Drivers: Do you like people waving from platforms?

[ExRes]

A lot of overthinking and mild misanthropy on this thread. If somebody waves at you, wave back. That's it. It's not a safety risk, not a distraction, no reason to brand people as special needs or whatever. Just normal human behaviour. I despair sometimes.

You may well despair when the waving hand is actually propelling a brick that hits your windscreen

 

[theironroad]

This discussion reminds me of this episode of To the Manor Born. Between 02:00 and 02:20 into the video...

I've not looked at it, but I bet it style bit when she goes to thank the engine driver or when she goes to tell the driver she want to sit with back to engine and he says something along the lines of good luck, it under the floor.

Funny thing is, Penelope Keith lived in Milford, and there used to be a man who got off at Milford a number of years back in the evening and always say 'thankyou driver'.

 

[lordbusiness]

Childish I know but I sometimes wave at passengers on other trains on the approach to Liverpool Street if we overtake a TFL service, especially if I get eye contact. Sometimes I get a wave back, especially if we then slow and the TFL service overtakes my train later on. People look so miserable travelling into London for work, if I cheer one person up on the way to work it's got to be worth it.

Then there was the first time I took daughter number 2 (aged 7) into London who called out loudly to a packed 1st class carriage 'see ya later suckers- eat our dust' when passing a TFL service just south of Brentwood.

 

[smsm1]

I will also give them a toot of the horn.

My 3, nearly 4 year old daughter has waved to drivers and got a toot of the horn. Ended up in tears due to the fright of the loud noice and got a bit scared. Any sudden loud noise makes here quite scared, so it's not just trains, even things like testing the fire alarm where she knows it's going to happen can cause her panic. Now a bit scared to wave incase there's a loud toot and gets a fright again. Not sure the best way to resolve, though hopefully she'll grow out of it.

 

[causton]

All safety critical staff use hand signals i.e. to alert the driver of someone falling on the track. Therefore it is never a good idea to wave or make any gesture as in the moment it could be mis judged as an alert of danger. Many train drivers are quite welcoming towards enthusiasts but at the end of the day they have a job to do and cannot be distracted from that job.

Just about every dispatcher I've seen (on a through platform) waves at the train as it comes in. It's just polite, not a safety risk!

 

[theironroad]

My 3, nearly 4 year old daughter has waved to drivers and got a toot of the horn. Ended up in tears due to the fright of the loud noice and got a bit scared. Any sudden loud noise makes here quite scared, so it's not just trains, even things like testing the fire alarm where she knows it's going to happen can cause her panic. Now a bit scared to wave incase there's a loud toot and gets a fright again. Not sure the best way to resolve, though hopefully she'll grow out of it.

Pretty much exactly why I stopped , it's a pity there isn't a real quiet option on the horn, alas even the 'low tone' is often extremely loud.

 

[vikingdriver]

Pretty much exactly why I stopped , it's a pity there isn't a real quiet option on the horn, alas even the 'low tone' is often extremely loud.

I wish I had your units! I tend to discover when blowing up for a group of rather attractive women waving, that the train's horn is positively asthmatic!

 

[theironroad]

I wish I had your units! I tend to discover when blowing up for a group of rather attractive women waving, that the train's horn is positively asthmatic!

Lol, I've driven units like that in past where you go to toot and an embarrassing gasping sounds comes out.

 

[js1000]

Walking close to the edge with your back to us isn't good.

You'd hate platforms 13/14 at Manchester Piccadilly!

 

[Mrs. Fortescue]

I think people who wave moronically at passing trains need some psychiatric help. This isn't the Famous Five. You wouldn't stand at the side of the road waving at drivers. Absurd.

This! So true. Odd behaviour.

 

[LowLevel]

This! So true. Odd behaviour.

It's a British thing. Waving at boats and trains is standard behaviour.

 

[Mrs. Fortescue]

It's a British thing. Waving at boats and trains is standard behaviour.

It most certainly is not! 99.9% of the adult population wouldn’t be as daft as to start waving at trains.

Nothing near “standard behaviour”.

It’s weird.

 

[Controller1701]

I don't respond to random requests, especially the horn/whistle tugging hand action

I would say that by having the train moving you have complied with their resquest. I.E you have created a brake and proved it works.

 

[Red1980]

You may well despair when the waving hand is actually propelling a brick that hits your windscreen

What a load of nonsense. Let's not wave at people as the chances are it's just the follow through from a thrown brick.

I've lost faith in most of humanity as have a lot of people but to think a wave is the aftermath of something different just because they happen to be stood next to a railway is frankly ridiculous.

 

[bishdunster]

I've not looked at it, but I bet it style bit when she goes to thank the engine driver or when she goes to tell the driver she want to sit with back to engine and he says something along the lines of good luck, it under the floor.

Funny thing is, Penelope Keith lived in Milford, and there used to be a man who got off at Milford a number of years back in the evening and always say 'thankyou driver'.

Even though I hav'nt been there for over 15 years I instantly recognised the station in that clip as Maiden Newton !''

 

[158747]

All safety critical staff use hand signals i.e. to alert the driver of someone falling on the track. Therefore it is never a good idea to wave or make any gesture as in the moment it could be mis judged as an alert of danger. Many train drivers are quite welcoming towards enthusiasts but at the end of the day they have a job to do and cannot be distracted from that job.

A wave is simply a friendly gesture, I don’t see how it could be misinterpreted as anything else. I think it is a good thing when people wave at trains. It is just a thing people like to do just the same as when people like to wave at passing ships.

 

[geoffk]

If I'm on a bridge with the camera I sometimes raise my palms to show that I'm not about to throw something! Passengers on heritage railways often wave if they see me with a camera and i sometimes wave back half-heartedly. Not sure why they do it. Freight train drivers sometimes hoot.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

Maybe it's just the line I work on but I get waved at far more often by people on overbridges than people on station platforms. Platform wavers tend to be parents with very young children or kids hoping for some tones. I almost always acknowledge them.

 

[Peter C]

Passengers on heritage railways often wave if they see me with a camera and i sometimes wave back half-heartedly. Not sure why they do it.

People almost always wave on heritage railways. I like waving back as well.
I went to the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway a couple of years ago and was very surprised to find that every time the train went past a next door cricket ground they stopped their little game to watch and wave!

-Peter

 

[ExRes]

What a load of nonsense. Let's not wave at people as the chances are it's just the follow through from a thrown brick.

I've lost faith in most of humanity as have a lot of people but to think a wave is the aftermath of something different just because they happen to be stood next to a railway is frankly ridiculous.

You should try it matey, it does rather change your view of humanity as the brick smashes into the windscreen

 

[Red1980]

You should try it matey, it does rather change your view of humanity as the brick smashes into the windscreen

Been there, done it, got the T shirt.

I just choose to not believe every person who's hands are above their shoulders in a waving motion are doing so because they're actually throwing building materials at me.

Christ with that outlook I'm surprised any driver is in the right frame of mind to go anywhere near the driving cab.

My view on humanity (as previously stated) isn't the greatest anyway...... But it's certainly not at the stage where I view every person who decides to wave at my train is actually doing something sinister.

When it gets to that stage I'll simply hand my key back in as someone of such nervous disposition or sinicism probably shouldn't be in the cab anyway. Not good for my health or that of others.

 

[4F89]

I had a pigeon wave at me last week. He then promptly threw himself into my windscreen. Brown trousers moment. Left a pretty shape though....

My horn gets blown when I want to, regardless of people's actions. I will wave if I feel like it, I will honk if I need to. I ignore if I'm concentrating on something else.

 

[Red1980]

I had a pigeon wave at me last week. He then promptly threw himself into my windscreen. Brown trousers moment. Left a pretty shape though....

My horn gets blown when I want to, regardless of people's actions. I will wave if I feel like it, I will honk if I need to. I ignore if I'm concentrating on something else.

Hahahah brilliant. And absolutely spot on.

 

[Muenchener]

Think it depends which school you went to and perspective. I'm old school.
I can recall, as a school kid, standing lineside and waving to drivers and firemen and mostly getting a positive response being wave or whistle. In those days there was much more interaction between the crew and those by the track or on the platform. I guess now, approaching my dotage, that has carried forward as I continue to acknowledge the driver.
One recent positive example I can quote is being on a platform at a small unmanned station after watching a steam excursion go thru. A light engine move was about to occur off a curve. I encouraged a guy with a young lad to stick around to watch the class 37 thru. There were just the three of us on the platform. At his dad's encouragement the young lad waved as the 37 approached. The driver tooted his horn as he passed and made the lad's day. Well done WCRC! Sometimes; it's the little things...

 

[krus_aragon]

Footballers usually have a lot of arm waving directed towards them

And the Queen seems to give as good as she gets.

 

[The_Train]

And the Queen seems to give as good as she gets.

I wonder if she waves to the driver of the Royal Train?

 

[dk1]

When Coltishall airbase was still operational fighter jets used to tip their wing at my little Sheringham shuttle whilst using me as target practice

 

[Dren Ahmeti]

I’ve waved to someone passing us on HS1, we specifically turned on the cab light to do so!

I tend to give a hand raise/wave to drivers that I know when I jump off at my local, all too happy to respond alike!

 

[ValentaFan1974]

I've seen platform staff at places such as Banbury raising their arm to drivers as they arrive at the station, and drivers respond, as if they know each other and are old friends. I always find this interesting and quite nice - even if it is just procedure, it is good to know that there is still some happiness in the world!
I wouldn't raise my hand or wave to a driver, however, purely because I don't see any reason to!

-Peter

I tend to find the drivers wave to me first when I’m on the platform about to board the train that arrives. I always acknowledge them as a courtesy. The railway is a friendly place and fellow colleagues will nearly always be courteous like that even if you don’t know them. Sometimes you find other TOC’s drivers will give a friendly wave on occasion too when they see your uniform.

Wouldn’t happen in civvies though lol

 

[Cliveblackpool]

I think people who wave moronically at passing trains need some psychiatric help. This isn't the Famous Five. You wouldn't stand at the side of the road waving at drivers. Absurd.

They do! A smile and a wave costs nothing, put a smile on their face!! ...... if safe to do so!
https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/real-reason-people-wave-eddie-2793827
The real reason people wave at Eddie Stobart lorry drivers
The age-old tradition holds a special place in people's hearts - and is an obsession for others