tubenutter
Member
Hi, I've been a member of these forums for a while and used to post but haven't done for years - so I doubt any of you will remember me!
Anyway, I was at Birmingham New Street a few weeks ago and saw a man try and jump on to a train (I think it was a CrossCountry Voyager, but the details are a little hazy as it was a few weeks ago and I was rushing somewhere myself) as the door was closing. It was the door that the guard was standing in, and the guard appeared to push the man back onto the platform as he was jumping through the door. I was quite surprised at this, so I wonder what your views are on the guard's actions?
I'm unsure about my opinion - on the one hand, there is a risk that the person jumping onto the train could get trapped in the door which would (as well as delaying the service) probably cause injury. Also, it is possible that the man could have knocked the guard over when jumping onto the train so pushing him may have been an act of self-defense. On the other hand, the passenger could have ended up with one leg falling down the gap, or landing badly on the platform causing injury. It also seems a bit of a personal risk to the guard, as if such an injury had occurred, I imagine he would have been on dodgy ground legally.
Anyway, I'm not meaning to judge the guard on his actions (I'm sure his actions were 'in the moment' and he may well have regretted them afterwards, and either way I'm not sure myself what I would have done - both options seem justifiable in some senses). I just wondered what some of you would do (particularly if you work in the industry yourselves) in this situation.
Jonny
Anyway, I was at Birmingham New Street a few weeks ago and saw a man try and jump on to a train (I think it was a CrossCountry Voyager, but the details are a little hazy as it was a few weeks ago and I was rushing somewhere myself) as the door was closing. It was the door that the guard was standing in, and the guard appeared to push the man back onto the platform as he was jumping through the door. I was quite surprised at this, so I wonder what your views are on the guard's actions?
I'm unsure about my opinion - on the one hand, there is a risk that the person jumping onto the train could get trapped in the door which would (as well as delaying the service) probably cause injury. Also, it is possible that the man could have knocked the guard over when jumping onto the train so pushing him may have been an act of self-defense. On the other hand, the passenger could have ended up with one leg falling down the gap, or landing badly on the platform causing injury. It also seems a bit of a personal risk to the guard, as if such an injury had occurred, I imagine he would have been on dodgy ground legally.
Anyway, I'm not meaning to judge the guard on his actions (I'm sure his actions were 'in the moment' and he may well have regretted them afterwards, and either way I'm not sure myself what I would have done - both options seem justifiable in some senses). I just wondered what some of you would do (particularly if you work in the industry yourselves) in this situation.
Jonny