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Booze on the train

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The 375 King

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For a long time there has been a booze ban on the tube, should there be a ban on mainline trains? I have been made very nervous by drunken youths on D.O.O services, the trains are open plan now so you are stuck with them, when I was young at least I could get an apartment all to myself from Sevenoaks all the way to London with no drunks.
 
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DarloRich

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No there shouldn’t be. I like a drink on the train to the match with my mates. There is legislation to allow BTP/TOC’s to declare any train they so wish as a “dry train”.

It sounds like your experience is with people who were already drunk when they got on. That is a different question
 

Temple Meads

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I'm in two minds over this, drunken idiots on a train can be an absolute nightmare, and very intimidating for people of a nervous disposition, at their most basic level they interrupt any peace and quiet, at worst they can actually attack someone.

On the other hand, responsible drinkers are the majority, I myself have enjoyed a beer on a train without being an idiot, as have many friends.

It's also a hard rule to enforce unless you strip search people before they board, same for stopping already drunk people boarding the train, if their original station is unstaffed.
 

Oswyntail

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No, there shouldn't be a "booze ban". However, it would help if you could guarantee that those responsible for the safety of passengers were a tad more active in policing drunkenness. Stop drunks getting on the train in the first place, or, if they find drunks on the train, get them quiet or chucked off.
 

SS4

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If byelaws 4 and 5 aren't enforced what makes you think a ban will be enforced? Drinking is one of the reasons people take the train instead of the car. Most passengers drink sensibly and do you really think the drunks will stick to the ban?

Byelaws said:
4. Intoxication and possession of intoxicating liquor

(1) No person shall enter or remain on the railway where such person is unfit to enter or remain on the railway as a result of being in a state of intoxication.
(2) Where reasonable notice is, or has been, given prohibiting intoxicating liquor on any train service, no person shall have any intoxicating liquor with him on it, or attempt to enter such a train with intoxicating liquor with him.
(3) Where an authorised person reasonably believes that any person is unfit to enter or remain on the railway, or has with him intoxicating liquor contrary to Byelaw 4(2), an authorised person may:
(i) require him to leave the railway; and
(ii)prevent him entering or remaining on the railway until an authorised person is satisfied that he has no intoxicating liquor with him and/or is no longer in an unfit condition.


5. Unfit to be on the railway

No person shall enter or remain on the railway if, in the reasonable opinion of an authorised person, he is in an unfit or improper condition or his clothing may soil or damage any part of the railway or the property or clothing of any person on the railway.
 

Deerfold

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For a long time there has been a booze ban on the tube, should there be a ban on mainline trains? I have been made very nervous by drunken youths on D.O.O services, the trains are open plan now so you are stuck with them, when I was young at least I could get an apartment all to myself from Sevenoaks all the way to London with no drunks.

The ban on the tube doesn't seem to have made much difference - if someone's a rowdy drunk they're likely to ignore it. It's only the obedient who know of the ban (it's not shouted about as you enter a tube station) who go along with it.
 

yorksrob

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For a long time there has been a booze ban on the tube, should there be a ban on mainline trains? I have been made very nervous by drunken youths on D.O.O services, the trains are open plan now so you are stuck with them, when I was young at least I could get an apartment all to myself from Sevenoaks all the way to London with no drunks.

No. Absolutely not.

But I agree those compartments were great.
 

RPM

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Also, the fact you can have a drink on the train is a bit of a selling point for rail travel which probably influences a good few people to use the train rather than drive.
 

The 375 King

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Also, the fact you can have a drink on the train is a bit of a selling point for rail travel which probably influences a good few people to use the train rather than drive.



Thinking about it, I am in favour of drinking on long distance, well staffed trains but not D.O.O commuter trains, it seems that with no guard, some people will cause trouble.
 

12CSVT

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Maybe there should be far tougher penalties for being drunk and disorderly / drunk and incapable on public transport (for example, four figure fines, mandatory prison sentences, or being banned from public transport for up to a year). Also the sale of alcohol on trains should be banned.

I personally would have no objection to a complete ban on alcohol on public transport.
 

Greenback

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Thinking about it, I am in favour of drinking on long distance, well staffed trains but not D.O.O commuter trains, it seems that with no guard, some people will cause trouble.

Some peopel will cause trouble regardless of whether they are actually drinking or not. And most of them will be drunk before they get on the train, so banning them from bringing drink on to the train and consuming it will not have much effect at all.

And for many people, a DOO train might be the start or finish of a longer journey!
 

yorksrob

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Indeed.

Also, if it's been a hard day at work, commuters have been known to enjoy a beer on the train home to wind down.
 

DaveNewcastle

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And my glass of red with my evening meal, please. (see endless EC FC thread)

Seriously, there might be a justification for an alcohol ban on sensitive services (related to high volumes of passengers attending a specific event) in Standard Class while allowing passengers in First to enjoy their alcoholic drinks.
 

Yew

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Recently on the Robin Hood Line, I have noticed 'Code of conduct' signs going up saying no drinking an any train between Nottingham and Worksop. Seems quite odd as there is no such restriction on any other train service in the area.

Ill try and get a picture up soon.
 

SS4

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Recently on the Robin Hood Line, I have noticed 'Code of conduct' signs going up saying no drinking an any train between Nottingham and Worksop. Seems quite odd as there is no such restriction on any other train service in the area.

Ill try and get a picture up soon.

Is that enforceable? I'd hardly call it "reasonable" notice.

I really don't want TOCs taking away the joy of being able to drink a bottle of cider while passing through this country's spectacular countryside (also the West Midlands :p)
 

Royston Vasey

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I'm very much in favour of drinking on all trains. Admittedly, I'm in the quiet gin and tonic or small bottle of red on a long journey category, rather than the 6 pack of Stella on the way to town category. However, this simple freedom is what makes rail travel civilised and relaxing! Even if in your case it has been made uncivilised and stressful due to the inconsiderate actions of a few.

Drunks are drunks, and inconsiderate people are inconsiderate people. If they want to get a train home after several hours in the pub, they will do so anyway, and your journey will be just as unpleasant whether they can drink on the train or not.

The problem you have, and we all share, is with society and other people's lack of courtesy, rather than railway byelaws. Sad but true.
 

NY Yankee

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After passengers started acting rowdy, the Long Island Railroad in NYC started banning alcohol on trains on Friday and Saturday nights. I think it's unfair that everyone's penalised because of the actions of a few. They should just arrest the person who is causing trouble.
 

jon0844

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Any drunken related incidents I've seen on a late night train over the last ten years or so has been people who are already drunk, not people actually drinking on the train itself.

I am not saying it doesn't happen but most people drink in a pub/bar/club then go home, totally wasted at times. Hopefully most just fall asleep and the worst thing is them throwing up.
 

Clip

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And my glass of red with my evening meal, please. (see endless EC FC thread)

Seriously, there might be a justification for an alcohol ban on sensitive services (related to high volumes of passengers attending a specific event) in Standard Class while allowing passengers in First to enjoy their alcoholic drinks.

Ooh Dave that wont go down to well with the commoners ;):lol:
 

scotsman

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Drunks are drunks, and inconsiderate people are inconsiderate people. If they want to get a train home after several hours in the pub, they will do so anyway, and your journey will be just as unpleasant whether they can drink on the train or not.

Drunks are not necessarily inconsiderate...
 

Royston Vasey

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Drunks are not necessarily inconsiderate...

Absolutely right, people can be highly inconsiderate and sober, the NY subway is a prime example I'm sure NY Yankee will agree! And people can be drunk and very considerate (I hope I'm in that category!)
 

scotsman

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Absolutely right, people can be highly inconsiderate and sober, the NY subway is a prime example I'm sure NY Yankee will agree! And people can be drunk and very considerate (I hope I'm in that category!)

I'd say I'm in that category, even when somewhat worse for wear
 

NY Yankee

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Absolutely right, people can be highly inconsiderate and sober, the NY subway is a prime example I'm sure NY Yankee will agree! And people can be drunk and very considerate (I hope I'm in that category!)

I definitely agree.

I am not saying it doesn't happen but most people drink in a pub/bar/club then go home, totally wasted at times. Hopefully most just fall asleep and the worst thing is them throwing up.

I've witnessed both drunk and sober passengers toss their cookies. It's disgusting, but it happens.
 

4SRKT

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There is a booze ban on NIR (except the Enterprise where booze is on sale in the buffet). This is typical of modern Northern Ireland which since the end of the Troubles has gone from being the most anarchic to the most authoritarian part of the UK. You can't even bring your pint with you when you go outside a pub for a smoke! This in marked contrast to situations I can remember when pubs had to be evacuated in bomb scares. Bar staff would hand out plastic glasses for people to pour their drinks into so the evening at the pub could continue on the pavement until the army had declared it safe to go back inside.

I guess what I'm rambling about here is to show that if a society has something really worth worrying about, it doesn't get overly worked up about other people's drinking habits.
 

Clip

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Drunks often can't differentiate between what is considerate and what inconsiderate.

Same could be said about folk who arent drunk and do the same. Bags on seats maybe?
 
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