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Graffiti on trains

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HowardGWR

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I think I asked this before, but does anyone know why private vehicles such as white vans and heavy good vehicles are not targeted? Those big plain surfaces just asking for it and often parked on an unguarded location. Why are more private cars not graffitied, keyed or egged?

One would have thought these people with the big chip on their shoulders would have found these very tempting?
 
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sw1ller

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I dont think the graffiti artist is targeting trains due to a chip on their shoulders. It’s the level of publicity it could gain. Hence why many people think it’s a good idea to take the train out of service right away for cleaning. This then deters the artists in future.
 

jon0844

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I think I asked this before, but does anyone know why private vehicles such as white vans and heavy good vehicles are not targeted? Those big plain surfaces just asking for it and often parked on an unguarded location. Why are more private cars not graffitied, keyed or egged?

One would have thought these people with the big chip on their shoulders would have found these very tempting?

Perhaps not the same street cred, as there's less 'danger' attached? I really don't know.

That said, I have seen some white vans with graffiti. But it's ridiculously rare.
 

Geezertronic

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That's your opinion. I think some of it looks nice but again that's just my opinion. I am entitled to one right?

It might be my opinion but it's also fact - it's criminal damage. Don't be surprised when someone calls you out for condoning criminal damage if that is your opinion
 

jon0844

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It might be my opinion but it's also fact - it's criminal damage. Don't be surprised when someone calls you out for condoning criminal damage if that is your opinion

On any given forum there will always be people who don't see a problem with it, or even condone it. It's funny how when the trains were getting done at WGC it coincided with a spike in anti social behaviour that was mostly under control of late, culminating in a stabbing.

I can't say for sure that it was connected but the timing was impeccable and many trains and street furniture were tagged, suggesting people marking territory.

It all needs to be treated very seriously.
 

Geezertronic

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On any given forum there will always be people who don't see a problem with it, or even condone it. It's funny how when the trains were getting done at WGC it coincided with a spike in anti social behaviour that was mostly under control of late, culminating in a stabbing.

I can't say for sure that it was connected but the timing was impeccable and many trains and street furniture were tagged, suggesting people marking territory.

It all needs to be treated very seriously.

Quite right. Graffiti art when done properly and in the right (and legal) circumstances can be revered, but not criminal damage graffiti which will ultimately be paid by the passenger (in the case of graffiti on trains)
 

goblinuser

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I think I asked this before, but does anyone know why private vehicles such as white vans and heavy good vehicles are not targeted? Those big plain surfaces just asking for it and often parked on an unguarded location. Why are more private cars not graffitied, keyed or egged?

One would have thought these people with the big chip on their shoulders would have found these very tempting?
I see lots of white vans with graffiti.
Also, there's the risk of upsetting the owner of the vehicle, trains are owned by faceless companies.
 

HowardGWR

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I see lots of white vans with graffiti.
Also, there's the risk of upsetting the owner of the vehicle, trains are owned by faceless companies.
Clearly I live in a gentile area (I do, so perhaps that's a reason). They target the priceless preservation railway vehicles too, so I don't go along totally with the 'faceless' theory. I do go along with 'unguarded property' reason though.
 

Honest Ross

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Clearly I live in a gentile area (I do, so perhaps that's a reason). They target the priceless preservation railway vehicles too, so I don't go along totally with the 'faceless' theory. I do go along with 'unguarded property' reason though.

Do you really think your normal graffiti artist knows the difference between what trains are preservation or not? :lol:

To most people, a train is a train.
 

greyman42

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I dont think the graffiti artist is targeting trains due to a chip on their shoulders. It’s the level of publicity it could gain. Hence why many people think it’s a good idea to take the train out of service right away for cleaning. This then deters the artists in future.
They are not artists, they are criminals.
 

pieguyrob

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I hear of taxis being egged and having stones thrown at quite regularly in certain parts of Blackpool.
 

josh-j

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"gangs of kids roaming about unchallenged"

That's exactly the impression given by letting trains out on the network covered with graffiti.
 

LesS

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Graffiti is NOT art; it is vandalism. It is wilful damage to others property and a criminal offence. It Is NEVER pretty.

The vandals revel in seeing their damage in action for as many too see as possible. The longer it stays the more it encourages them to continue their criminal activity. This is why graffitied vehicles are taken out of service until they have been cleaned.
 

Railcar

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One obvious deterrent to vandals is unpleasant consequences if they are caught. Local newspapers carry pictures of convicted criminals, together with the district and road that they live in. Why not railway stations?

Having a 'rogue's gallery' of convicted graffiti vandals on railway stations would have two benefits, 1) it would deter repeat vandals and potential vandals 2) It would alert railway staff and members of the public to the presence of these criminals.
 

61653 HTAFC

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I think overall graffiti on trains is less of a problem in the UK than in many European countries. When The Stereophonics released an album called 'Graffiti On The Train' - my initial thought was had they been travelling around on Trenitalia services when they came up with that name.
Have to agree with this. I've just come back from Barcelona where almost every commuter or metro train I saw was absolutely covered in graffiti, and not just black scrawls either: these were big splashes covering entire bodysides (though the windows had generally been cleaned off). In fact, my last journey in Spain (the 1501 commuter service from Barcelona-Sants to La Tor de Querol) was formed of the only two units of that type I saw that didn't have any graffiti on.
A good thing they do treat the windows as a priority on that service, as although only a handful of services go right up to LTQ it is an amazingly scenic journey, and one that is something of a hidden gem.
 

route:oxford

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I see lots of white vans with graffiti.
Also, there's the risk of upsetting the owner of the vehicle, trains are owned by faceless companies.

Absolutely. When a colleague had their car keyed in East Oxford this spring, the high-res always on dash-cams caught the culpret doing it.

So that was 250 Hi-res glossy A4 prints posted around the nearby streets headed up with the Thames Valley Police logo, then underneath the crime reference number with a clear image of the individual who had keyed the car, "Do you know this criminal vandal" followed by the local non-emergency police number.

The woman, who was an academic, involved with neighbourhood watch and in her mid 60s, was "utterly humiliated"

Oh dear.
 

TRAX

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I usually don’t mind this sort of graffiti:

574A4B57-D892-4BE0-83B2-EBBC89827063.jpeg

as long as it doesn’t completely cover the windows.

This though:

430FDFA4-BBCE-47F6-A258-6CE348368A37.jpeg

is the graffiti I don’t like. This type is not pretty + when it’s like that, this paints (ahem) a picture of a run-down railway, as this is clearly a case of several months (sometimes years in the case of places like Italy...) and makes you think (know) that nobody wants to actually do anything to remove it, even after having it add up again and again.
 

goblinuser

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I usually don’t mind this sort of graffiti:

View attachment 54424

as long as it doesn’t completely cover the windows.

This though:

View attachment 54425

is the graffiti I don’t like. This type is not pretty + when it’s like that, this paints (ahem) a picture of a run-down railway, as this is clearly a case of several months (sometimes years in the case of places like Italy...) and makes you think (know) that nobody wants to actually do anything to remove it, even after having it add up again and again.

It is often said that art is subjective. I am personally not a fan of most of the globs of ugly lettering with colour vomited onto it.
 
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Gooner18

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You can use force to protect yourself, other people and your property, however is has to be proportionate, legal , accountable and necessary. I.e you have to justify every time you use force , every hit etc
 

muz379

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I think I asked this before, but does anyone know why private vehicles such as white vans and heavy good vehicles are not targeted? Those big plain surfaces just asking for it and often parked on an unguarded location. Why are more private cars not graffitied, keyed or egged?

One would have thought these people with the big chip on their shoulders would have found these very tempting?
There is some level of predictability in train stabling arrangements so i guess it helps them plan in advance .

Perhaps there is also some feeling that it is a victimless crime when it is the asset of a big business that is being damaged vs having a very direct victim when a private vehicle is "tagged" .
 

TRAX

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I think it is very disappointing that you 'don't mind' criminal activity. The societal rot starts there.

I live in a country where railway staff is constantly physically assaulted, where buses are deliberately burnt down and where stones are thrown at bus and train windows, where some areas have a 98 % rate of fare evasion, areas where ticket inspectors can’t go without a dozen transport police officers escorting them for fear of getting physically assaulted.
So excuse me if I believe a little paint on a train is the least of our worries.
 

Geezertronic

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I live in a country where railway staff is constantly physically assaulted, where buses are deliberately burnt down and where stones are thrown at bus and train windows, where some areas have a 98 % rate of fare evasion, areas where ticket inspectors can’t go without a dozen transport police officers escorting them for fear of getting physically assaulted.
So excuse me if I believe a little paint on a train is the least of our worries.

It may be the least of your worries, but I'd bet that the graffiti criminals are also responsible for some of the other crimes you mention above
 

martian boy

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I may get banned for this but....

The so called “graffiti artists” if caught, should be made to clean up their mess at their own expense. Not having enough money or unable to do it, should be taken has point blank refusal to do the work.

Their mugshot must, by law, be posted to everybody they live by up to a five mile radius. This will also be paid by them. Not having enough money...has above.

Any repeat offence....chop hands off. Not able to work, then starve. No benefits....they cannot sign their name.

I for one, am fed up of these criminals being branded has some sort of hero.
 

greyman42

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I may get banned for this but....

The so called “graffiti artists” if caught, should be made to clean up their mess at their own expense. Not having enough money or unable to do it, should be taken has point blank refusal to do the work.

Their mugshot must, by law, be posted to everybody they live by up to a five mile radius. This will also be paid by them. Not having enough money...has above.

Any repeat offence....chop hands off. Not able to work, then starve. No benefits....they cannot sign their name.

I for one, am fed up of these criminals being branded has some sort of hero.
I will back you up on that one.
 

Mojo

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I think I asked this before, but does anyone know why private vehicles such as white vans and heavy good vehicles are not targeted? Those big plain surfaces just asking for it and often parked on an unguarded location. Why are more private cars not graffitied, keyed or egged?
If you’ve ever been to New York or similar then every white van or box lorry seems to be heavily vandalised. I’ve seen it infrequently in Britain but you’re right it isn’t a regular sight.
 
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