‘Sexist’ message on Cross Country train screen

[Dougal2345]

RAIL commuters were shocked when an onboard digital screen repeatedly scrolled the message: “Only fit birds on this train”.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1000432/cross-country-trains-sexist-message-display

The screen above carriage doors is meant for train information service but the offensive words were displayed at around 8.30am on the CrossCountry service between Basingstoke and Reading last Thursday. The operator said it would investigate the incident and described the language as “unacceptable”.

Staff with access to the onboard systems would be contacted.

Commuter Tomasz Nicpon, 37, described the message as “very sexist” but said other passengers “were laughing and taking photos”

A spokesman for CrossCountry said: “Shortly after the train's departure we were informed this message was being displayed and made immediate arrangements for its removal. Such language is unacceptable.”

 

[Bletchleyite]

You can key in what you like on Voyagers (and Desiros, I've seen some funnies[1] on LM, though nothing like this). On a VT set someone who knew how could have fiddled with it in the buffet, but isn't it hidden away in the cab on XC sets?

[1] I once saw "Late again!" on the front of a 350. I took a photo of it, but for reassurance offered to show the guard and driver that I had been careful to omit the unit number so as to avoid them getting in trouble.

 

[tonysk14]

There was for a while about a couple of years ago, a photo of a suburban EMU in Melbourne with "This train is f****D" in bright orange on the desination display.

 

[Mintona]

Ridiculous. Someone is going to be doing well to keep their job after this.

 

[gordonthemoron]

wonder what happened to the guard on the 16:30 KGX-NCL service 31st December 1992 who announced it as the 16:30 to Newcastle upon Tyne, the Centre of the Universe?

 

[Bletchleyite]

wonder what happened to the guard on the 16:30 KGX-NCL service 31st December 1992 who announced it as the 16:30 to Newcastle upon Tyne, the Centre of the Universe?

Nothing I expect, slightly silly announcements seem to be tolerated (there's a thread on that) - just not sexist comments.

 

[Esker-pades]

Ridiculous. Someone is going to be doing well to keep their job after this.

The system could have been hacked. It won't necessarily have been put up there by a member of staff.

 

[DarloRich]

As a registered minger am i allowed to travel on a train for fit birds only? I am neither a bird nor fit (in any sense of the word)

 

[pt_mad]

I once saw "Late again!" on the front of a 350. I took a photo of it, but for reassurance offered to show the guard and driver that I had been careful to omit the unit number so as to avoid them getting in trouble.

Surely they wouldn't get into trouble, as 'late again' would have been a fact rather than opinion, if the service was actually late and had already been late that week

 

[mallard]

Odd that it was only the "commuters" on this long distance service were "shocked"... Were the longer distance and occasional travellers really any less concerned? (Since there are so many humor impaired individuals on this forum; please don't take that seriously.)

But yes, it's sexist, juvenile and crude. Did someone let a teenager operate the PIS or something? I'm surprised the modern brand-obsessed rail industry even allows bespoke text to be entered by front-line employees. Surely everything has to be approved by several levels of PR people these days?

 

[Clip]

As a registered minger am i allowed to travel on a train for fit birds only? I am neither a bird nor fit (in any sense of the word)

No - though if they had an old guards van on the back then i guess they would let you

 

[Bletchleyite]

But yes, it's sexist, juvenile and crude. Did someone let a teenager operate the PIS or something?

There is a distinct possibility that a "teenager" (or other person up to mischief) did so of their own volition. It really doesn't strike me as something a member of staff would do (and expect to keep their job at least). I've seen silly but inoffensive things like "Zzzzzz" and "Off to bed" on sets heading for the depot, but this is quite different.

 

[pt_mad]

Perhaps the staff will say they only want athletically able budgerigars and parrots onboard their services after being fetched from pet shops.

 

[Dougal2345]

Since the video appears to show the service as full and standing, perhaps the message was gallantly warning female passengers that they need to be 'fit' enough to be able to stand for a long period without passing out, and slim enough to wedge themselves into a corner somewhere to avoid having some slimy man brushing against them.

Anyway, I remember during some major snowy disruption a few years ago, where things were in a state of flux, seeing a train showing the destination "Magical Mystery Tour"

 

[jwbuchanan]

Marvellous bird, the Norwegian Blue...

 

[pt_mad]

''such language is unacceptable'.
Look how popular love island was, and there was plenty of high fiving talking about ''proper fit birds' on there. And ITV2 didnt ban it or warn of sexist language. This is how a huge chunk of people speak whether we pretend they don't or not. And a lot of them are our customers.

 

[Journeyman]

But yes, it's sexist, juvenile and crude. Did someone let a teenager operate the PIS or something? I'm surprised the modern brand-obsessed rail industry even allows bespoke text to be entered by front-line employees. Surely everything has to be approved by several levels of PR people these days?

Sadly it's the sort of thing Virgin find funny and splash about all the time, given how ZANY!!!! and WACKY!!!! they are - they've got in trouble for plenty of language people have found offensive. Wonder if it was programmed in from the days when they ran the franchise?

 

[AlterEgo]

Sadly it's the sort of thing Virgin find funny and splash about all the time, given how ZANY!!!! and WACKY!!!! they are - they've got in trouble for plenty of language people have found offensive. Wonder if it was programmed in from the days when they ran the franchise?

Surely not a serious comment?

 

[Bromley boy]

Surely not a serious comment?

They do have form for this kind of thing.

http://www.itv.com/news/2018-01-02/virgin-trains-patronises-woman-after-sexism-complaint/

Rather funny, I thought. Not well advised in 2018 Britain, for sure.

 

[3141]

I don't know whether there's a gay equivalent for "only fit birds on this train", but if such a thing appeared would it be sexist? My opinion is that the display was juvenile and crude - the words mallard used in post #10 - and totally unsuitable to be used in the situation where it appeared. (And in many others, too, but that's a different discussion.) Whether it was sexist is a secondary consideration, I think.

 

[Dougal2345]

I don't know whether there's a gay equivalent for "only fit birds on this train", but if such a thing appeared would it be sexist? My opinion is that the display was juvenile and crude - the words mallard used in post #19 - and totally unsuitable to be used in the situation where it appeared. (And in many others, too, but that's a different discussion.) Whether it was sexist is a secondary consideration, I think.

Isn't it sexist because it is a rule that only applies to women - ie if you're a man, you can board this train whether you're good looking or not, if you're a woman and not good looking, you can't?

If it had said "only fit hunks and birds on this train", that wouldn't have been sexist - but unpleasant and probably "-ist" in another way.

 

[Journeyman]

Surely not a serious comment?

Deadly serious. Virgin's attempts at humour have got them into trouble on numerous occasions, quite apart from being highly irritating at the best of times.

 

[3141]

Isn't it sexist because it is a rule that only applies to women - ie if you're a man, you can board this train whether you're good looking or not, if you're a woman and not good looking, you can't?

If it had said "only fit hunks and birds on this train", that wouldn't have been sexist - but unpleasant and probably "-ist" in another way.

OK, how about "Only fit hunks can board this train"? We'll assume the person who puts that up could be of either gender.

 

[ComUtoR]

As a registered minger am i allowed to travel on a train for fit birds only? I am neither a bird nor fit (in any sense of the word)

Only if you use the assisted travel booking line. A member of staff will provide you with a brown paper bag but in the event of your assistance not arriving in a timely manner you may use your own but it must conform to the relevant bylaws and safety standards or you may be asked to leave the train.

 

[DarloRich]

Only if you use the assisted travel booking line. A member of staff will provide you with a brown paper bag but in the event of your assistance not arriving in a timely manner you may use your own but it must conform to the relevant bylaws and safety standards or you may be asked to leave the train.

Is there a size limit for the bag? What if i bring a bin bag? What if i just wear a dustbin but leave it in the bag storage area?

PS Will the bag have holes so I can see out and gaze upon the goddess like fitties?

 

[Darandio]

Does the software allow it be done on a carriage by carriage basis? I'm just thinking about segregation that's all, one carriage with the message discussed in this thread, one for 'Munter's Only' etc etc.

 

[Economist]

I do fear that 21st Century Britain is becoming increasingly uptight. I don't believe it's right when offensive jokes are aimed at a specific person unless it's reciprocal, but I fail to see why so many people would take offence at the message on the train.

If it said, "fit lads only" we'd all probably have a good laugh over it. Why the double standards?

 

[Mintona]

Maybe it’s because information boards are for, er, information.

 

[farleigh]

Not very important really is it?
Perhaps a word in the ear of the staff member would do the job.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Sounds like a classic "Slow day for news" story that seems to be increasingly what passes for news these days.

Someone makes a joke in public
Some young snowflake gets offended and reports it to a journalist
Journalist then trawls Twitter or Facebook, picks out a few unrepresentative quotes from people who are "shocked" or "disgusted" at the joke and uses them to pad out their story.
Story published with attention-grabbing headline
Lots of people post a link to the story on message boards
Representative of company says it's unacceptable and apologises.

Perhaps the headline should have been "Commuters disinterested at childish prank?" instead?