all the best simon

 

[Hydro]

Yes, that's for handsignalmen or barriermen. Not lookouts.

 

[networkrail1]

Same for lookouts aswell but I could easly get the jobs mixed up I'm a coss lookout and handsignaller I'm due for my refreshers soon so can tell you better once I have done them

 

[Hydro]

It's not the same for lookouts. I've been both a lookout and a COSS also, still competent on Sentinel, but don't carry out either role any more. I'd be worried if you're getting your safety critical jobs mixed up.

 

[networkrail1]

Well like I said refreshers are due soon its just because NR have put so many cutbacks on the track side we are asked to take more jobs on I've been worked off my feet this week I'm at work even now I'm in the van waiting for a train to pass all I know is I have a red yellow green and blue/ white in my kit I very rarely do lookout or handsignallers jobs lately its all been coss work but it does get worrying at times but that's NR for you what else do you expect lol cheers for the calcification hydro all the best simon

 

[ApAp]

At Henley on Thames (a terminating single bay platform station) the "Stand clear, the next train is not scheduled to stop at this station" message on their platform display.

One day I was on the Northern line heading to Kings Cross. I heard one of the passengers say to her friend (I assume tourists) "It wouldn't be comfortable sitting on one of these all the way to Scotland". I think they misunderstood what the Northern line actually was

 

[jon0844]

With stops every 2 minutes or so, that would be quite a long journey! Imagine the route map!

 

[stut]

Having done Tooting Broadway to Finchley Central more than a few times, it certainly feels like you should be in Scotland by the time you arrive...

 

[LexyBoy]

For me, the puzzle raised in my earlier post is that I am an ordinary* member of the travelling public having no connection with any part of the railway industry. Nevertheless I am regularly asked, by strangers on station platforms, about destinations, calling points, length of journey, ... .

* though observant and well informed, I like to think!

It's usually a fair assumption that most people on the platform do the journey on a reasonably regular basis, so are fair game for simple questions (especially if staff aren't around or are busy).

 

[Ivo]

A couple of my own; one with me being the voice of reason, and one with me being the idiot (whoops )...

Good [on my part]: Some may recognise this story from a few weeks ago. A lady and a drunk guy boarded my 158 at Cardiff Central, convinced that we were going the wrong way. We started to move (towards Newport), and the lady said "this is the wrong way". And with each passing landmark, she reiterated "we're going the wrong way", even pointing out the Waterfront and thinking we were approaching Bridgend. Meanwhile, the drunk guy was just rabbiting about nonsense. She finally realised her mistake just before Newport tunnel, when I said that we were about to enter the tunnel (!), but even then she was still a little worried. I did get a kiss out of it, mind! LINK

Bad [on my part]: It was the middle of April last year, and I had agreed to meet my sister in Slough (having only been asked at 16:30 :?). We met about 90 or so minutes later, and went around Slough and Windsor. Later, we got to Paddington, where we were going to get the Bakerloo to Baker Street and then the Jubilee to West Ham (easiest route with a pushchair, allowing for the time of day). She gave me her daughter, and kept the pushchair, to go down the stairs; I advised the reverse "in case something happened". Which it did. I tried to determine how to get down the escaltor, and then realised the stairs were better; by this time though, my foot was on the escalator. Eep. Worst LUL incident since 7/7 narrowly avoided :?

Later, I got back to Paddington, and was too late to get the last service to Slough which could match an HST beyond, so I was stuck. I asked an FGW employee if I would be able to use the Slough split, even though we weren't scheduled to stop there, and he said I could. I tried to explain the complications to him, but he was adamant that I could. It was only a couple of mintues later that I realised I was actually speaking to the Train Manager!