National Train Driver Day

[dk1]

Wot....not even a free pint?

Haha not even the one beer. You all have had inflation busting pension rises. I’m hoping to join you very very soon in that special club and hope to never ever have to suffer praise again. I bloody detest it although I know many who live for a pat on the back.

 

[devon_belle]

Tone-deaf move from ASLEF given how the public (rightly or wrongly) views Train Drivers as a whole at the moment. I don't see this doing much to repair things, or much to empower train drivers, who would probably rather a fair pay rise and protected conditions than public appreciation.

But, as pointed out above, hardly anyone will ever hear about this unless the tabloid press picks it up.

 

[mrcheek]

ooh, does this mean everybody gets paid a ridiculous extra amount for working on this day, as its Sunday (or, a normal day for most working people these days....)

 

[31160]

Is this seriously a thing now?? Wow

 

[ainsworth74]

It is also apparently "World Laughter Day", [...] on the 14th.

Well judging from the reaction of many to the ASLEF pronouncement they've done their bit to promote world laughter!

 

[Adam Williams]

Nurses and Doctors do not have the responsibility of hundreds if not thousands of patients / individuals at any one time for one.

How many patients do you think some hospital-based doctors in training cover on nights? I'll give you a hint: it can quite regularly be three figures, sometimes there's not even a consultant on-site.

With that said, these comparisons are frankly stupid. I think doctors are grossly underpaid. I do not think that it's a zero-sum game, and that that somehow means we need to drag down train drivers to a lower salary.

 

[Flange Squeal]

because it was drivers themselves (ASLEF) that decided it, which is a bit cringe. It’s like if the Duke and Duchess of Sussex declared a Harry and Meghan Day, or Ariana Grande declared Ariana Grande Day. Sort of awkward and self patting on the back. It’d be different if the DfT or someone had decided it.

It's not the same as those imaginary scenarios at all, given drivers themselves did NOT decide it themselves, as you claim. The first many train drivers heard of it was seemingly after it was announced. It would be more comparable to Ariana Grande's manager/publicity team creating Ariana Grande Day without Ariana Grande having any knowledge.

 

[zoneking]

Train drivers do a brilliant and skilled job. On Saturday, I saw a Southern driver get out of the train at Purley Oaks to close a gate that was open at the top of the platform (up direction). Last year I saw a GWR driver get out to close a crossing gate and had to manoeuvre past an enormous bull(ock) to do so. I didn't know drovers had animal-handling skills. (I mean drivers).

 

[DLyle44004]

I'll be sure to tip my hat to the DLR unit next time I get off at Bank.

 

[12LDA28C]

I didn't know drovers had animal-handling skills.

I don't know if that was a typo or deliberate, but it's brilliant.

 

[PG]

I didn't know drovers had animal-handling skills.

Drovers wouldn't be much use if they didn't have any animal-handling skills

 

[WAB]

What about retired train drivers, do we get our own day, share the whole day with current drivers or just get a couple of hours?

Everyone should salute you in the street and thank you for your service to your country like they do with veterans in America

 

[DLyle44004]

Everyone should salute you in the street and thank you for your service to your country like they do with veterans in America

A £1 donation for veteran drivers can get us a Buddleia pin-badge to wear on our lapels every year.

 

[ExRes]

Everyone should salute you in the street and thank you for your service to your country like they do with veterans in America

Aha, recognition at last

 

[al78]

How many patients do you think some hospital-based doctors in training cover on nights? I'll give you a hint: it can quite regularly be three figures, sometimes there's not even a consultant on-site.

With that said, these comparisons are frankly stupid. I think doctors are grossly underpaid. I do not think that it's a zero-sum game, and that that somehow means we need to drag down train drivers to a lower salary.

Agreed, the assertion that doctors and nurses aren't responsible for people's lives on a large scale sounded bizarre to me, and I also agree comparing totally different jobs is meaningless. The reason it is done is because the fallacy of relative privation is one of people's favourite logical fallacies, to be applied whenever anyone complains about anything. legitimate or not, in order to provide an excuse as to why nothing should change. It effectively asserts everyone should be grateful for their lot as long as there exists someone else in a worse condition. By such logic, the only person who has a legitimate reason for complaint is the one who has it worst in every possible way.

Fallacy of relative privation: Trying to make a scenario appear better or worse by comparing it to the best or worst case scenario.

 

[Samzino]

Agreed, the assertion that doctors and nurses aren't responsible for people's lives on a large scale sounded bizarre to me, and I also agree comparing totally different jobs is meaningless. The reason it is done is because the fallacy of relative privation is one of people's favourite logical fallacies, to be applied whenever anyone complains about anything. legitimate or not, in order to provide an excuse as to why nothing should change. It effectively asserts everyone should be grateful for their lot as long as there exists someone else in a worse condition. By such logic, the only person who has a legitimate reason for complaint is the one who has it worst in every possible way.

Fallacy of relative privation: Trying to make a scenario appear better or worse by comparing it to the best or worst case scenario.

There was no assertion that doctors aren't responsible for lives in a night shift but at any one time when does a nurse or doctor have hundreds of lives in their immediate care at a specific stretch of time??? Its usually spread out and for good reason.

However a Driver of a Train or Aircraft or Bus etc will have at any time multiple lives they're responsible for at any and every second that the Vehicle is traveling to and from its start to end destination and that's simply because those Vehicles carry tons of people in comparison to the ratio of staff.

Doctors and nurses will also work in most places with an Assistant or other colleagues. Not every train has a Guard these days so your next immediate staff are on the stations themselves, bus drivers have been mainly solo to be fair for a while now etc.

Regardless as said that's what makes them an Apples and Oranges comparison as there are so many technicalities.

 

[manmikey]

I am a trian driver & April 14th is my Birthday so double celebration for me

 

[dk1]

I am a trian driver & April 14th is my Birthday so double celebration for me

You get an additional day in lieu for that

 

[coxxy]

Not sure what aslef were hoping to gain with any of this tbh.. all its done is reignited the jealousy again tbh

 

[Efini92]

When’s national pay rise day?

 

[ComUtoR]

When’s national pay rise day?

10th September...



2026

 

[unslet]

Well,that was a waste of time.

I went into Clinton's on Saturday. They didn't have a single "Happy Train Drivers' Day" card in the shop.

Must do better.

 

[GatwickDepress]

No truth to the rumour that it was cancelled and there was a National Bus Driver Day replacement celebration instead?

 

[TurbineEnginee]

Looking forward to National Revenue Protection Inspector day.

 

[Deafdoggie]

Well,that was a waste of time.

I went into Clinton's on Saturday. They didn't have a single "Happy Train Drivers' Day" card in the shop.

Must do better.

Surely just because they'd have sold out? You need to plan further in advance next year!

comparing totally different jobs is meaningless.

I remember very many years ago, being told "If you don't come into work one day, how many people will notice? If the people who keep the sewers running don't turn in for work, we all notice. Now, who has the most important job?"

 

[mikeb42]

I remember very many years ago, being told "If you don't come into work one day, how many people will notice? If the people who keep the sewers running don't turn in for work, we all notice. Now, who has the most important job?"

Which is, of course, a further example of how these comparisons mostly terminate at Fallacy Central.

Nobody would notice if the Engineer who conceived the idea of sewage systems in the first place (and got them built) spent a day worshiping their hitherto non-existent porcelain god after a night involving three gallons of mead. However, if they hadn't sobered up and got around to it at some point, there'd be no sewage system for the sewer workers to work on and everyone else would still be too busy dying from cholera to think laterally about it.

So who's got the more important job? Chicken and egg?

Meanwhile, on the thread topic, the National Union of Satirists ought to be doing pistols at dawn with ASLEF over demarcation and for killing their art by coming up with this one with such finessed comic timing. Maybe they could retaliate by proposing a "Hug a Minister for Transport" day?

 

[whoosh]

No truth to the rumour that it was cancelled and there was a National Bus Driver Day replacement celebration instead?

Well... it was the weekend!