Great story about a mobile phone passenger on London Midland

[PhilipW]

All of a sudden, my opinion of London Midland has shot up dramatically

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-Noisy-passenger-told-quiet-train-driver.html

'Message for lady on phone in 1st class: Shhhhhh!' Noisy passenger told to keep quiet by train driver

• Driver made announcement on the tannoy mid-way through the journey from London Euston to Milton Keynes
• Embarrassed passenger promptly ended her rather noisy phone call

It's one of those everyday irritations that most people are too polite to do anything about.

So imagine the relief of the passengers on one train journey when someone else told off a woman for having a rather loud mobile phone conversation.

To the added glee of commuters, their hero was the train driver.

Mid-way through the journey from London Euston to Milton Keynes, the driver announced on the tannoy: ‘This is a special message to the lady travelling in first class in the middle of the train.

'Please refrain from shouting on the phone as you are annoying other passengers.’

The embarrassed passenger promptly ended her phone call, much to the delight of fellow commuters.

Peter Foot, chairman of the National Campaign for Courtesy, described the announcement as ‘marvellous’, pointing out that a passenger might have complained first.

Mr Foot said: ‘It’s big bugbear, people having loud mobile phone conversations on trains.

‘I have never heard of an announcement like this being made on a train before. I think it’s an excellent idea.’

A spokesman for train operator London Midland said such announcements were not part of any company policy.

Great story

 

[RichmondCommu]

There must be a great deal of satisfaction in humiliating fare paying customers.

 

[Geezertronic]

There must be a great deal of satisfaction in humiliating fare paying customers.

Especially those that are ignorant to the fact that other people exist. Well done train driver

 

[tsr]

If she was annoying other passengers so much that the train driver ended up alerted to the situation, it sounds* like she was probably in breach of Byelaw 7(1), and therefore I am inclined to support the driver's actions in successfully attempting to silence her, unless evidence to the contrary is put forward.

Byelaw 7(1):

Except with written permission from an Operator no person on the railway shall, to the annoyance of any person:
(i) sing; or
(ii) use any instrument, article or equipment for the production or reproduction of sound.

(My italics. Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/4202/railway-byelaws.pdf )

*Bad pun not intended.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Especially those that are ignorant to the fact that other people exist. Well done train driver

A more sensible solution might have been for the guard to have a quiet word.

 

[district]

A spokesman for train operator London Midland said such announcements were not part of any company policy.

I hope nobody gets into any trouble because of this.

 

[PhilipW]

I hope nobody gets into any trouble because of this.

Give the driver a bonus.

 

[RichmondCommu]

I hope nobody gets into any trouble because of this.

The old adage "engage brain before opening gob" certainly seems to apply here.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Give the driver a bonus.

Or maybe give the driver a union representative for the disciplinary hearing.

 

[Ferret]

Or maybe give the driver a union representative for the disciplinary hearing.

Somehow I doubt that will happen......

 

[RichmondCommu]

Somehow I doubt that will happen......

Well hopefully it won't but in hindsight it perhaps wasn't the most sensible course of action.

 

[tom1649]

Would have been the guard not the driver making the announcement wouldn't it? Your average passenger often seems to assume the driver is making the announcements.

 

[spacehopper]

Would have been the guard not the driver making the announcement wouldn't it? Your average passenger often seems to assume the driver is making the announcements.

Thank you!

If she was in middle of the train must have been a very loud conversation for driver to hear!

Same with baby on train story it was driver making announcements and sorting out help according to tweets. When it was actually the guard.

"This is the guard speaking.... "

Nice Alan Partridge-sque use of the word tannoy in the article as well.

 

[W230]

At least she took the advice and did terminate the call!

 

[NSEFAN]

Don't LM not have some class 321s? Isn't the first class at the very ends of the train on these units? If that is the case then there is a small chance that it could actually be the driver who made the announcement.

 

[tom1649]

Don't LM not have some class 321s? Isn't the first class at the very ends of the train on these units? If that is the case then there is a small chance that it could actually be the driver who made the announcement.

But to quote the announcement as given in the article it says "first class in the middle of the train". There is a small chance they got the quote wrong, however.

 

[Pumbaa]

Apparently 350 drivers can make announcements. A member of this forum was praised to the LM Twitter last week for going the extra mile so to speak. I don't think it would be a stretch of the imagination that these two events were from the same driver.

I won't identify them but I'm sure they will make themselves known if they want to.

 

[Pumbaa]

And before anyone gives a smart arse reply of the twitter user may have confused driver and guard, the driver concerned responded to the original tweet from their own account. Good service eh?

 

[Statto]

Passengers talking persistently loudly on there mobile phones is one of my main bugbares on public transport at least something was done in this case.

 

[MK Tom]

I'd say the driver did the right thing in publicly humiliating the person because otherwise they just don't learn what it is they're doing wrong. Being that inconsiderate to other passengers is a bad thing to do... People do need to be told that.

 

[IanD]

She was in first class so obviously owns the train and can speak as loudly as she wishes.

 

[asylumxl]

Somewhat torn on this.

It's not right to humiliate someone for such a minor issue. While I realise it's annoying I see plenty of people do worse and nobody says a thing.

On the other hand it is amusing.

 

[pinguini]

I question whether it is really 'humiliating'.

 

[SS4]

Somewhat torn on this.

It's not right to humiliate someone for such a minor issue. While I realise it's annoying I see plenty of people do worse and nobody says a thing.

On the other hand it is amusing.

Why not employ double standards? It's funny as long as it isn't you

 

[Ferret]

I question whether it is really 'humiliating'.

Me too! Mildly embarassing maybe, but some times people learn from being embarassed and it's the only way.

I guess it would've been nice if London Midland had said that making such announcements weren't official policy, but we do ask our passengers to show consideration for others.

 

[TDK]

This announcement was most likely made by the guard however drivers on occasions and I have done so myself will soeak to the guard if the train is at a stand and then ask the guard if they want you, the driver to make an announcement regarding a delay, however this only happens on vary rare occasions. I really feel this has been handled wrong, I feel the guard should have spoken to the woman directly and reminded her that using the mobile phone in a loud manner is irritating other passengers and if she wants to continue the conversation to move to the vestibule maybe. When DOO I have made announcement regarding smoking on the train reminding passengers that is agains the law to smoke and if they do not extinguish their cigarette the BTP will be notified, however if I had a guard on the train I would ask them to do it as it is their job and to be fair many gaurds frown at drivers if their jobs are infringed.

 

[455driver]

Somewhat torn on this.

It's not right to humiliate someone for such a minor issue. While I realise it's annoying I see plenty of people do worse and nobody says a thing.

On the other hand it is amusing.

But if she had shown just a little consideration for other passengers then there wouldnt have been any need for the announcement.

I notice the usual suspects are saying the crew shouldnt have done it but in another thread they will be moaning that the crew didnt do anything.
Its a pity they never offer up a (workable) alternative to any of it though. :roll:

 

[Mutant Lemming]

The announcement should have been more of a general style as in those made towards smokers rather than pinpointing an individual as it leaves the company open to the charge of cauing distress to a passenger through the embarassment. A reminder or a statement of the rules/regulations is usually sufficient for any guilty parties to refrain and only point them out for then continuing to infringe them. Everyone should get there warning shot - we all have spells when we are oblivious to our surroundings where a reminder will suffice.

 

[SPADTrap]

What makes me laugh the most is that none of the 'typically British' people on the train seemed to have asked her to quieten down? What's wrong with that approach..?

 

[Mutant Lemming]

What makes me laugh the most is that none of the 'typically British' people on the train seemed to have asked her to quieten down? What's wrong with that approach..?

Because you never know if Norman Bates is masquerading as the talkative passenger.

 

[09065]

Apparently 350 drivers can make announcements. A member of this forum was praised to the LM Twitter last week for going the extra mile so to speak. I don't think it would be a stretch of the imagination that these two events were from the same driver.

I won't identify them but I'm sure they will make themselves known if they want to.

The 350s (and 450s, 444s etc) have PA facilities in driving cabs. They also have the ability for GSM-R throughput into the PA from the likes of signallers and controllers.