Telling people you're a train driver

[notadriver]

Eventually when making new friends (on holiday for example) the ‘what do you do for a living ?’ question comes up. When you tell them your a train driver in (x) part of the country you can see their eyes glaze over or a comment about strikes or ‘I thought you was a doctor’. From there on the conversation dries up as you’re not deemed ‘worthy’.

Anyone had this experience ?

 

[ExRes]

Eventually when making new friends (on holiday for example) the ‘what do you do for a living ?’ question comes up. When you tell them your a train driver in (x) part of the country you can see their eyes glaze over or a comment about strikes or ‘I thought you was a doctor’. From there on the conversation dries up as you’re not deemed ‘worthy’.

Anyone had this experience ?

Never

 

[Teddyward]

I don’t have any friends

 

[Ram83]

If it does bud, they're not worthy of your time. If you're still on holiday, have a great time

 

[skyhigh]

Anyone had this experience ?

Nope, tend to find a reaction along the lines of "oh that's interesting, I've never met a train driver before"

 

[NorthernTech]

If someone greeted me with that reaction (not a driver currently btw) they would soon be left to find someone else more worthy of my company. There will always be a few negative Susan’s around..

 

[the sniper]

When you tell them your a train driver in (x) part of the country you can see their eyes glaze over or a comment about strikes or ‘I thought you was a doctor’.

You should really stop wearing that laboratory coat.

 

[mmh]

Eventually when making new friends (on holiday for example) the ‘what do you do for a living ?’ question comes up. When you tell them your a train driver in (x) part of the country you can see their eyes glaze over or a comment about strikes or ‘I thought you was a doctor’. From there on the conversation dries up as you’re not deemed ‘worthy’.

Anyone had this experience ?

I thought you were a doctor? With steel toecaps?

 

[Lewlew]

They always ask “has someone ever jumped in front of your train?”

(Or words to that effect)

 

[niggill617@gma]

Eventually when making new friends (on holiday for example) the ‘what do you do for a living ?’ question comes up. When you tell them your a train driver in (x) part of the country you can see their eyes glaze over or a comment about strikes or ‘I thought you was a doctor’. From there on the conversation dries up as you’re not deemed ‘worthy’.

Anyone had this experience ?

Do you drive the big ones or the little ones.

 

[TheGoldfish]

Nope! … although as already said … most just wanna know if you’ve ever had a fatality ‍♂️

 

[Seejwalker]

Eventually when making new friends (on holiday for example) the ‘what do you do for a living ?’ question comes up. When you tell them your a train driver in (x) part of the country you can see their eyes glaze over or a comment about strikes or ‘I thought you was a doctor’. From there on the conversation dries up as you’re not deemed ‘worthy’.

Anyone had this experience ?

Try telling people you’re a signaller, it’s difficult to explain the job so people stare vacantly at you, or think you’re the dispatcher on platforms with a ping pong bat (to quote those people)

 

[mmh]

Try telling people you’re a signaller, it’s difficult to explain the job so people stare vacantly at you, or think you’re the dispatcher on platforms with a ping pong bat (to quote those people)

Until today I'd have thought this unlikely, but overhead some youths talking as the train I was on was held outside a station.

"There's a red light, I can see it."
"I didn't know trains had traffic lights."

They were probably about 18. I suppose these days few people growing up have ever seen a signal box, depending on where they're from.

 

[Seejwalker]

Until today I'd have thought this unlikely, but overhead some youths talking as the train I was on was held outside a station.

"There's a red light, I can see it."
"I didn't know trains had traffic lights."

They were probably about 18. I suppose these days few people growing up have ever seen a signal box, depending on where they're from.

The demise of small boxes and the introduction of large Railway Operating centres that aren’t even remotely close to a stretch of line has brought about the above.

 

[Grumpy Git]

Until today I'd have thought this unlikely, but overhead some youths talking as the train I was on was held outside a station.

"There's a red light, I can see it."
"I didn't know trains had traffic lights."

They were probably about 18. I suppose these days few people growing up have ever seen a signal box, depending on where they're from.

I bet they alighted at a train station too?

 

[Mat17]

Yep I always alight at a train station. I really don't get why enthusiasts get annoyed by that. Too pedantic, need to get out more.

 

[baz962]

Try telling people you’re a signaller, it’s difficult to explain the job so people stare vacantly at you, or think you’re the dispatcher on platforms with a ping pong bat (to quote those people)

To be fair you signallers leave us drivers staring vacantly, and swearing under our breath

 

[Seejwalker]

To be fair you signallers leave us drivers staring vacantly, and swearing under our breath

Can of worms that one mate.

 

[Horizon22]

Try telling people you’re a signaller, it’s difficult to explain the job so people stare vacantly at you, or think you’re the dispatcher on platforms with a ping pong bat (to quote those people)

Signaller is probably difficult and so is control!

 

[387star]

Eventually when making new friends (on holiday for example) the ‘what do you do for a living ?’ question comes up. When you tell them your a train driver in (x) part of the country you can see their eyes glaze over or a comment about strikes or ‘I thought you was a doctor’. From there on the conversation dries up as you’re not deemed ‘worthy’.

Anyone had this experience ?

Well a posh lady seemed disappointed I was a driver hoping I did something more academic. Enjoyed telling her about my degree and what I'm reading. Lots of people comment on the pay which gets tedious. Last time someone asked I just smiled and said 'oh... I'm just a train driver' in general younger people seem more impressed I find

 

[dctraindriver]

Eventually when making new friends (on holiday for example) the ‘what do you do for a living ?’ question comes up. When you tell them your a train driver in (x) part of the country you can see their eyes glaze over or a comment about strikes or ‘I thought you was a doctor’. From there on the conversation dries up as you’re not deemed ‘worthy’.

Anyone had this experience ?

Lol no.

 

[Shunted]

I don’t have any friends

 

[Cheshire Scot]

The most frequent response I got when telling people I worked on the railway was 'are you a train driver' - which I wasn't but that seemed to be the role in the industry that people thought of.

 

[Ken H]

If you think you get a naff reaction to telling them you are a train driver, just imagine the looks when you tell them you program computers....

 

[SJN]

As a female, if I tell people I’m a train driver, most people seem surprised or other women are impressed.

 

[Ken H]

Do you get 'Oh, an engine driver' much?

 

[Flange Squeal]

Can't say I've really had too much negative reaction in fairness - like some other posters have said, in my experience it often seems to end up with morbid curiosity asking about fatalities and actually quite sympathetic. On the odd occasion where a mention of the "always on strike" line has come up, if they're someone else local I simply ask them when the last one was and then, after they've had a think, remind them that the most recent driver's strike dates announced locally were getting on for two decades ago... and they got called off! The line about pay I usually just suggest they apply, which usually ends in them admitting they don't want to be getting up (or getting home!) at 3am, and working two or three weekends a month...

What always confuddles them is when trying to arrange something and they ask "What are you working Saturday?" and you have to try and explain you don't know yet as you are 0730 "spare" on the base roster so won't know until around day and a bit before - so you might find you are working 0530-1500 so free in the afternoon/evening, but you might also be working 0930-1900... or anywhere in between!

 

[Gemz91]

Eventually when making new friends (on holiday for example) the ‘what do you do for a living ?’ question comes up. When you tell them your a train driver in (x) part of the country you can see their eyes glaze over or a comment about strikes or ‘I thought you was a doctor’. From there on the conversation dries up as you’re not deemed ‘worthy’.

Anyone had this experience ?

Maybe theyr'e confused by your name being "not a driver" as to your job as a train driver.

Never had that happen to me before, if anything I do my best not to tell people I'm a train driver because I get fed up of answering the same questions and don't like the "that's well paid job" comment.

 

[MostlyHarmless]

Try telling people you’re a signaller, it’s difficult to explain the job so people stare vacantly at you, or think you’re the dispatcher on platforms with a ping pong bat (to quote those people)

I used to tell people that's its like air traffic control for the railways, and that seemed to work most of the time!

 

[contrex]

When I was in the Civil Service in Bristol, we had a new guy aged 74 in the post room. He was a retired Western region driver, who started in the 1960s and he was so pleased to talk to someone who was interested! We had many enjoyable chats. He once got in an argument with my boss about fixed distant signals which left all the normals in the office completely baffled. Boss thought they shouldn't be needed, ex-driver said 'Have you ever driven a train?'. His son was on the railway, on the HOPS system wiring to Bristol and Cardiff.