27th January - Plan B easing - observations and usage

[ABB125]

I always enjoy a good brass competition, and unibrass usually never fail to disappoint!

Personally, I found it a huge disappointment that they insisted on masks and Tests (completely unneccessary!) this year (really dampened my view on what is otherwise a fantastic annual competition) but the atmosphere is great!

You’ll never beat us though

Were you there too? If so, which university?

 

[Jimini]

(*cough cough* Birmingham Conservatoire *cough cough*)

My alma mater!

 

[ABB125]

Still automated "thank you for wearing a face covering if you are able to as a courtesy to others" messages at Rugby this morning

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Feb 2022 ==

Mask "compliance" is fairly low on London Overground this morning

 

[John Luxton]

I do think there’s an element of follow-my-leader. So if there are people without masks then others will follow, but some people don’t want to be the odd one out.

Definitely the case. Back in December just after the masks returned I took a trip to York, I had had booked it before the masks were brought back and was determined to do it unmasked.

I am sat there unmasked at Lime Street when two ladies follow me on board and sit on the opposite side of the carriage - both masked.

I heard one say - look he isn't wearing a mask and they took their off!

Seeing others not wearing them gives confidence to many to remove theirs!

I am glad not only for myself that I had a pleasant trip that day but me being defiant helped two other people have a more pleasant travelling experience too. - Made me feel good!

 

[Fenchurch SP]

Definitely the case. Back in December just after the masks returned I took a trip to York, I had had booked it before the masks were brought back and was determined to do it unmasked.

I am sat there unmasked at Lime Street when two ladies follow me on board and sit on the opposite side of the carriage - both masked.

I heard one say - look he isn't wearing a mask and they took their off!

Seeing others not wearing them gives confidence to many to remove theirs!

I am glad not only for myself that I had a pleasant trip that day but me being defiant helped two other people have a more pleasant travelling experience too. - Made me feel good!

I was close to stopping working because I find it difficult to wear a mask. I found it reassuring if there were other maskless people around and this motivated me to continue, in the hope that I could help other people.

 

[jumble]

I was close to stopping working because I find it difficult to wear a mask. I found it reassuring if there were other maskless people around and this motivated me to continue, in the hope that I could help other people.

On the other hand I travelled on the top of a double decker a month or so ago
A woman was on there with what looked to be her 10 year old Grandson
She made a big fuss of telling him how some irresponsible people (which was probably directed at me) were not wearing masks etc etc
The irony was that he was not wearing one presumably because he was too young to have to do so.
Quite what the thought process here was is anyone's guess

 

[Freightmaster]

Definitely the case. Back in December just after the masks returned I took a trip to York, I had had booked it before the masks were brought back and was determined to do it unmasked.

I am sat there unmasked at Lime Street when two ladies follow me on board and sit on the opposite side of the carriage - both masked.

I heard one say - look he isn't wearing a mask and they took their off!

This is where the expression 'sheeple' comes from - people who can't/won't think for themselves,
so they base all their life choices on what others around them are doing.

For a good (non-covid) example of this behaviour, try parking in a quiet area of a large car park
so that you are several spaces away from the nearest car - nine times out of ten, someone will
have shoehorned their vehicle two inches from your car when you return!




MARK

 

[John Luxton]

This is where the expression 'sheeple' comes from - people who can't/won't think for themselves,
so they base all their life choices on what others around them are doing.

For a good (non-covid) example of this behaviour, try parking in a quiet area of a large car park
so that you are several spaces away from the nearest car - nine times out of ten, someone will
have shoehorned their vehicle two inches from your car when you return!




MARK

I suppose its human nature to take the lead from someone else.

My mother always told me to think for myself as a youngster and always used to say: "If someone put their hand in the fire would you do it just because they did it?"

If people find security in numbers by following others that is okay. Some people are natural rebels, and generally I am not.

Covid rules finally brought out my rebellious streak at 60 - something I never had during my teens or early 20s when many others tend to rebel!

 

[MikeWM]

For a good (non-covid) example of this behaviour, try parking in a quiet area of a large car park
so that you are several spaces away from the nearest car - nine times out of ten, someone will
have shoehorned their vehicle two inches from your car when you return!

My favourite example of that is walking along a long train at a terminus to near its front. In my experience, if there's someone walking near behind you, there's about a 90% chance they'll also get on at whatever door you chose to open and get on at, rather than one of the many others available. Sometimes I'll then immediately get off again and walk along the platform to another door

 

[Freightmaster]

I suppose its human nature to take the lead from someone else.

My mother in law is another good example - if we take her for a meal out,
she will inevitably look through the menu, sigh, and then say "oh, I don't
know what to choose - what are you having?"




MARK

 

[Bikeman78]

Had the same on a trip to Bristol last week on a GWR Castle set. Pre-recorded announcement, not the Guard.

The majority of people, including me, were not complying. But quite why GWR think trying to make their customers feel guilty is an acceptable action for a railway company (or any other customer facing business for that matter) is beyond me.

I agree. They are not legally required anywhere in England so switch off the announcements and take down all the signs. Let people decide for themselves.. Simples.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Feb 2022 ==

My mother always told me to think for myself as a youngster and always used to say: "If someone put their hand in the fire would you do it just because they did it?"

As soon as they could talk, I've always taught my kids to think for themselves and don't just follow what other people are doing.

 

[greyman42]

I agree. They are not legally required anywhere in England so switch off the announcements and take down all the signs. Let people decide for themselves.. Simples.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Feb 2022 ==


As soon as they could talk, I've always taught my kids to think for themselves and don't just follow what other people are doing.

I agree, but if they did that then the result would not be what the authoritarians want.

 

[ABB125]

It's been quite variable on the Underground today: some trains gave had most passengers in masks, others have had very few. I can't work out any reasons behind each scenario, it was very random.

 

[Bald Rick]

Almost 100% face coverings in Thameslink first class this morning 18/19. The one was me. Rather more than had first class tickets I suspect.

 

[ABB125]

Right now I'm on a LNR Euston Crewe service, and it's roughly 50/50 from what I can see.

(Standard class, obviously! )

 

[87electric]

My favourite example of that is walking along a long train at a terminus to near its front. In my experience, if there's someone walking near behind you, there's about a 90% chance they'll also get on at whatever door you chose to open and get on at, rather than one of the many others available. Sometimes I'll then immediately get off again and walk along the platform to another door

Many times I got off the train and walked up briskly to photograph the loco and found I’d been followed by alighting passengers who thought my confident walk would lead them to the exit….which was the opposite way!
The Solomon Asch social conformity experiment from the 1950s is worth a quick read (on Wiki) to see why people ‘go along with things’ so as not to be different.
Behavioural science anyone?

 

[Horizon22]

Much busier on trains arriving into London since Tuesday - a really noticeable uptick since end of January. Mask usage is a mixed bag, still fairly high amongst the "white-collar commuters"

 

[londiscape]

There's still some appalling "requirements" regarding face coverings on the official gov.uk DVSA page for booking a driving test. Don't know if this is just because it hasn't yet been updated following the end of the relevant regulations, or whether they're still actively trying to enforce it (will be complaining anyway). I need to book a test myself and have no intention of wearing a mask - it's likely to be the summertime before I can even get close to actually taking it, all this will be well in the past by then.

Anybody taken a test (or know someone who has) since the regulations ended and know what the score is?

Book your driving test

Book your official DVSA practical driving test for cars from £62, or other types of practical driving tests, including motorcycle and driving instructor tests

www.gov.uk

Book your driving test​

Book your practical driving test for:

• cars
• motorcycles
• lorries, buses and coaches
• approved driving instructor (ADI) part 2 and 3 tests

If you cannot wear a face covering​

When booking, you must say if you cannot wear a face covering during your driving test. You must also give a good reason for this.
Your test will be cancelled if you come for your test without a face covering and you did not say that you could not wear one when you booked it.
If you cannot wear a face covering you may not be able to take your test at the test centre of your choice.

How to say you cannot wear a face covering​

When you’re asked if you have any special requirements, select ‘Special learning or educational needs’, even if you cannot wear a face covering for a physical reason. Say that you cannot wear a face covering and give your reason there.

What counts as a good reason​

Good reasons are things like:

• having a physical or mental illness or impairment, or a disability
• wearing it would cause you severe distress

Wearing glasses does not count as a good reason.
This page is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).
You’ll be put in a queue when you start booking your driving test - you’ll be told how long you’ll need to wait once you begin. This is faster than booking by phone because the phone lines are very busy at the moment.
You can book a test up to 24 weeks in the future. There is no waiting list or cancellation list.

 

[greyman42]

I did a LNER York-Newcastle return on Tuesday night and a York-London return on Wednesday. There were no announcements regarding masks on any of the trains.
I don't know if i just got lucky or if they are dropping the announcements.

 

[alexf380]

I did a LNER York-Newcastle return on Tuesday night and a York-London return on Wednesday. There were no announcements regarding masks on any of the trains.
I don't know if i just got lucky or if they are dropping the announcements.

Maybe they've dropped the announcements? My guard this afternoon (Scottish guard, might I add) made no mask announcements, even after we'd crossed the border. Naturally as I wasn't told about it, I "forgot" I had to wear one.

 

[davews]

If your glasses fog up when wearing a mask surely that is a very good reason for not wearing the thing in a driving test..... whoops, you would fail when you couldn't even read the number plate before hand!

 

[bramling]

If your glasses fog up when wearing a mask surely that is a very good reason for not wearing the thing in a driving test..... whoops, you would fail when you couldn't even read the number plate before hand!

It’s okay to have a crash in the driving test as long as you don’t have a crash *and* be positive with Covid.

Another example of the irrational way for some people Covid trumps anything else.

 

[DustyBin]

Maybe they've dropped the announcements? My guard this afternoon (Scottish guard, might I add) made no mask announcements, even after we'd crossed the border. Naturally as I wasn't told about it, I "forgot" I had to wear one.

Unfortunately not; the TM made a mask announcement on the LNER service I used yesterday. Nothing OTT in fairness but it was mentioned.

 

[island]

There's still some appalling "requirements" regarding face coverings on the official gov.uk DVSA page for booking a driving test. Don't know if this is just because it hasn't yet been updated following the end of the relevant regulations, or whether they're still actively trying to enforce it (will be complaining anyway). I need to book a test myself and have no intention of wearing a mask - it's likely to be the summertime before I can even get close to actually taking it, all this will be well in the past by then.

Anybody taken a test (or know someone who has) since the regulations ended and know what the score is?

Book your driving test

Book your official DVSA practical driving test for cars from £62, or other types of practical driving tests, including motorcycle and driving instructor tests

www.gov.uk

Maybe it's in case face coverings come back?

 

[duncanp]

There's still some appalling "requirements" regarding face coverings on the official gov.uk DVSA page for booking a driving test. Don't know if this is just because it hasn't yet been updated following the end of the relevant regulations, or whether they're still actively trying to enforce it (will be complaining anyway). I need to book a test myself and have no intention of wearing a mask - it's likely to be the summertime before I can even get close to actually taking it, all this will be well in the past by then.

Anybody taken a test (or know someone who has) since the regulations ended and know what the score is?

Book your driving test

Book your official DVSA practical driving test for cars from £62, or other types of practical driving tests, including motorcycle and driving instructor tests

www.gov.uk

With a driving test, I would say that the wretched things tend to steam up my glasses, to the extent that my vision would be impaired.

This would be a good enough reason, as far as I am concerned, not to wear a mask.

 

[yorkie]

I did a LNER York-Newcastle return on Tuesday night and a York-London return on Wednesday. There were no announcements regarding masks on any of the trains.
I don't know if i just got lucky or if they are dropping the announcements.

I think you got lucky; LNER have been absolutely awful recently.

I've had no issue on any other TOC.

LNER even have "WEAR A FACE COVERING" boards at stations which are ignored by almost all passengers and, these days, by most of their staff (thankfully); I am sure you've seen them at York. They are impolite and infer that masked people are more 'considerate' than people who show their faces, which I strongly object to. There is something rotten at LNER and I think it comes right from the very top.

 

[Jimini]

I think you got lucky; LNER have been absolutely awful recently.

I've had no issue on any other TOC.

LNER even have "WEAR A FACE COVERING" boards at stations which are ignored by almost all passengers and, these days, by most of their staff (thankfully); I am sure you've seen them at York. They are impolite and infer that masked people are more 'considerate' than people who show their faces, which I strongly object to. There is something rotten at LNER and I think it comes right from the very top.

Avanti have wheeled theirs out at Coventry station today

 

[Bald Rick]

Avanti have wheeled theirs out at Coventry station today

I think that’s just for the people of Coventry…

 

[jumble]

Back in July, when the final stage of the roadmap was eased, we created a thread '19th July Lockdown Easing - Observations and Compliance' (thread can be found here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/19th-july-lockdown-easing-observations-and-compliance.220043/) to note the levels of compliance with voluntary mask wearing and social distancing requests.

As we have, once again, eased COVID restrictions and the mask mandate (in England) has ended once again, it seems appropriate to create a similar thread to note observations and the levels of compliance with voluntary requests to continue with social distancing measures and the wearing of face coverings.

This is not intended to discuss the effectiveness of these measures which has been done to death on other threads.

Whilst I'm not in England until Friday, I'm looking forward to hearing how compliance levels are this time and whether, if at all, they differ to November time before the introduction of Plan B.

Yesterday I had a busy day travelling around London on TFL Rail, Tube and Bus
When I got home I suddenly felt for the first time that we really are on the way to getting back to normal
This is because
I travelled on the Jubilee at the end of the first carriage Not a single mask in that section
I did not see any TFL Enforcement
The Police were prowling around Stratford Station handing out leaflets and talking to people ..
These were about Sexual Harassment on TFL and not about Covid
I did not hear a single announcement all day babbling on about about masks
The proportion of mask wearers on all modes of transport seemed to less than 50%
I ended up in a spoons where no staff were wearing masks
I thought about Boris saying he was hoping to end all restrictions a month early

 

[Jimini]

I think that’s just for the people of Coventry…